21st Century Africana Worship Resources for the Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost, Year A

Gathering
The promises of God are not always fulfilled in our lifetimes. Moses saw the Promised Land, but did not enter into it. Many of our enslaved ancestors received the promise of freedom and abundant life, but did not experience it. We are living out that promise made to them. We live out promises made to saints who have gone before us. We are both living God's promise and awaiting the fulfillment of God's promise. Times may be hard. We may cry sometimes. Justice may seem to tarry. Yet God remains faithful and God's promises are true! Amen

Call to Worship
(Psalm 90:1-4, 16-17a, NRSV)
One suggestion is to have a youth/young adult liturgical dancer/or the dance team choreograph movements to this text.

Leader: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
People: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Leader: You turn us back to dust and say, "Turn back, you mortals."
People: For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.

Leader: Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
People: Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and prosper the work of our hands!

Prayer of Confession
Lord, you have told us what to do. But this love thing is hard. You've invited us to love you with everything we have, and we instead have fallen in love with our jobs, houses, and electronic toys. Loving you intimately is scary, and we often opt for another way. You've invited us to live in loving relationship with everyone we encounter, but there are folk who are downright hard to love. We confess our inability to love as we should. We need your forgiveness and help living out this love thing. Free us to love as you do. Amen.

Choral Call To Prayer: "Kum Ba Yah," verses 1-3, United Methodist Hymnal, 494

Prayer:
Our God, who sits high and looks low, desires to be in relationship with us. God has given us the gift of prayer so that we can share all of our joys and pains. We can talk with God, not only as with a loving parent, but as also as a friend. It is prayer time. The altar is open. Come and talk with God.

Choral Call To Prayer: "Kum Ba Yah," verses 5-6, United Methodist Hymnal, 494

Special Music: "I need you to survive." ("I prayed for you, you prayed for me…") by Hezekiah Walker
(Album available at amazon.com)

<

About the Author: The Rev. Lillian C. Smith is a former staff member of Discipleship Ministries.