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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Worship High Church Low Church In-between church A window into wisdom A portal into presence A receiving A giving A sharing Gathering to be fed by the Word Gathering to feast upon colour, flame, Gathering to feel the power of community Gathering to free the spirit
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To download an illustrated worship page for World Refugee Day (20 June), visit the Church World Service website. LEADER: We give praise to our God who gathers us as one people. PEOPLE: We delight in our God who has mercy upon us. LEADER: We seek to be one with refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants. PEOPLE: […]
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Come to God who gathers us in. We come to God who nurtures us like a father. Come to God whose arms are open and waiting. We come to God who welcomes and forgives us. Come to God who journeys with us. We come to God who sees us as we really are and loves […]
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Lectionary reading – Easter 6 Year B This might be read by a solo reader or responsively. Come, let us sing a new song to the One who has worked such wonders! By power and righteous strength, victory has been won. God has kept faith with the children of Israel, with loyalty and love towards […]
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Inspired by Psalm 98 Easter 6, Year B God of shalom, who holds all things in wonderful balance, we come before you in joyful, noisy praise! Our voices join the songs of birds, the grunts and snorts of animals, the roar of the sea, the rush of the wind through the trees, […]
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Lectionary reading – Lent 4A, Easter 4 ABC, Proper 23 A, Proper 11 B This might be read by a solo reader or responsively. You are like a shepherd to us, providing all we need. You give us rest in green places, you lead us by peaceful streams, you help us recover our strength. You […]
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Lent 3 & 5, Year B God of wide skies and speechless joy, as we come before you in wonder, may our words join the voiceless songs of praise uttered by the simple beauty of all created things. Allow your wisdom, balance, and connecting love to draw us into the centre of […]
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4th Sunday after Epiphany, Year B Celebrate Love! Join hearts in delight and gratitude! The brilliance of eternity stretches out before us Solid, trustworthy, unfailing. Free of fear, step into Now With wisdom and understanding.
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The world is full of good things As well as things which could be better We are full of good things As well as things which could be better Today , whether we feel full of good things Or full of things which could be better God’s open arms Sweep us up again in a […]
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We come to worship and remember you. We come to hear and to learn more of your word. Your word is unchanging. From earliest time, to now, you have spoken things into being, and they are good. You are mindful of your people. Teach us to be similarly mindful of you. Give us the message […]
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In this place We open to the creative heartbeat of this morning, The divine urging which is within, around and beyond us. Dispel our stupor. Energise our bodies. Enthuse our passion. Centre us So this day is worthy of the name holy.
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Gathering words inspired by Psalm 25 God, Elohim, Yahweh, Allah, God, by any name, is good, steadfast and true. Trust that which brought you here. Gather in hope and anticipation, ready to be fed and nourished, ready to be guided and taught. Open yourself to this oasis on the path of your life journey. Be […]
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Words to still the soul… Now, for this space, I put them all aside, the awesome things for which no words will come. Such grief must go where only God is guide. Our lovely plane darkens. Nightmares ride. The sunlit waters thicken into scum. Now, for this space, I put them all aside. I read […]
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Tune: Nettleton 8787D — John Wyeth, Repository of Sacred Music, Part II, 1813 We are gathered in the Spirit though our bodies are apart, Filled with joy and touched with wonder, separate hands but mingled hearts Giving thanks and singing praises for the love that calls us on. From our many different places we are […]
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Praise from the heart: psalms framed and phrased for church worship Proper 16 (usually Pentecost 12) Year A Pentecost 3 Year B I am praising you, our God, with all my being. When I called for help, you answered me, you gave strength and courage. However high and exalted you may be, still you care […]
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(adapted for inclusive language) One: Happy are they who fear God All: and have great delight in God’s commandments! One: Their descendants will be mighty in the land; All: the generation of the upright will be blessed. One: Wealth and riches will be in their house, All: and their justice will last for ever. One: […]
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Praise from the heart: psalms framed and phrased for church worship –from Psalm 105, Proper 14 (usually 10th Sunday after Pentecost), Year A We give you thanks, dear God, and here proclaim your greatness among all the nations. Let us spread far and wide the story of the wonderful things that God has done. We […]
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Originally written for a gathering of welcoming LGBTQ+ Christians. Psalm 139 arises in the Common Revised Lectionary on Epiphany 2B; Pentecost 7A, 2B and 13C. Ready-to-download Word document and rainbow PowerPoint to project in worship: Psalm 139 – Responsive Acclamation, Ana Gobledale Psalm 139 Responsive Acclamations PPT – Ana Gobledale I praise you, for I […]
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A responsive Call to Worship for face-to-face worship with COVID-19 protection We gather today in masks. We gather today in love. Wearing masks shows our commitment to the health of all people. We gather today in compassion. Wearing masks enables us to welcome others into our physical space. We gather today in hospitality. Wearing masks […]
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This might be read responsively or by a single voice. It is good to praise you, God, And to honour all our promises to you because you answer our prayers. With refreshing rain, you care for the ground making it rich and fertile. Streams fill with water and earth brings forth its harvest. How rich […]
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Happy are the people who worship you, who walk in the light of your presence! All day long, you give us cause for joy. For yours is the righteousness that lifts us up, the confidence that fills our songs, the grace that holds our heads high, the shield that protects us. All day long you […]
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Inspired by Psalm 68 Come before God with joy! We come with jubilation! Come worship the protector of orphans and widows. We come to praise God with singing and exultation.
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Inspired by Psalm 23 Lectionary: Lent 4A, Easter 4 ABC, Proper 23 A, Proper 11 B God is our shelter, protection, and guide. We want for nothing, and we will practice thanksgiving! God invites us to places of peace and beauty where wildflowers bloom and mountain streams flow. God will restore us, and we will […]
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Come to the mountaintop. What will we find? Jesus, the disciples’ teacher. The prophets who have gone before. God’s voice. We want to worship. We want to hide. Instead, give us the courage to rest in the mystery, To reach toward the thin places Where the in-breaking of the divine shakes us to the core. […]
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We follow you O Christ, Up the mountain to pray, not knowing what you have in store. We witness you O Christ, Your face transformed with light, Moses and Elijah beside you. We worship you O Christ, For we are awed by the power of your love. Emmanuel, God with us Jesus, our brother, Christ […]
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Adapted from Psalm 112:1-10, Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Year A Praise the Biggest of the Big!* Happy are those who fear the Eternal One, who greatly delight in the divine commandments. They are gracious, merciful, and just. They rise in the darkness as a light for others. *Nkulunkulu, ‘the biggest of the big’ – Ndebele […]
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Martin Luther King Day is observed in the USA on the third Monday of January. This morning we remember dreams and dreamers. Joseph, Jesus’ father, dreamt about uncertainty. We, too, know the uncertainty of dreaming. May we, like Joseph, respond in faith. Mary, Jesus’ mother, dreamt about a child, a new beginning. We, too, dream […]
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One: All one All: in Christ! One: In Christ All: all one! This responsive call-out (or shout-out!) arises during services in the United Church of Zambia. It might be used as a call to worship, after celebrating a communion meal or after a prayer of reconciliation.
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Lectionary reading on Third Sunday of Advent, Year A Listen to the news of hope reborn from Isaiah 35. The desert will rejoice and flowers will bloom in the wild places. Everywhere will reflect God’s glory. Tired hands and bent knees will be strong again. Eyes will see again, ears be opened. The lame will […]
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Inspired by Psalm 30:4-5 Originally written for the third Sunday of Easter, Year C A responsive reading Sing praises to the Eternal One. Today we praise the sacred with enthusiasm. Rejoice in the morning light. We rejoice in the never-ending love of God. Sadness and anger have darkened our paths. Yet in the light of […]
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Thank God for church! This might be read by numerous voices, responsively or by a single voice. Remember to pause and focus on firstly each attribute of the Spirit and secondly each specific gratitude. After each refrain, take time to consider specific people, activities, worship words, prayers, songs, sermons, and other aspects of church for […]
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Inspired by Psalm 97 Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C The Eternal One cares for all creation as a wise and just ruler cares for a realm. Let the earth celebrate this truth. Light dawns for the virtuous, and joy for the upright in heart. Delight in the Eternal One, you who are just and […]
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A responsive reading Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel and restore us O God: Let your face shine, that we may be saved. From the throngs of city centers to the far-flung wilderness: Let your face shine, that we may be saved. To every nation, race and people: Let your face shine, that we may […]
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With praise and elation Tune: To God be the glory For the lyrics, music and a power point, click here. With praise and elation we greet the Divine In beauty of love that we just can’t define; The mystery is wondrous; it captures our soul; It gives our life purpose; it makes us feel whole. Praise […]
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Adapted from Ana Gobledale’s “Call to Worship” inspired by Psalm 16:9 and Gerardo Oberman’s “Opening Prayer” – both found on Worship Words. Come! Rejoice! For the Holy One is here. We stand on holy ground. Come, children of God! Just as you are. Receive God’s grace, hope, courage and sustaining love. We come to […]
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Consider using for: International Day of Peace, 21 September Hiroshima Day, 6 August Jesus said; “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” We are called to be peacemakers, to stand against injustice, inequality and oppression For injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Let us gather, as the […]
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We gather in this place Tune Crimond For the lyrics, music and a power point, click here. We gather in this place today To hear a word we need; From Jesus’ teaching we gain strength; We listen. We take heed. We come with open hearts and minds To hear a word we need; To sing […]
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These words open the time of worship… As we ring the bowl three times, may we open to the wisdom of our own and other traditions, to the joys and sufferings we carry with us today, and to God’s presence here, among these people and in the world.
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We follow the way of Jesus. He opens our hearts To know that our true selves are one with God, who is Love. Jesus saves us from fear, from selfishness, from meaninglessness. He leads us to serve with compassion and act for justice. He moves us to curiosity and creativity. He brings us together in […]
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