A poem for Christmas and Epiphany This night we steer our paths By lights in holy skies. Like eyes of old, we stare Aloft at certain stars. Pressed hard by cruel tones And ugly, unseemly times, We linger at a star of beauty, A gleaming, affirming fire. To homes and naves we go With children […]
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‘Do not be afraid’ — words of the angels Prayers of Intercession This was originally written for a worship service marking the opening of a week-long Angel Festival. It might be used during Advent, particularly at a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service. The word ‘angel’ is not always popular, or sometimes over-popular! How can […]
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O God, At the darkest time of the year comes the brightest of Hope. Let the gladness of its coming and the hope of its promise be warm within us. To embrace this Hope is to believe that someday there shall be A world of goodwill from which all cruelty is gone. A world in […]
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Lectionary 19 September Year C Supplies: a personal cross that the leader carries with them. Or if the leader does not have this, the message could be altered to be a time when the leader, also, receives a new cross to keep with them. enough crosses, ideally small metal or wooden ones, to give one […]
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Worship Words resources for September:
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This annual observance, stretching from 1 September to 4 October (Day of St Francis of Assisi), aims to raise awareness in the global Christian family about the urgency to care for creation as a response to the ecological crisis. Click on the link to access the numerous Season of Creation resources posted on Worship Words […]
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Links are to ready-to-use printouts using inclusive language (to download). Exodus 23:16 and 19 You shall observe the festival of harvest, of the first fruits of your labour, of what you sow in the field. You shall observe the festival of ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field […]
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We are called to pay attention: a responsive reading Many: This morning/afternoon/evening and all mornings/afternoons/evenings, we are called to pay attention. One: We are called to pay attention to our individual lives, to our delights and pains. We are called to understand and cherish ourselves, to take good care of ourselves, to know ourselves as […]
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God speaks the universe into creation. Words of kindness create goodness; words of cruelty create hurt. Our words matter. Liturgy and Language resources: Jump to… Creative and Refreshing liturgy for today’s church Liberated Liturgy Academic reflections – thoughts on liturgy Liturgical Studies at Notre Dame University, Indiana USA Joseph Ratzinger’s (Pope Benedict XVI) Consideration of inclusive […]
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Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 Proper 14 (19), Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A Scripts ready-to-print Genesis 37 – Joseph story DRAMA WORD Genesis 37 – Joseph story DRAMA PDF Characters Narrator Joseph — to side, out of sight Jacob/Israel — centre stage on chair The Shechem Man Rueben — to side, out of sight Judah — […]
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Loving God Creator God Accepting God Forgiving God Guiding God Encouraging God Restoring God Transforming God Leading God Blessing God Inspired by a pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland
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A Litany One: Because of the rising of the sun in the morning of each new day All: Our hope is in you, God One: Because of the setting of that same sun in the evening All: Our hope is in you, God One: Because of the stars that extend towards infinity All: Our hope […]
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Adapted from Psalm 107 Give thanks, for God’s goodness overflows into our lives. All redeemed by God declare it so! When we cry out to God, God delivers us from our troubles. God leads us down a path we can navigate. Give thanks, for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
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A responsive prayer of intercession, confession and blessing Silence: a diamond symbol (♦) indicates a short pause. One: God, we call to mind those that we love. All: May your people dwell in peace. ♦ One: We call to mind those that would call us enemies. All: May your people dwell in peace. ♦ One: […]
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Loving God, Centre us in your heart Pulsing with Christ-love Healing and holding Challenging and changing Everything in order For your vision to rise. Take every weariness And form resurrections Small and large in us Offering a strength Beyond our own Binding us to you And to each other And your whole creation. By this, […]
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Advent 3 & Pentecost 23, Year C From Isaiah 12 Since God is our Saviour we will trust and be unafraid. God is the source of our confidence and will keep us safe from harm. On the day when God comes to our rescue, joy will rise like water from the spring. So give thanks […]
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With what words do we remember? With what words do we turn from the memories of war to the hope of peace? Newest ‘Remembrance Day’ posts . . . (images link to posts) Remembrance services are held both in churches and at war memorials. For some this is an opportunity to focus on peace. White […]
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This might be used as a corporate prayer, substituting ‘we’ for I’. It might also be used at a service of affirmation — an induction, ordination, baptism, re-commitment or confirmation, substituting ‘you’ for ‘I’. May I…. Hands at third eye centre: May I see things as they really are, and not as how I want […]
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Words for reflection and sharing when preparing for worship Too often the best doesn’t happen to us because we don’t expect it to happen. Too often we fasten our attention on the obstacles and not on the possibilities. Too often our fear of failure robs us of the need to risk for what we could […]
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God, sometimes we feel like Lazarus—dirty, unclean, poor, with nothing to offer the world. And yet, sometimes we are guilty of acting like the rich man. Many things – wealth, possessions, beliefs, opinions, fears – can limit our hopes, limit our discipleship, and keep us from living and loving as you would have us. We […]
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I come To feel flowing from others The same hunger and thirst For hope For Faith For peace For joy I come To acknowledge what I know That You are the ultimate Source of all I long for That You are the Creator of all those I care for That Your Holy Spirit pulsates in […]
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Luke 16:1-13 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20) Year C God, sometimes we feel like Lazarus—dirty, unclean, poor, with nothing to offer the world. And yet, sometimes we are guilty of acting like the rich man. Many things – wealth, possessions, beliefs, opinions, fears – can limit our hopes, limit our discipleship, and keep us […]
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Loving God, Raise me from earth’s water Just enough for awe Evoked by sights Often not seen Except for kindnesses Offered by others Whose love lifts me To see otherwise overlooked Beauty awaiting my wonder. Grant me grace To savour such sights Of heaven and earth Holding each other In perpetual praise Ancient and present. […]
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We greet one another as a sign of God’s peace and Christ’s friendship by saying, ‘Christ’s peace be with you.’ And we respond with, ‘And also with you.’ From the service sheet on the Fifth Sunday of Lent at Garden Street United Methodist Church, Bellingham, Washington USA, 25 March 2012
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Luke 9:51 – 62 Easily adapted for use relating to any country or people. Loving God, thank you for your welcoming embrace. Your acceptance of our imperfection is ever an example for us to strive for. Forgive us when we fall short – when we are quick to reject and quick to condemn. Inspire us […]
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We remember a baby born into poverty, a child who grew up and preached a radical message of peace, justice and equality, a message he knew that would eventually get him killed. Knowing that his time was coming to an end, he wanted to explain again to those closest to him what he was trying […]
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O Love, Help me entrust Everything to you For I am at risk Of forgetting it is you Who gives me life And calls me to a work Seen and often unseen. Help me remember It is not mine to do alone But rather your work of love Awakened in me by you For whatever […]
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Come! Gather! Celebrate! We come to worship as the people of God. Come! Listen! Pray! We come to hope, dream and share visions. Come, for all are welcome in this place.
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God of Illumination, during this Epiphany season we thank you for inviting us on this journey of faith for revealing yourself to us in the love of the Creator, the joy of the Spirit and the peace of the Christ-child. We commit anew, like the wise ones from the East, to seek and serve Christ […]
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God of new beginnings, Be with us as we gaze ahead in hope and enter into this new year with faith. Illuminate the way as we step into the unknown with trust striving to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Thank you for your church where we journey together as God’s family.
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A Carol for Advent and Christmas Tune: O Holy Night Light showers down, the darkness cannot conquer A hope now dawns and the world has a chance Peace filters in, the hope of God appearing In a form that we don’t understand A baby born to save and to redeem us As heaven stoops to […]
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When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem They found there was no room. We confess that in the midst of all our anxieties We have not made room in our hearts for others. We confess that, paralysed by fear, prejudice or apathy We have not made room in our homes for the stranger. We confess […]
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This modern psalm offers ‘balanced’ gender language, not inclusive, but the powerful juxtaposition between the masculine language of NIV and the feminine language of Edgerton’s version is effective, so I’ve included it. — Ana Gobledale, Editor With Apologies to the Psalmist ‘Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that […]
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Based on the tune of St Clement – ‘The day though gavest’ Be with us in ways that wrap us in communion Unite us to be your church once more While we are apart bring us closer together In ways that your justice and mercy restore Be always beside us your word speaks to guide […]
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O dear One whose name is more than a name whose power I cannot tame O dear One I look into the sky, brushed with streaks of pink and orange at the dawn And am reduced to babytalk — ohhhh, wow…. I gaze at mountain ranges, parapets of stone And remember how puny is my […]
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Proper 19, Year B 16th Sunday after Pentecost May the utterances of our lips and the very thoughts arising in our hearts be aligned with your will and your way, for you are the solid foundation upon which we stand and find our balance. Our speech and knowledge arise from you, crafted by your love […]
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Prayers of Intercession in a time of fear It is so good to trust in God. This world is scary and I remind myself over and over again that we can trust in God to never leave us, to be with us no matter what. We come to this community prayer, trusting that God hears […]
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For Pentecost 13, Year B May be read responsively or by a single voice. Guardian over all the nations, how we love your dwelling place. Here, even the sparrow may find a home and the swallow make her nest, raising her brood beside your altars. Happy are those who are at home in your house. […]
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Lectionary reading – Easter 3 This might be read by a solo reader or responsively. Answer me, O God. When I have been in trouble you have always been there for me. Listen, and go gently with me. There are those who insult you by loving only what is worthless. You will always listen to […]
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Gather us in, O God From every age and outlook. Gather us in, O God From every creed and colour. Gather us in, O God From every circumstance and walk of life. Be found among us In the sharing of bread and wine, in the offering of friendship and service, in the openness of thankful […]
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