In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ — Matthew 2:1-2 Light a […]
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This ready-to-use Café Church 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 of supplies, […]
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Theme: Welcoming the New Year This ready-to-use Café Church New Year service weaves together scripture, reflection, conversation, communion and rituals of light and gathering. 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 […]
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Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. — Luke 3: 5-6 Every valley shall be filled: may our low places, our wrong doings of the past, […]
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I desire to be still and know that you are God! To marvel in the miracle of you becoming flesh! To be continually mindful that you are a light of revelation to me! That you are alive and active in me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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A reflection for Advent Luke 1:11-15a But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son… . I can commiserate with Zechariah. I’m doing my work at the temple and a strange being comes and says don’t be afraid. […]
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Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. — Luke 2:4 We all long to find a real home: the place where our pasts and our futures intersect. As we metaphorically journey through […]
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Prayers written by members of Cairn Christian Church, Lafayette, Colorado USA for daily Advent devotions This time of year invites us to remember the light and the twinkle and the darkness and the humble fragility and beauty of human birth. This time of year reminds us of the miracle that happens when truth and light […]
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Dear God, At Advent, it’s easy to only think about lights And presents and parties. Help us remember the most important things this season: The love of our parents and family, The beauty of the world, The many things we have to be thankful for, Friends and food and shelter. Help us remember that Christmas […]
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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 […]
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Pray with me. Indeed our hearts are overflowing with joy! As we sit at these tables, tables filled with the earth’s bounty for our celebration, we remember and give thanks, Eternal One, for your unnumbered blessings in our lives. We give thanks for family and friends gathered here. We remember loved ones not with us […]
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As we contemplate our final journey We face our deepest fears And recognise all that we long for. The whole of our lives has been bringing us to this point, The point of departure A threshold. Do not be afraid of the darkness. Let it enfold you like a blanket. Your ancestors have gone ahead […]
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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 […]
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God of Grace, shepherd us Reconciling Prayer for Reformation Sunday – WORD Reconciling Prayer for Reformation Sunday – PDF Using a sung or spoken response: Shep-herd us, O God, beyond our wants, be-yond our fears, from death in-to life. Click here for music. God of grace, shepherd us. Sung/spoken response: Shepherd us, O God, […]
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Standing up to bullies: Anna & Martin make change (reform) happen Works well for Reformation Sunday; could be adapted to remember another person who stood up to bullies, historic or current. I have something in my bag. What’s this? … DVD – Frozen Who has seen Frozen? Who are the characters? Who do you see here? […]
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Inspired by Psalm 43 Proper 26 (usually Pentecost 22) Year A Come, come into the light of Love! It is difficult to shake off the darkness of our world. Come, come into the brilliance of God’s truth. Our minds wander to worry and care. Come, turn into the embrace of Eternal Goodness. Our hope […]
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You bring alive what once seemed dead Your word becomes as real as bread Your love we taste in sips of wine Your meal reveals the life divine Jim Burklo, Associate Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California, writes regularly for the ProgressiveChristianity.org liturgy project. Many of his liturgical materials can […]
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Originally written for use in worship on Mother’s Day/Festival of the Christian Home. God, the faith which lives in each of us first lived in others: it lived first in our mothers or those who mothered us; it lived first in the inspired writers of our sacred texts. it lived first in theologians who wrote […]
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Seeking to be faithful to the original languages, Priests for Equality have sought new and non-sexist ways to express the same ancient truths. The Inclusive Bible is a fresh, dynamic translation into modern English, carefully crafted to let the power and poetry of the language shine forth. While this new Bible is certainly an inclusive-language […]
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When the earth shakes, the lightning flashes, the tsunami rolls across the waters; when the snow whites out the roads, the floods wash out bridges and homes, the wildfires rage across the ridges; when the tornados race through town, the hurricanes churn up the coast, the heat waves wipe out crops— then, […]
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These words opened a Sunday church service recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance in Lafayette, Colorado. Today there is much to grieve in our world. I would be remiss not to mention [mention of current events of violence in the news]. Today, on our Transgender Day of Awareness Sunday, we grieve in particular the murders of […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Pentecost came once – long long, so long ago! What can it mean to us but to inspire perhaps? And yet could it be so that we might know the fire upon our heads and in our souls? Our lives might yet be changed beyond out wildest dreams – or fears? For we might have […]
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We gather, looking back to see the paths taken, Looking forward to see our path. We honour those who have gone before us, Learning from their successes and failures. We celebrate who we are today, And welcome the possibilities and opportunities before us. We gather to worship God, the God of yesterday, […]
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Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning’s hush I am the swift uplifting […]
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Written on the occasion of an Angel Festival in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK Angels from the realms of glory Wing your flight around this place, You who sang creations story, Bless our festival / [worship here] with grace Gloria…. In excelsis deo All who seek communication With humanity that cares, Turn your mobiles off […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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A prayer each week highlights an area of our world in greatest need. Click here to read and access these timely and relevant prayers written by staff and missionaries serving Global Ministries (a joint ministry of the United Church of Christ USA and the Christian Church – Disciples of Christ, USA). A related photo and […]
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Adapted from “Opening Prayer” by Gerardo Oberman, Argentina (adapted for use at a leader’s gathering, by Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA) At this junction on our journey, we heed your call, O God. We gather as your people, looking for new life for our life. We gather, as your imperfect children, aware of our moments of selfishness […]
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Dearest Friend, gentle Spirit, breath of live, source of our being, from the peacefulness of silence, the silence that preceded Creation, your Word entered the void and said, ‘Let there be light.’ This afternoon we sit mindful that we are kin and covenanted to that Word and to your light. We are grateful to you, […]
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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 […]
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This ready-to-use Café Church Remembrance service weaves together scripture, Acts of Remembrance, 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 […]
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Appropriate for sharing at a funeral, crematorium service or at a memorial service We give our loved one back to God And just as God first gave them to us And did not lose them in the giving, So we have not lost them in returning them to God. For life is eternal, And love […]
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…God, heaven and earth cannot contain you, much less this place which our imagination has conceived and our money has built. But we come now to pray that you will use it to fulfil some part of your purposes. You are the centre,… the heart of all that exists. It is your breath which gives […]
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“In Our Hands” Genesis 1:26-31a This drama has been used at services focusing on the environment and caring for our world, including Earth Sunday, Blessing of the Animals Sunday, St Francis service. The source is unknown, and it has been modified over the years. If you know who wrote the original, please let Worship Words […]
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Matthew 16:13-20 (adapted from NRSV) Proper 16 (usually 12th Sunday of Pentecost), Year A Adapted by Ana Gobledale, UK Readers: Storyteller, Jesus, Simon Peter, Disciple 2 (optional) Script Storyteller: Today’s reading comes from Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 16, beginning with verse 13. Jesus, Peter and the other disciples enter the district of Caesarea Philippi. Listen carefully […]
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Give thanks to God! Celebrate God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Sing of the ways of God, for God is magnificent! (or select a more traditional last line: for great is the glory of God!) Psalm 138 is a Common Lectionary reading on the 12th Sunday of Pentecost (Proper 16) in Year A, and 3rd Sunday […]
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This drama might be used for Thanksgiving (USA or Canada) or Harvest (UK). It is easily adapted for First Sunday in Lent, Year C, when the Deuteronomy passage appears in the Revised Standard Lectionary. Parts: Priest, Narrators 1&2, Israelites 1,2,3,4. Parts may be combined if fewer actors are available. The full script may be downloaded […]
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