Second Sunday after Pentecost
Centering Words
“Hope is a state of mind independent of the state of the world. If your heart’s full of hope, you can be persistent when you can’t be optimistic. You can keep the faith despite the evidence, knowing that only in so doing has the evidence any chance of changing.” -William Sloane Coffin
Prelude “Halifax” – G.F. Handel
THE PREPARATION
Lighting our Candles
If you have a candle, let us light our candles together to remind ourselves that there is light in the darkness and that we can share that light with one another in our own times of darkness and we can share that light of love with the world. Please light your candles if you have one as we enter into our time of worship.
A moment of silence
Welcome and Announcements
Opening Hymn: Bunessan
Morning Prayer
Startle us, O God, as you startled the prophets and disciples long ago with new ideas, new openness, new acceptance and love, which transcend old traditions and ancient barriers.
Startle us with a love that transcends even our own long-held assumptions.
Startle us, Spirit of the Living God, unpredictable, surprising,
and open us, each one, for the word you have for us today.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. -Rev. John Buchanan
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, hear our prayer of confession: We confess that we have put our own pleasure ahead of your purposes. We have preferred our limited wisdom to your limitless revelation.
We have been more ready to fight with one another than to free the oppressed, more inclined to feed our own egos than to give bread to the hungry. Forgive us, God, and teach us to shine your light of love. Amen.
A moment of silence for personal reflection
Words of Assurance
God stirs our conscience into restlessness and heals our very hearts. Our return to God is a sign of the healing that already has taken place within us. God forgives us right where we are at. Thanks be to God.
THE MESSAGE
A Time for Children of all Ages
Anthem “Prayer of St. Francis” – B. Cabena
Scripture Readings
Romans 5: 1-8 (NIV)
Peace and Hope
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Matthew 9:35-10:8 (NIV)
The Workers Are Few
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus Sends Out The Twelve
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Morning Reflection “Making God credible in the world”
Hymn “Christ for the World, We Sing” No. 295
- Christ for the world we sing; the world to Christ we bring with loving zeal:
the poor and them that mourn, the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow worn, whom Christ doth heal. - Christ for the world we sing; the world to Christ we bring with joyful song:
the newborn souls whose days, reclaimed from error’s ways,
inspired with hope and praise, to Christ belong.
THE THANKSGIVING
Sharing Our Joys and Concerns
Choral Call to Prayer “Hear our prayer, O Lord, incline thine ear to us and grant us Thy peace“
Prayers of the People
Lord’s Prayers (trespasses)
Choral Response to Prayer “Thou will keep them in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on Thee“
Offering
Your gifts to the church matter now more than ever! We encourage people to continue to make an offering by mailing to the church. Your generosity in this time makes a big difference.
Doxology
Offertory Prayer
This offering is our statement of faith, O God. We give because we believe this congregation is important, our ministry changes lives for the better, and we are part of something much larger than ourselves. Use our time, talents, and treasures in ways that exceed our grandest vision of your church. Amen.
THE DEPARTURE
CLOSING PRAYER
The Franciscan blessing:
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.
Closing Hymn “Eternal God, Whose Power Upholds” No. 294
- Eternal God, whose power upholds Both flower and flaming star,
To whom there is no here nor there, No time, no near nor far,
No alien race, no foreign shore, No child unsought, unknown:
O send us forth, Thy prophets true, To make all lands Thine own! - O God of love, whose Spirit wakes In every human breast,
Whom love, and love alone, can know, In whom all hearts find rest
Help us to spread Thy gracious reign Till greed and hate shall cease,
And kindness dwell in human hearts, And all the earth find peace!
Postlude “Halifax” (second variation) – G.F. Handel
