In honour of LGBT+ History Month… The resources listed below have been written specifically for worshipping communities intentionally created to provide safe and meaningful worship for the LGBT+ community and friends. Editor’s Note: A primary purpose behind Worship Words is to provide worship resources usable by all people, providing inclusive language and religious imagery. My […]
Read full textprogressive Christian worship resources
Where is the Love? — John van de Laar, South Africa
Where is the love? Prayer of confession and intercession When we treat our faith as nothing more than a self-help system and you, God, as simply a cure for whatever ails us, Where is the love? When we use the gifts our planet gives us with little care for our wastefulness and destruction, Where is […]
Read full textBleak Gaia — Sam Goodman, UK
Bleak Gaia* A climate kairos worship resource responding to the climate crisis All at peace Slowly rotating Tomorrow creeps Procrastinating Swirled in mists Alone in space Where we exist On a wafer-thin face Clothed in blue Silently screaming And wrapped anew Resplendently dreaming Suspended and drifting A mountain of wealth And angels are lifting More […]
Read full textLazarus Prayer — Ana & Tod Gobledale, UK
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 […]
Read full textFormed Anew, Baptismal Prayer — David Long-Higgins, USA
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. […]
Read full textPrayer of Confession – Cara Heafey
Gracious God We confess our greed. To feed our insatiable appetites we have plundered the earth and its resources, stripped the forests, polluted the rivers, depleted the oceans, poisoned the soil, choked the good clean air. We take and hoard more than we need, leaving others without enough. We continue to feed the monsters that […]
Read full textSpirit, thank you — Ana Gobledale, UK
Spirit of Community Thank you for church that brings strangers together… Spirit of Truth Thank you for messages that open my/our ears and minds… Spirit of Trust Thank you for familiar words of prayer that provide solid grounding for yet another day… Spirit of Comfort Thank you for the old melodies that reside in the […]
Read full textPrayer for Refugees — United Church of Canada
Prayers of the people, with response & song, including the lighting of 5 candles We pray for the countries and regions that have hosted refugees. Knowing that refugee camps can be overcrowded, we pray for the continued safety of the camps and offer our thanks to those who work toward providing the basics of shelter, […]
Read full textPrayers for our world — Loren McGrail, USA
We celebrate, Creator God this diverse world you have created— its lands and its peoples. We give thanks for your gift of trust in us to preserve, conserve, and take care of it and offer all the hospitality you have already given us. We lift up your co-workers serving in areas of need. We are […]
Read full textPsalm 98, Creation’s Harmony — Merryl Blair, Australia
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, […]
Read full textEpiphany
Wise ones… Magi… Kings, queens, rulers… Astronomers… What words do we use to tell the story of those traveling from the east? Those arriving with gifts? Those growing in wisdom as a result of encountering the Presence of Love? Worship resources for Epiphany — an alphabetical listing (Further resources for the Epiphany Season are listed […]
Read full textWind and fire — Duncan Wilson, UK
Thoughts on Pentecost… Who could have predicted it? What did they expect? A mild morning breeze? A gentle introduction, a saunter into a new way of life? Not by the sound of it. For the Holy Spirit read ‘typhoon’ or ‘whirlwind’ – everyone’s hair restyled – garments turned inside out – blown into sails – […]
Read full textHealing on the Sabbath, Hymn for Lent 4A — George Stuart, Australia
Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year John 9:1-41, particularly verses 13-16a For the lyrics, music and a power point, click here. Tune: Winchester Old When Jesus healed on Sabbath days, He broke the sacred law; The power structures were appalled; Were shocked by what they saw. For breaking of the Sabbath rules Was such a heinous […]
Read full textPsalm 112, Gathering Words — Ana Gobledale, UK
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 […]
Read full textRitual of Blessing & Litany of Commitment – Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA
This ritual draws together a faith community in a renewal and affirmation of gifts and talents. It includes readings, a litany and the laying on of hands. Romans 12:4-8, First Peter 4:8-11, Matthew 20:25-28 Opening words Jesus came among us as a servant and calls us to faith and a life of loving service to […]
Read full textClimate in our hands (hymn) — George Stuart, Australia
Tune: Russian Hymn For the lyrics, music and a power point, click here. This wondrous universe tells of God’s glory, Endless in space and forever in time; We are astonished when we contemplate its story We have a place in this myst’ry sublime. This planet’s destiny, life in its beauty Rests with the choices we […]
Read full textMemorial Day (USA)
What words do we use to express our grief over those lost in war? How do we honour those who served their country by giving their lives? How do we speak of those killed by those we love? What words might we use to grant meaning to deaths due to violence and war which often, […]
Read full textMothering Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent)
19 March 2023 10 March 2024 30 March 2025 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 ‘Mothering Sunday’ posts . . […]
Read full textWe were wrong, a confession — Lauren Mallaby, Australia
We were wrong: We were wrong when we closed the door and you needed us most. The people who claimed to follow a man who never closed doors appeared to slam ours when you were despairing confused hurt hopeless broken hungry thirsty for more. We were wrong when we pretended we couldn’t see didn’t know […]
Read full textDeeper than our imagining, a benediction — Duncan Wilson, UK
This might be read responsively or as a single voice. The grace of God, deeper than our imagining; the strength of Christ, greater than our need; and the communion of the Holy Sprit, richer than all our life together; guide and sustain us today and in all our tomorrows.
Read full textDecember words
What words move us through Advent, from World AIDS Day into the New Year? Summer in the South — Winter in the North — words of warmth for the cold nights, words that cool the hot sun. 1st – World AIDS Day 6th – Day of Remembrance, Canada Resources to explore and use during this […]
Read full textSummer words
What words hold the glory of summer? How do we express the mystery of bursting sunflowers, broad leaves and warm waters? Summer words: an alphabetical listing of all resources Explore these resources for words (and images) to share in worship and reflection during the summer season… Free images of summer: All photos posted on the Worship […]
Read full textA: Pentecost & Ordinary Time
Pentecost Sunday readings & resources for Year A Ordinary Time — Season after Pentecost: readings and worship resources…
Read full textPentecost words
Words understood by all . . . which do we choose? What words express the hope, the unity, the promise of Pentecost? Share your Pentecost worship words: an invitation to you to participate in a conversation… What does the message of Pentecost sound like today? Looking ahead, what songs will you be singing? […]
Read full textJonah 3:1-5,10 Drama — Tod & Ana Gobledale, UK
Dramatic presentation of Jonah 3:1-5,10 God changes… and invites us to change, too. Printable ready-to-use copies of drama to download: WORD Dramatic interview of Mrs & Mr Jonah PDF Dramatic interview of Mrs & Mr Jonah Script Pray with me. God may the words of our mouths and the thoughts of all of […]
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 […]
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