A few of us (mostly Mennonites, mostly pastors) meet at 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday for morning prayer on this zoom link. We use the prayer liturgies below, which you are welcome to use with your own prayer group or for individual prayer.
If you’d like more information about me or to see more of my writing, please go to my primary blog, Spacious Faith.
Thanks for stopping by,
Joanna
Call to Worship (from e. e. cummings)
[We] thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes . . .
(now the ears of [our] ears awake and
now the eyes of [our] eyes are opened)
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Psalm: Psalm 16:7-11
I bless my God, who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I keep God always before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Collect (adapted from Notre Dame campus ministry)
Almighty ever-living God,
constantly accomplish the Easter Mystery within us,
that we, who seek to follow the Resurrected One,
may, under your protective care, bear much fruit
and come to the joys of life abundant and eternal.
Scripture: Acts 10:44-48
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
Holy One, in your presence there is fullness of joy! Hear now our prayers of gratitude. [God of life, . . . we give you thanks.]
God who gives counsel, out of our distress we pray to you. [In your mercy . . . God hear our prayer.]
Closing Prayer:
God of resurrection,
As we share your good news in the world with fear and great joy,
Empower us with your Spirit.
As we walk the rough road, have difficult conversations, and share bread around the table,
Fill us with your love.
Even though scars of trauma mark our bodies and spirits,
Grant us your peace.
In all that we lament, in all that we celebrate, in all that we do not understand,
Let us live within your abundant life.
Amen.
Benediction (from Romans 8:38-39)
Live this day knowing that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, the Resurrected One.
Call to Worship (from Psalm 5)
Give ear to my words, O God;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
for to you I pray.
Holy One, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Psalm: from Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. . . .
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
O God, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Collect
Jesus, you are the way through the wilderness: show us your truth in which we journey, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit be in us the life that draws us to God. Amen.
(source: F.B. McNutt, The Prayer Manual)
Scripture: John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
God of the journey, we dwell in your Presence through the abundance of your steadfast love. Receive these words of joy and gratitude. (God of life . . . we give you thanks.)
God of the wilderness, in the morning we plead our case to you. Receive our prayers for those we love and for this beloved world. (God, in your mercy . . . hear our prayer.)
Canticle: A Song of Christ’s Goodness Anselm of Canterbury
Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you;
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
Often you weep over our sins and our pride,
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds,
in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life;
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead,
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us;
in your love and tenderness, remake us.
In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness,
for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.
Benediction
Whatever wilderness the Spirit has brought you to:
walk in boldness as a beloved child of God;
walk in peace under the shelter of the Most High;
walk in faith, knowing Christ walks with you.
Call to Worship (from Psalm 96)
O sing to God a new song; sing to the Holy One, all the earth.
For great is our God and greatly to be praised.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Scripture (Isaiah 42:5-9)
Thus says God, the Holy One,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am God, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am Hashem, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
Prayer (From John O’Donohue, “A Morning Offering”)
I bless the night that nourished my heart . . .
All that is eternal in me Welcome the wonder of this day,
The field of brightness it creates
Offering time for each thing
To arise and illuminate. . . .
May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love . . .
And waste my heart on fear no more.
Scripture: Mark 1:9-15
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him. 11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[h] with you I am well pleased.”
12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news[i] of[j] God 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;[k] repent, and believe in the good news.”
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
God who puts a new song in our hearts, we offer our thanks for your steadfast love and faithfulness. [God of life, . . . we give you thanks.]
Holy God, who stretched out the heavens and spread out the earth, hear our prayers for ourselves, our loved ones, our communities, and our world. [God, in your mercy . . . hear our prayer.]
Concluding Prayer:
Holy Creator,
Whose essence swept over the darkness,
Whose words created light,
Who separated the brightness and the shadows and called all good:
We seek your way and your wisdom in this season of Epiphany.
Let us enter into the light of each new day with compassion and courage,
Embracing joy and enacting justice;
Let us slip into the shadows of every night with contentment and confidence,
Accepting rest and anticipating renewal.
Reveal yourself to us, O God:
In our waking and in our sleeping,
In our faith and in our doubt,
In our clarity and in our uncertainty.
Lead us in your way,
Through divine light and sacred darkness,
One holy step at a time.
Amen.
Benediction (from John O’Donahue’s prayer)
Through the peace of Christ, the power of God, and the encouragement of the Spirit:
May we have the courage today
To live the lives that we would love . . .
And waste our hearts on fear no more.
Call to Worship (From Luke 2:10-14)
The angel said, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace.”
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Scripture (from Isaiah 11)
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of the roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see
or decide by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor
and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth;
The wolf shall live with the lamb;
the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the lion will feed together,
and a little child shall lead them.
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
Prayer (From John O’Donohue, “A Morning Offering”)
I bless the night that nourished my heart . . .
All that is eternal in me Welcome the wonder of this day,
The field of brightness it creates
Offering time for each thing
To arise and illuminate. . . .
May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love . . .
And waste my heart on fear no more.
Scripture: Luke 2:21-22
21 Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[c] with you I am well pleased.”
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
Holy One, we rejoice in the good news of great joy. We thank you for the goodness and joy in our lives. [God of life, we give you thanks.]
Holy One, we long for your peace to come. Receive our prayers for ourselves, our loved ones, our world. [God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.]
Canticle: Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Holy One,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for you have looked with favor on the lowliness of your servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for you, O Mighty One, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
Your mercy is for those who fear you
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm;
you have scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
You have brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
you have filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
You have helped your servant Israel,
in remembrance of your mercy,
according to the promise you made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and Hagar and Sarah and to their descendants forever.
Benediction (from Expecting Emmanuel)
May you, beloved child,
ponder deeply each divine message you hear,
whether from angel or shepherd.
May you ponder and treasure
every gift you receive
from the holy hand of God.
Call to Worship (Philip Doddridge)
Hark, the glad sound! the Savior comes, / The Savior promised long;
Let every heart prepare a room, / And every voice a song.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Psalm (Psalm 146)
Praise God! Praise God, O my soul!
I will praise the Holy One as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Do not put your trust in rulers, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in their God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.
God sets the prisoners free and opens the eyes of the blind.
God lifts up those who are bowed down and loves the righteous.
God watches over the strangers and upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked God brings to ruin.
Our God will reign forever, for all generations. Praise God!
Prayer (Charles Wesley)
Come, thou long-expected Jesus.
Release us from our fears and our sins.
Let us find our rest in you.
You are hope of all the earth.
You are our dear desire.
You are the joy of every longing heart.
Amen.
Scripture: Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 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. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
Holy One, you are the joy of our longing hearts. We thank you for all that is good and gracious in our lives. [Offer prayers of gratitude with response: God of life, we give you thanks.]
Holy One, we come to you for release, for rest, for hope. Receive our prayers . . . [Offer prayers of intercession with response: God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.]
Canticle: Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Holy One,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for you have looked with favor on the lowliness of your servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for you, O Mighty One, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
Your mercy is for those who fear you
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm;
you have scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
You have brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
you have filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
You have helped your servant Israel,
in remembrance of your mercy,
according to the promise you made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and Hagar and Sarah and to their descendants forever.
Benediction (Luke 1:78-79)
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Call to Worship (from Luke 13:34-35 and Psalm 131)
Our Creator longs to gather us under her wings.
We long to rest near the Divine heartbeat.
In this sacred space of morning prayer, God’s longing and our longing meet.
Like sheltered chicks, like weaned children, we rest here and are renewed.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Psalm 36:5-9
Your steadfast love, O God, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains;
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Holy One.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Prayer from “Joyful is the Dark” by Brian Wren
Holy, hidden God,
Spirit of the deep,
We praise your majesty in darkness,
And live within the mysterious depth of divine love.
Amen.
Scripture: Luke 1:5-23
In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
8 Once when he was serving as priest before God during his section’s turn of duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense. 10 Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified, and fear overwhelmed him. 13 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, and you will name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” 19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was ended, he returned to his home.
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
God, we have feasted on your abundance and drunk from the river of your delights. Hear now our prayers of thanksgiving. (God of life, we give you thanks.)
*Giving thanks for Jan on her birthday: Nov. 22!
We long to find rest in the shelter of your wings and share with you the sorrow and longings of our hearts. In your steadfast love, O God, hear our prayers. (God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.)
Concluding Prayer (Presbyterian Book of Common Worship)
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
may the gifts of your Spirit
be our goal and our strength,
now and always. Amen.
Benediction
May the blessing of the God of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar; and of Jesus Christ born of our sister Mary; and of the Holy Spirit, who broods over the world as a mother over her children, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Call to Worship (from the hymn “Gathered Here” by Phil Porter)
We are gathered here in the mystery of this hour,
gathered here in one strong body,
gathered here in the struggle and the power.
Spirit, draw near.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Psalm: Psalm 59:16-17
I will sing of your might;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been a fortress for me
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.
Collect
God of unchangeable power, when you fashioned the world the morning stars sang together and the host of heaven shouted for joy; open our eyes to the wonders of creation and teach us to use all things for good, to the honor of your glorious name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (source: A New Zealand Prayer Book, p. 569)
Scripture: Romans 13:8-14
Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off[b] the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering our Prayers
Holy One, we rejoice in your steadfast love and we offer to you now our prayers of gratitude . . . [God of life, . . . we give you thanks.]
Holy One, to you we lift up our souls. Hear now these concerns we carry . . . [God, in your mercy . . . hear our prayer.]
Concluding Prayer from Hadewijch, Poems in Stanzas
Praise and honor be to Love,
To her great power, to her rich teaching;
And by her consolation may she heal the pain
Of all who gladly brave Love’s way.
Benediction
God-bearers, you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. . . .
Your soul is the cradle of the Living God. Your heart is [God’s] throne. Your mind is Mount Sinai, where [God] alone gives tablets of stone and speaks.
Journey freely with God within you; you will not lose the way, and you will not be left without shelter. Enter with [God] freely through the gates of the day, and the day will be yours.
[from Prayers by the Lake; St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Bishop of Ochrid; Poem LXXXVII (87)]
Call to Worship: Veni Sancte Spiritus
Come, Holy Spirit,
send forth the heavenly radiance of your light.
Come, parent of the poor, come, giver of gifts, come, light of the heart.
Greatest comforter, sweet guest of the soul, sweet consolation.
Veni Sancte Spiritus.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Scripture: Isaiah 61:4-10
The spirit of the Holy One is upon me,
because God has anointed me;
God has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of God’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Holy One, to display divine glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
Collect (from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship)
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
may the gifts of your Spirit
be our goal and our strength,
now and always. Amen.
Scripture: Leviticus 23:33-43
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the Israelites, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and lasting seven days, there shall be the Festival of Booths[j] to the Lord. 35 The first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. 36 Seven days you shall present the Lord’s offerings by fire;[k] on the eighth day you shall observe a holy convocation and present the Lord’s offerings by fire;[l] it is a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations.
37 “These are the appointed festivals of the Lord that you shall celebrate as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord offerings by fire[m]—burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day— 38 apart from the Sabbaths of the Lord and apart from your gifts and apart from all your votive offerings and apart from all your freewill offerings that you give to the Lord.
39 “Now, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the festival of the Lord, lasting seven days, a complete rest on the first day and a complete rest on the eighth day. 40 On the first day you shall take the fruit of majestic[n] trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a festival to the Lord lasting seven days in the year; you shall keep it in the seventh month as a statute forever throughout your generations. 42 You shall live in booths for seven days; all who are native-born in Israel shall live in booths, 43 so that your generations may know that I made the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
Holy One, we celebrate the gift of Your Spirit in this Pentecost season. We offer to you now our deep thanks for your presence in our lives and for all that is good . . . [offer prayers of gratitude with response: God of life, . . . we give you thanks.]
Holy One, we flee to you for refuge; in you we put our trust. Receive now these concerns we carry in our hearts . . . [offer prayers of intercession with response: In your mercy . . . God hear our prayer.]
Pentecost Prayer from Elsa Cook
Breathe on us, Breath of God.
Fill our lungs
with courage and hope
so that your life
beats through our veins
and urges us toward
justice and peace.
Breathe on us, Breath of God
and remind us what the church is called to be.
Fill us with the fire of your love
and the promise of your peace.
Benediction
As we live this day,
may the wind of the Spirit startle our senses and blow through our lives;
may the fire of the Spirit scorch our complacency and light our way.
And may the blessing of the Holy One—Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—rest with us now and forever more. Amen.
Call to Worship
After nights of deep shadows, we come in the brightness of morning.
We come in search of the Living One. The Resurrected One.
We come with hearts open to the mysterious emptiness of the tomb.
We come with spirits ready to receive the Good News:
Jesus is not here, but is risen.
Jesus is risen indeed!
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Psalm: from Psalm 118
O give thanks to the Holy One, who is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Out of my distress I called on God
who answered me and set me in a broad place.
With the Holy One on my side I do not fear.
What can mortals do to me?
God is my strength and my might,
and has become my salvation.
I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of my God.
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
This is the day that the Holy One has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
O give thanks to the Holy One, who is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Collect (adapted from Notre Dame campus ministry)
Almighty ever-living God,
constantly accomplish the Easter Mystery within us,
that we, who seek to follow the Resurrected One,
may, under your protective care, bear much fruit
and come to the joys of life abundant and eternal.
Scripture: Joel 2: 28-32
Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days I will pour out my spirit.
30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
Holy One, we give thanks to you, for you are good. Your steadfast love endures forever! Hear now our prayers of gratitude. [God of life, . . . we give you thanks.]
God our strength, out of our distress, we pray to you. [In your mercy . . . God hear our prayer.]
Closing Prayer:
God of resurrection,
As we share your good news in the world with fear and great joy,
Empower us with your Spirit.
When we walk the rough road, have the difficult conversations, and bread around the table,
Fill us with your love.
Even though scars of trauma mark our bodies and spirits,
Grant us your peace.
In all that we lament, in all that we celebrate, in all that we do not understand,
Let us live within your abundant life.
Amen.
Benediction (from Romans 8:38-39)
Live this day knowing that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, the Resurrected One.
Call to Worship (from Psalm 5)
Give ear to my words, O God;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
for to you I pray.
Holy One, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
Opening Psalm: from Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. . . .
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
O God, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Collect
Jesus, you are the way through the wilderness: show us your truth in which we journey, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit be in us the life that draws us to God. Amen.
(source: F.B. McNutt, The Prayer Manual)
Scripture: Matthew 26:47-56
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.”[j] Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. 51 Suddenly one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a rebel? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Silent and/or Spoken Reflections
Offering Our Prayers
God of the journey, we dwell in your Presence through the abundance of your steadfast love. Receive these words of joy and gratitude. (God of life . . . we give you thanks.)
God of the wilderness, in the morning we plead our case to you. Receive our prayers for those we love and for this beloved world. (God, in your mercy . . . hear our prayer.)
Canticle: A Song of Christ’s Goodness Anselm of Canterbury
Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you;
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
Often you weep over our sins and our pride,
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds,
in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life;
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead,
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us;
in your love and tenderness, remake us.
In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness,
for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.
Benediction
I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you
Which shall be the darkness of God. As, in a theatre,
The lights are extinguished, for the scene to be changed
With a hollow rumble of wings, with a movement of darkness on darkness,
. . .
So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.
~T.S. Eliot, “East Coker”
Morning Prayer 