September 13, 2015 PREP

Theme:

 Sound Notes:

Reference Scriptures:  Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Call To Worship:

Leader:   We have come to worship God, the living God,

People:      Who calls prophets and teachers to bear witness.

Leader:   We have come to praise God, the almighty God,

People:      Who answers the forces of hatred and hurt with the power of grace.

  Leader:    We have come to worship God, all-gracious God, 

People:      Who chooses even you and me,
           to receive and carry the Word of life and hope.
           All glory to God!

 

~ adapted from a post on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways Archive. http://www.ucc.org/

Invocation:

A Prayer about God's Holiness

O God,

You are holy,and deep within ourselves

where our souls touch the ground,

where our being meets your being,

we are on holy ground

and your holiness surrounds us

and calls our name.

You wait to meet us,

to make us holy with your holiness.

In your presence we bow our heads.  

Touch us with the tenderness of your forgiveness.

Set us free to be holy, as we pray the prayer your son taught us, Our Father....

— written by William Loader.  For more of his excellent writings, see this web page: http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/reflectiveindex.html

Hymn Suggestions:
*This month's new hymn

Opening Music: Maranatha 238 "O How He Loves You and Me"

Hymn of Praise: Maranatha 108 "His Name Is Wonderful"

Prayer Hymn: *Responsive "How Great is Our God"

Communion Hymn: Chalice 398 "Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread"

Hymn of Invitation:Chalice 452 "Here I Am, Lord"  sts. 1, 2

Closing Music: Chalice 717 "Let All Things Now Living"

Morning Prayer Suggestion:

Prayer for Immigrants

Our God, you have given us in your word

the stories of persons who needed to leave their homelands—

Abraham, Sarah, Ruth, Moses.

Help us to remember

that when we speak of immigrants and refugees,

we speak of Christ.

In the One who had no place to lay his head,

and in the least of his brothers and sisters,

you come to us again, a stranger seeking refuge.

We confess that we often turn away.

You have chosen that the life of Jesus be filled

with events of unplanned travel and flight from enemies.

You have shown us through the modeling of Jesus

how we are called to relate to persons from different nations and cultures.

You have called us to be teachers of your word.

We ask you, our God, to open our minds and hearts

to the challenge and invitation

to model your perfect example of love.

Amen.

~ adapted from Justice for Immigrants, “Prayer and Liturgy Suggestions,” www.justiceforimmigrants.org/ParishKit/LiturgyPrayerSuggestions.pdf Posted on Acts of Faith.  http://actsoffaith.org/resources/downloads/Year_A/09%20Immigration_final.pdf