Theme: Intention-To Be in Awe of God
Sound Notes:
Reference Scriptures: Revelation 4:1-11
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
Call To Worship:
Leader: Grace
and peace to you from God,
People: the One who is, and was and
is still to come—
Leader: the
Alpha and Omega,
People: the beginning and the end.
Leader: This
is our God—
the
One who created us, the One who lived and died for us;
the One who breathes life in our gathering.
People: Let’s
worship God together!
Invocation:
O Living God of past and future,
we praise you for this present moment.
Fill us with your joy and empower us with your
Holy Spirit,
that our strength may be renewed to sing a new song of your glory
in a world which longs for your justice and
peace.
All this we ask as we pray together, Our Father...
~
from All Things New, written by Rev.
Susan A. Blain and Rev. Scott Ressman. Posted on the United Church of Christ website. http://www.ucc.org/50/pdfs/worship-resources.pdf
Hymn Suggestions:
Maranatha #238 "Oh How He Loves You and Me"
Maranatha #144 "I Sing Praises"
"How Great is Our God"
Chalice #572 "Take Time to Be Holy" sts. 1,3,4
Chalice #4 "Holy, Holy. Holy" sts. 1,2,4
Chalice # 717 "Let All Things Now Living"
Morning Prayer Suggestion:
Morning Prayer Suggestion:
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.
Your holiness is your goodness,
your generosity towards us
and the silence which waits
and hopes and is glad
and disappointed - and waits.
You wait to meet us,
to make us holy with your holiness,
to make us loving with your love,
to make us hopeful with your hope.
In your presence we bow our heads
in shame where we have failed others,
failed ourselves and failed you.
Touch us with the tenderness of your forgiveness.
In your presence we breathe new life
when we dare to be still, to be centred,
to be whole, to be holy.
Set us free to be holy.
Set us free to be for ourselves a place
where sacredness is joy and peace.
And let us be a sacred space for others
and make sacredness for them.
Dwell in us as in a holy temple,
that we may know stillness
and that we may sense the fragrance of your love
and bring that fragrance to
where life is a stench and putrid and stale,
within ourselves and within our world.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
— written by William Loader. For more of his excellent writings, see this web page: http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/reflectiveindex.html
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