Worship Text November 22, 2020

Morning Worship Text: November 22, 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.

Today you may want a small pitcher, carafe or bottle full of water and a cup with saucer into which to pour it.





Welcome


Musical Meditation

Focus   "Still Waters and Cups Over-flowing"

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: The Lord is our Shepherd
Voice Two: We shall not want           

Voice One: We seek the grace of God
Voice Two: and our cup runneth over,        We pour a little water into the bowl.

Voice One: We seek the will of God
Voice Two: and our cup runneth over        We pour a little water into the bowl.

Voice One: We seek the strength of God
Voice Two: and our cup runneth over        We pour a little water into the bowl.

Voice One: How generous is God's love
Voice Two: so much the world cannot contain it

Voice One: The Lord is our Shepherd
Voice Two: and we lack nothing!           We pour a little water into the bowl and let it overflow into the saucer.

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws


Invocation    

Gracious God,
We come with joy to meet You here,
to eat and drink at Your table,
to taste and see Your goodness,
to celebrate Your grace and mercy in our lives.
May Your Spirit inspire our praise and thanksgiving,
our prayers and petitions
as we worship together in Your presence.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our host and Lord,
Amen.

-from a longer prayer by Christine Longhurst, https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/09/opening-prayer-matthew-22-1-14.html

Scripture: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.  As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God.  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.  Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide,  I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.  And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

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.

Related readings: Psalm 23, Matthew 25:31-46, John 10:1-18


Meditation



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


Prayer of Communion Elders this month are Gwynne Griffith and Kathy Sharp.


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

Lord God - we give you thanks for all your gifts to us – for daily food - for health - for each breath we take - for freedom to choose - and for the gifts of your word, your power, and your love.  Our hearts are truly overwhelmed, O God, when we consider all that you are and how you have entrusted so much to us.  May we be worthy of that trust - may we be a people who are unafraid to live as fully and as richly as you want us to live.

Lord, hear our prayer...

Help us O God, as followers of Jesus, to multiply all that you given us, to risk spreading your word and perhaps see it misunderstood, to gamble by loving those whom others think worthy only of hate, to take chances by doing good to those who have not done good to us.  Help us be faith filled and to desire to
increase your glory and your goodness in this world.  Make us ones who share in both word and deed that which you have given to us. 

Lord,  hear our prayer....

We pray, O God, for the church here today - that it may encourage all its members to discover, develop, and use all their gifts, those of nature and those of grace.

Lord,  hear our prayer...

We pray for those who are poor in body or in spirit...  for those who are oppressed and heavy laden....  for those who are sick or in despair...  Minister O God by your Spirit, and by us, to all those for whom we have prayed - and help us walk faithfully in the path of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, hear our prayers and receive our praise and thanksgiving. You created us. You save. You guide and sustain us. Our cup over flows! Thank you, Good Shepherd! Our hearts belong to you! Amen.

— adapted from a prayer by copyright © Rev. Richard J. Fairchild, and posted on his Kir-Shalom website. Visit his site for other good lectionary-based worship resources and sermons.


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!