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Pentecost 14B LECTIONARY GENERATED LITURGY Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost Year B Proverbs 22:1-2,8-9,22-23; Ps.125; James 2:1-10, 14-17; Mark 7:24-37. Rec. text -NRSV. Hymns are from the Australian Hymn Book (AHB) or Together in Song (TIS) unless otherwise indicated. Worship Leader - normal type. Congregational responses - bold type Permission is granted to churches to use this material in services of worship. This liturgy remains the property of Moira B Laidlaw Additional resources for Pentecost 14B: A Singing Faith , Jane Parker Huber, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1987; The Rainbow Fish. Marcus Pfister, North-South Books, New York, 1992; No Matter What, Debi Gliori, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, London,W1D 3HB, UK, 2003; ALL TOGETHER OK,Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1996; Scattered Seeds, Jeff Shrowder, JBCE, Melbourne, Australia, 1994, ALL TOGETHER WHATEVER,Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 2001. CALL TO WORSHIP Based on Proverbs 22:1,2,8,9,22,23 NRSV A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and good deeds are better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: God is the maker of them all. Whoever sows injustice will find calamity as their harvest whoever shares bread with the poor will enjoy a harvest of blessing. Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; for God pleads their cause and those who show no mercy will receive no mercy. A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and good deeds are better than silver or gold. TIS 618/AHB 568: “What does the Lord require?” TIS 90/AHB 44: “I’ll praise my maker while I’ve breath” TIS 160/AHB 104: “Father all-loving and ruling in majesty” A Singing Faith 63: “God of justice, God of mercy” Tune TIS 217/AHB 148(2) Hyfridol PRAYER OF APPROACH Not one of us is worthy to approach you, O God, Creator of the universe, holy and all-powerful. Yet you have approached us and have shown us the human face of your love in Jesus, your Son, our Saviour. He revealed your love and mercy by living as he did - serving others and accepting them as people made in your image and likeness. He pointed us towards a world in which each and every person could realise his or her identity as a precious child of yours. He even gifted us with the Holy Spirit so that the very fabric of our existence is woven with the thread of his life. May this time of worship be a true reflection of our thanksgiving, wonder and praise over such blessings. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen EPISTLE: James 2:1-10, 14-17 SUGGESTION FOR CHILDREN’S TALK : The verses from James are easily dramatised when spoken by a number of voices: “James” could read verses 1-2 with people either labelled or dressed for the parts of the rich and poor persons to walk in and for another reader to say “Have a seat here, please” to the richly attired person, and “Stand there” to the poorly attired one.....and so on throughout the passage...it would not be difficult for young folk and adults to ‘get the message’ of these verses. There is also a great story The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister which tells how a fish richly dressed with simply beautiful scales thinks he is so much better than all the other fish that he doesn’t have anything to do with them - and of course ends up with no friends. He discovers that it is only as he shares his scales around that he becomes part of the community. Young and old love this story and it can be used in lots of situations. Another excellent resource is the book by Debi Gliori - No Matter What - a story about love and acceptance. ALL TOGETHER OK 390: “Put on love every day” ; TIS 236/AHB 178: “Jesus’ hands were kind hands” TIS 640/AHB 561: “Kneels at the feet of his friends” In AHB 561 verse 2 make the hymn more inclusive by holding ‘rich’ and ‘black’ for two notes and leaving out ‘men’ and in verse 3 substitute ‘people’ for ‘men’. PRAYER OF CONFESSION - Lord Jesus Christ, you swept away centuries of prejudice and legalism when you reached out and accepted people as they were - accepted them as loved fellow human beings. We confess that we often fail to be as inclusive as you. Forgive us if people feel excluded from our fellowship because of their appearance, their poverty, their lack of power or low self-image. Pause for reflection on these words Forgive us if people feel excluded from our fellowship because of their sexuality, their addiction, their lack of a job. Pause here and invite people to think carefully and honestly about their local situation and who in the local community may feel excluded from coming to church and attending a worship service such as this.... then invite people to finish the next statement: Forgive us if people feel excluded from our fellowship because of ....... Strengthen us, Lord, where we are weak, and make us strong to withstand the seduction of a society which seems obsessed with the acquisition of wealth and power. We know in our hearts that discipleship demands an utterly new way of seeing people as you did, and being with them unconditionally, as you were, but the journey from heart to eyes and hands and feet can be long and difficult . We pray your forgiveness Lord when we fail, and as people who have received your mercy over and over, may we be as merciful and compassionate in all we say and do in your name. Amen ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS: We rejoice in the good news that God sent Jesus into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned, (John 3:17,18) but forgiven. Thanks be to God! PASSING THE PEACE Invite people to share these words with their neighbours... Know yourself made in the image of God and may the peace of God be with you always. And also with you (a sign of peace is shared ) TIS 745/SA 75: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God” GOSPEL: Mark 7:24-37 SERMON TIS 609/AHB 537: “May the mind of Christ my Saviour live in me from day to day” TIS 690: “Beauty for brokenness, hope for despair” TIS 674: “Inspired by love and anger, disturbed by need and pain” TIS 627/569: “Praise and thanksgiving, Father we offer” TIS 630/AHB 554: “The law of Christ alone can make us free” In AHB 554, either use the TIS words in v.1 or begin hymn at verse 2 to make more inclusive. SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION “For life and health and daily food” p38f. in Scattered Seeds Pray for those in your church, local , national and international communities who may be denied living abundant lives because of......illness, loneliness, guilt, those who are physically or mentally challenged, unemployment, lack of education, poverty, low self-esteem, substance abuse, violence, broken relationships, war, lack of hope...etc THE LORD’S PRAYER OFFERING OFFERTORY PRAYER Gracious and loving God, we offer these gifts and our lives as signs that our faith is expressed not in words alone, but in deeds - deeds performed in the name and for the sake of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. Amen TIS 606/AHB 529: “Son of God, eternal Saviour” alternate tune TIS 158/AHB 92 ‘Ode to Joy’ TIS 657: “God of freedom, God of justice” ; TIS 468: “We are your people” BENEDICTION Go, blessed by, and filled with the grace and mercy of God, the inclusive love of Jesus Christ the creative vision of the Holy Spirit. THREEFOLD AMEN. |