Our Mother, our Father, Source of our being, whose presence is heaven, all Creation sings of you, “Holy!” May your Realm unfold among us, your desire be fulfilled, this world blossoming out of your delight. Give us the breath of life, one breath at a time. Accept our brokenness; give us acceptance of others who […]
Read full textWorld Health Day – 7 April
‘There is much to celebrate in the world of global health. Neonatal deaths have been cut in half since 1990. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has substantially decreased. Polio and guinea worm are on the verge of elimination. ‘But there is still much to be done. Drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis and malaria bring new threats to […]
Read full textDisciples Prayer — Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA
ready-to-print copies: PDF Disciples Prayer by Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson WORD Disciples Prayer by Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson Holy One whose name we honour and praise, When we laugh, you laugh with us. When we weep, your tears wash over the earth. You know the joys and sorrows of our hearts, Our efforts for change and our resistance to […]
Read full textThe Revised Common Lectionary – What’s in and what’s out? — ELLC
This paper was prepared for the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC) for its meeting in Leuven (Be) August 2017 and is also posted on ELLC’s website . Tables are provided for each Gospel, presenting the readings in biblical order. Each reading is matched to the corresponding Sunday and/or holy day on which it arises in the […]
Read full textCafe Church, Open Table service — Pentecost
Theme: Pentecost (Whitsunday) A complete worship service weaving together scripture, drama, reflection, conversation and communion Compiled & written by Ana Gobledale for Open Table (with a grant from the United Reformed Church in Great Britain) This service is designed for a congregation gathered around tables. It can easily be adapted for a more traditional setting. The Leader’s […]
Read full textNew words to old tunes — Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, USA
Carolynshymns.com is a website loaded with thoughtful and meaningful hymns. Each song is easily accessible by a Topical Index, Revised Common Lectionary indexes, and Scripture Index. Carolyn “writes hymns about how faith speaks to events in the world (disasters, social concerns, everyday living, etc.) as well as new hymns based on scripture, including lectionary lessons.” Her moving hymn “How […]
Read full textSinging a New Song – George Stuart, Australia
George Stuart has written sing-able hymns with grounded, authentic and original lyrics set to traditional and familiar tunes. He, graciously, has made his work available free on line. Click here for his website, ‘Singing a New Song‘. ‘Love them. Cute songs for our little kids, too.’ – Comment from a worship leader His “Singing a […]
Read full textLove words
What words express the mystery of love? Love felt? Love received? Love committed? Love lost? Love divine? Words of love express our care and compassion, inviting others into relationship. Explore these resources to discover ‘Love Words’ relevant to your experience and situation, to use in both group worship and personal devotions. Newest posts . . . […]
Read full textCafe Church, Open Table service — Mothering Sunday
This ready-to-use Café Church Mothering Sunday worship service weaves together scripture, drama, reflection, conversation & communion. It has been designed for worship around tables, but is easily adaptable to a more traditional setting. This service includes everything you need — an Order of Service to handout, leader script sheets, reader printouts, song suggestions, a list […]
Read full textWisdom Words
Words to move us from indecision to certainty, from doubt to trust, from unknowing to knowing . . . Explore these resources to discover ‘Wisdom Words’ relevant to your experience and situation, to use in both group worship and personal devotions. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Wisdom Words’ […]
Read full textPeace Words
What makes for peace? What words express the urgency of reconciliation and bridge-building, and our longing for trust and serenity? Explore these resources to discover ‘Peace Words’ and images relevant to your experience and situation, to use in both group worship and personal devotions. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Peace Words […]
Read full textRitual Words
What words express the depth of experience at peak moments in our lives? How do we articulate the feelings, the vows, the hopes? Words for rituals… baptism / christening / naming / dedication blessing services: blessing a home blessing for a distressed home blessing of animals blessing gardens & gardeners blessings with water commissioning communion confirmation […]
Read full textPraise Words
Words of praise exhilarate and empower, catapulting us into joyful action. Explore these resources to discover ‘Praise Words’ relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Praise Words’ resources . . .
Read full textMeditation Words
Words to slow the pulse, calm the breath, settle the soul . . . Explore these resources to find Meditation Words relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Meditation Words’ resources . . .
Read full textStrengthening Words
Words connect us to the power and strength we need to meet the day. Explore these resources to find ‘Strengthening Words’ relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Strengthening Words’ resources . . . Featured image: African Beauty in opalstone by Peter […]
Read full textHealing words
Words can reach out to pain and suffering, bringing renewal and new life. Explore these resources to discover ‘Healing Words’ relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Healing Words’ resources . . .
Read full textPrayer arising from 1 Samuel 3:1-10 — Cara Heafey, UK
Prayers of Approach Second Sunday of Epiphany, Year B Trinity Sunday Second Sunday of Pentecost, Year B God our creator: You spoke the universe into being Your word is the source of all life You spoke through the prophets You speak to us still We praise you! Jesus, teacher, storyteller: You spoke and […]
Read full textHopeful words
Words of hope defy despair. Words of hope buoy us when we sink, hold us when we falter. Explore these resources to discover Words of Hope relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) ‘Words of Hope’ resources: an alphabetical listing
Read full textGratitude words
With what words do we express thanksgiving? How do we convey the depths of our gratitude? Words of thanks and gratitude illuminate the path of life. Explore these resources to discover ‘Gratitude Words’ relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Gratitude Words’ resources . […]
Read full textCandlelight words
Accompanying a flickering flame, words bring light into the darkness, illumination into the wondering . . . Explore these resources to discover ‘Words by Candlelight’ relevant to your experience and situation. Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Words by Candlelight’ resources . . .
Read full textPsalm 100, Words of Gathering- Ana Gobledale, UK
Proper 29 (usually Pentecost 25), Year A Responsive reading inspired by Psalm 100 Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth. We will worship God with gladness; Come into God’s presence with singing. We sing, for God made us, and we are God’s people. Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and praise. We give […]
Read full textWorn Spot – Steve Garnaas-Holmes, USA
There’s a dip in the stone step in the threshold of the old cathedral, worn where thousands of pilgrims have stepped as they entered the darkness to pray. Even in the old country church the railing is rubbed bare where the faithful have grasped, have leaned, have hoped. There is a worn spot at […]
Read full textCommissioning Services
Go into the world… What words do we use? What feelings do we express? What covenants do we articulate? How do we articulate hopes and dreams? The gathered church often demonstrates its inter-connectedness and care through rituals in which the congregation ‘commissions’ an individual or group to undertake a specific task. More than ‘order’ or […]
Read full textSeminary Student Commissioning Service — Barb Wilkins-Crowder, USA
This service was written originally for a service at Cairn Christian Church, Lafayette, Colorado USA. It is to be used within a longer service of worship. Ready-to-print leader’s sheets including full text of service: PDF Seminary student commissioning service WORD Seminary student Commissioning service Order of Service (Through out the service [Name] refers to the name of […]
Read full textCome! — Christian Peacemaker Teams, Chicago USA & Toronto, Canada
Come! And trust that which brought you here. Come! Riding in on the grace of the wind Come! Floating in on the river that feeds your soul. Come! Walking on the path that unfolds in front of you. Come! And be in this moment, this place; welcoming in the love of living. Used in services […]
Read full textSuggested Resources
You are not alone with your desire for inclusive language and Progressive liturgy. While these links may not provide ready-to-use material, they do offer valuable worship resources. Inclusive-language Bibles Inclusive-language resources: Lectionary Study resources: Lectionary-related Liturgy resources: Year A Worship Words resources Year B Worship Words resources Year C Worship Words resources Lectionary-related songs and […]
Read full textHarvest prayer for our world, Luke 8:4-8; Matthew 13:1-23 — Ana Gobledale, UK
Prayers for our world While the prayer was written for a specific Harvest Sunday, it might be used anytime during a Harvest Season. There is an opportunity to light individual candles for specific prayer concerns or people. In the richness of our faith we lift our prayers of intercession to God, sowing the seeds of […]
Read full textGenesis 1-2, a choral reading, Heaven and Earth – Scott Ward
Based on Genesis 1:1-2:4, The Message by Eugene Peterson -Arranged by Scott Ward, USA Lectionary: Trinity Sunday Year A, Epiphany Year B (Genesis 1:1-5), Easter Vigil Years A,B,C Downloads: full scripts, ready-to-print: (horizontal versions are easy for readers to hold) Heaven and Earth Choral Reading, Scott Ward WORD Heaven and Earth Choral Reading, Scott Ward PDF Heaven […]
Read full textPsalm 105 prayer, Australia
Inspired by Psalm 105 Lectionary for Year A: Proper 12, 14, 17 and 20 We remember your wonderful works and we give thanks We sing praises, we tell of your strength, your faithfulness, your holiness, and we ask, how do we bring glory to you? Your judgements are over all the earth. You are mindful […]
Read full textWhat we believe — Center for Spiritual Living, Seattle, Washington USA
Our faith is not a revelation of some particular individual or of any one group. Rather, it is a correlation of the most empowering truths found in religious texts and the discoveries of science. We start with the simple proposition that God, known to many by many names and traditions, is an immediate Presence not […]
Read full textWhat Do You Want? (Matthew 9:20-22; 20:30-34)– Emily C. Heath, USA
God, help me to figure out what I need, and hear my prayer when I am bold enough to ask for it. Amen. Matthew 9:20-22 Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, […]
Read full textMother’s Day (2nd Sunday of May)
There are all types of mothers. There are people who are not biological mothers who provide nurture and love. What words do we use to describe mothers and those who mother? What words to describe our relationships with our mothers? Newest ‘Mother’s Day’ posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all […]
Read full textFaith Statements & Affirmations of Faith
What do we believe? How do we verbalise our faith? What words do we use to express our core values and beliefs? How do we articulate that which cannot be explained yet is known intimately? Affirmations or Statements of Faith are created when we bring our faith into words. They may be used in acts […]
Read full textHoly, holy, holy, Love Now Ascending (hymn) — Jim Burklo, USA
Tune: Nicaea (Holy, Holy, Holy) Words by Jim Burklo (use freely with attribution) Holy, holy, holy, love now ascending Early in the morning our song shall rise to you Holy, holy, holy, joy that has no ending Giving, forgiving, breathing life anew. Holy, holy, holy, love without a limit Care that binds creation in sacred […]
Read full textCafé Church, Open Table — ready-to-use services
These Café Church worship services weave together scripture, drama, reflection, conversation & communion. They have been designed for worship around tables, but are easily adaptable to a more traditional setting. Each service includes everything you need — an Order of Service to handout, leader script sheets, reader printouts, song suggestions, a list of supplies, a […]
Read full textBlessing God’s Creatures — Woodland Hills Community Church, USA
Everyone is invited to bring their pet (or a photo) to this celebration of thanksgiving for pets. Children and youth are involved as readers. The service was first held at Woodland Hills Community Church, Woodland Hills, California. Opening Bless our God, all you creatures. Bless God in heaven and earth. Readings Genesis 1:23-28, 31a (read by […]
Read full textPrayer — Farai Chirisa, Zimbabwe
God, we give you thanks for sending Jesus to give us life. In the midst of wealth we are crushed by poverty, and while we are offered Christ-life in all its fullness, we are surrounded by disease, death and destruction. We are tempted to despair, and yet keep hoping, knowing that you care. At times we […]
Read full textEzekiel 37, Dry bones, a prayer — Ana Gobledale, UK
Ezekiel 37:1-14 Fifth Sunday in Lent – Year A 2 April 2017 God of life, hear my prayer. Withered, cracked, pale Sometimes I feel like a pile of old bones Dry, brittle, broken Sometimes I feel as though all hope is lost. Dry bones, hear the word of the Divine! […]
Read full textUnbinding Lazarus, John 11:1-45, Lent 5 – Loren McGrail, Palestine/Israel
Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A Unbinding So dear ones this is the hope of this Lenten Gospel reading. Our sisters and brothers who have been entombed will rise. The question is where are we in the Lazarus story? . Are we standing there paralyzed by the force of our own weeping? Are we […]
Read full textGood Shepherd, Guide us in love — Ana Gobledale, UK
Prayers for our world — inspired by Psalm 23 Let us turn our mind and thoughts to others. We will lift up prayers for our world, our nation, our community and our church, responding with the phrase: Good Shepherd, Guide us in love. Pray with me. . Good Shepherd, we hear the cries and joys […]
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