What - Transitions Worship series on a green flag over an image of a bearded man with a head covering making a shushing motion with his finger to his lips

The worship space should be arranged as if it is in a period of construction throughout this series, culminating with the finishing of the space on Week 5.

For this week, most “regular” worship furnishings should be absent—no Lord’s Table, no font, no pulpit, no lectern, no (unattached) crosses.

The service for today is built to be lay-led, on the model of morning prayer. The role of the pastor today is to preach and offer the blessing. We recommend that a child (trained and capable of reading aloud well) read the Scriptures throughout the rest of this series. If the pastor is absent (as will be the case in some places because of annual conference), a layperson may preach and offer the final blessing using the appropriate modifications as noted.

Silence may be observed. When worship begins, a leader may rise and say:

CALL TO PRAISE AND PRAYER

Greeting:

Leader: O Lord, open our lips.
People: And we shall declare your praise.

Song of Praise

“Praise the Lord Who Reigns Above” UMH 96
OR
“Crags and Clay” CCLI #6189422

ABBREVIATIONS
AH = The Africana Hymnal

BOW = United Methodist Book of Worship

CCLI = Christian Copyright Licensing International, SongSelect

TFWS = The Faith We Sing (2000)

UMH = United Methodist Hymnal

W&S = Worship & Song (2011)

SOZ = Songs of Zion

SCRIPTURE

Readings Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 (UMH 854)
Song: “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry” TFWS 2051
I Samuel 3:1-20 (NRSV)

Sermon What?

Response

“Song of Zechariah” UMH 208
OR
“When Everything Falls” CCLI #5490411

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Prayers of the People BOW 571 or TFWS 2201
OR CCLI #7039048

The Lord’s Prayer

BLESSING AND PEACE

Pastor or Lay Leader (wording for Lay Leader noted in parentheses)
Our lives are full of transitions.
Everything changes.

Amidst all change,
at every stage of transition,
God’s saving love for us and all creation
abides.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you (us) and remain with you (us) always. Amen.

Signs of peace are exchanged.

Postlude