To and Fro on the Earth

It is difficult to find liturgy that comes from the book of Job. Instead, we look for words that express the mood or the intention of the text and the preacher/worship team. Here, as noted in the planning notes and preaching notes for this series, we are admitting that sometimes “stuff happens.” We suffer, we are attacked, we get sick or hurt or encounter a loss of some sort. We hope to gather up all of those who worship with us today and let them know that they are seen; that we stand in solidarity with them. We may not be able to “fix” whatever troubles them, but we can be present with them. And through our presence, we communicate that despite what it might seem, God is with them as well. So, “you are not alone” is a part of what we declare as we worship.

Call to Worship

(Quotes a phrase from the hymn “Just as I Am” by Charlotte Elliott)

Leader: We gather today, seeking the peace Christ gives.

People: We gather, in spite of many a conflict, many a doubt, within our souls.

Leader: We gather, longing for the breath of God’s Spirit to give us courage and renewal.

All: Come, Christ Jesus, be our guest. Bless us through the power of your Spirit and give us the courage to live as your disciples day by day. Amen.

Ruth C. Duck, in Flames of Spirit: Resources for Worship, Ruth Duck, ed, Pilgrim Press, 1985, 59.

Thank you for This New Day

A Call to Worship

One: This is the day that the Lord has made.
Many: Lord, thank you for the gift of this new day.
One: This day may be filled with joys and questions, challenges and tears.
Many: And we know that you, Lord, will be with us through it all.
All: Praise the Lord!

Ashley Johnson, Africana Writers Project, Pentecost Package 2, edited by Safiyah Fosua

Opening Prayer

For rebirth and resilience,
Blessed be God;
For the spiritually humble,
Glory to God, hallelujah;
For all who hunger and thirst for justice,
Praise him and magnify him forever;
For all who are banned from speaking the truth,
Blessed be God;
For all who triumph over their bitter circumstance,
Glory to God, hallelujah;
For all who risk reputation, livelihood, and life itself for Christ’s sake and the gospel;
All praise and all glory; this is God’s kingdom;
Praise him and love him forever.

From South Africa, Worship and Song: Worship Resources, Abingdon Press, 2011, 25.

Affirmation

I refuse to believe that we are unable to influence the events around us.
I refuse to believe we are bound by racism, war, and injustice.
I believe those around me are my brother and my sister.
I believe in dignity every day and that our brokenness can be healed.
I believe we can overcome oppression and violence, without resorting to it.
This means I seek to reject revenge and retaliation.
I remember, “Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can.”

Drawn from the writings of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Abigail Reichard, a student at Christian Theological Seminary. Posted on the Disciples of Christ Council on Christian Unity website. http://ccu.disciples.org/ Reposted: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/07/affirmation.html.