Worship Text August 2, 2020

Morning Worship Text: August 2, 2020

Ordinary Time - A Season for Spiritual Growth
Before we begin, gather a candle or small light, your Bible, a cross,  a piece of bread and a cup of juice or water. Place them at the center of a calm area in your home and gather comfortable seating for all who will join you. Place your phone, tablet  or computer where you can see and hear it. You may want to connect a charger, rather than rely on battery. You might bring something in from your yard or garden to remind you of growth for Ordinary Time.

Welcome

Musical Meditation

Focus

Lighting the Christ Candles      We light our candles or lights.
Voice One: In the beginning, God said,
Voice Two: "Let there be light," and there was light!
Voice One: We light these candles today,
Voice Two: Because God is with us in this time and in all these places!


Call to Worship  
Voice One: We are hungry, Lord!
Voice Two: We come today with different types of hunger for you.
Voice One: Some of us sit down at the table eagerly, because we are hungry.
Voice Two: Some of us have come because we know we should eat,
even though we don`t feel like it.
Voice One: Some of us are ravenous.
Voice Two: And some of us have lost our appetite, and we don`t even know why.
Voice One: And yet you have drawn us to your welcoming table, one and all,
your arms open to embrace us just as we are.
Voice Two: As we settle in this morning, fill us with your presence
so that when we leave today, we can leave saying,

ALL: “That is exactly what I needed!”

~ written by Carol Penner, and posted on Leading in Worship. http://carolpenner.typepad.com/


Invocation    We pray together in unison.

O God, we gather at your waters, as a hot and bothered crowd gathers on the beach on a sweltering, summer day.

O God, we drink at your fountain,  as a parched dog laps at the fresh, running water of a bush creek.

O God, we await your refreshment, as a tired worker watches for the change of shift.

Quench our thirst, satisfy our longings.  May we be refreshed and restored in you; and teach us where to find the bucket and how to carry it so that we might draw that water for those who most need it.

— written by Anita Monro and posted on the MAD-e-Lena blog. http://mad-e-lena.blogspot.com/





















Scripture:  Isaiah 55:1-5
“Hey there! All who are thirsty,
    come to the water!
Are you penniless?
    Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
    Buy without money—everything’s free!
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
    your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
    fill yourself with only the finest.
Pay attention, come close now,
    listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.
I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,
    the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.
I set him up as a witness to the nations,
    made him a prince and leader of the nations,
And now I’m doing it to you:
    You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,
and nations who’ve never heard of you
    will come running to you
Because of me, your God,
    because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson


Ho, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
    and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.




Sermon






Invitation to the Table The bread and cup and placed on the table for the Lord’s Supper.


Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.


Prayer of Communion Elders this month are


Words of Institution We break the bread and lift the cup as the words are spoken.


The Lord's Supper We share in the bread and cup as we hear the music.


Prayer of Thanksgiving "The Lord's Prayer"

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.












Prayers of the People

Holy God,
whose Spirit moved over the waters at the dawn of creation,
hear our prayers for all who thirst today.

We pray for those who are spiritually thirsty,
who long to know Your presence, but don’t know where to find You.
We pray for those who are alone and long to feel needed and loved,
those who are searching for meaning and purpose. 

O healing river,
ALL: pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.

We pray for all who are physically thirsty,
those who have to walk long distances to find enough water to survive,
or who have to be content with water that is unclean.
We pray for those whose homes and villages are withering
because of drought or famine.

O healing river,
ALL: pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.

We pray for those who are thirsty for justice,
those working to clean and protect streams and rivers and oceans;
those who are innovating to provide clean water,
and make it available to those who need it.

O healing river,
ALL: pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.

God, we ask that you would open our hearts to the needs of all who thirst,
so that all people, everywhere, may live without want or fear,
and may discover the abundant life You promise to each one.
In the name of Jesus Christ—the source of living water—we pray.  Amen.
 
~ adapted from a prayer written by Christine Longhurst, in Worship Resources for Lent & World Water Day, 2013.  Posted on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website.  http://foodgrainsbank.ca/lent_worship_resources.aspx
Challenge for Discipleship


Blessing     We speak in unison.


The Light that was in one place and at one time,
is now in all places and all times,
for God has placed the light in us. 
We abide in peace!