WWWW Online Text July 11, 2021

 

Worship, Witness, Word and Welcome
Online Worship with First Christian Church  (Disciples of Christ) Berea, KY
July 11, 2021

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. We are beginning a summer series on Wisdom this week. Include something in your worship center that reminds you of wisdom - it could be a quote, a book, a lamp, a symbol, etc.

Worship
Invocation We begin with prayer.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you, no secrets are hidden.  Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, so that we may love you completely and rightly praise your holy name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
-11th century Leofric Missal or prayerbook.

Call to Worship
Voice One:  Before our world began, God, Word, and Wisdom were already
Voice Two: Creating and calling, from the foundations of the deep
Voice One: Listen!
Voice Two: Wisdom is calling!
Voice One: We light these candles today,
Voice Two: Because God is with us in this time and in all these places!    
— First four lines written by Terri, and posted on RevGalBlogPals. http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.ca/

Lighting the Candles  We light our candles or lights.

Witness
Morning Prayer
God of holy wisdom, we are seekers on the way to a deeper wisdom and a wider vision.
Our lives are full of information and opinions, but in the midst of it all we long to hear the voice of wisdom – Your wisdom, God – cutting through the noise and teaching us how to live.
O God, give us wisdom.

Spirit of Truth, we have come here this morning to learn wisdom from your Word, from you and from one another. We have come so that wisdom may call us out of the darkness and into the light. We have come to have the deeper, richer, wisdom-filled life that you have promised to each of us.
O God, give us discernment.

Christ our Savior,, make us ready to hear the Words spoken to our hearts this morning.
Call us to hear God's will and grant us the courage to respond as you did, willingly and with obedience.
O God, give us the will to be faithful.

Hear our words and our thoughts and our deepest longing as we pray today. Bring these prayers to life in fruitful action. Let our lives bear loving witness to your wisdom, your word and your will.
 O God, give us the power to love.  Amen.
~ a combination of two prayers, one written by Richard Einerson, and posted on Richard J. Einerson: Prayers of the People. http://www.richardeinerson.com/ and the other posted on Literature & Liturgy. https://jesusscribbles.wordpress.com/


Word
Scripture: I Kings 3:1-15
Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
-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.

Meditation

Challenge for Discipleship

Welcome- The Lord's Supper
Invitation to the Table
All are welcome to partake in the bread and cup at the table of God's love. It is Christ who is our host. When you hear the Words of Institution, partake of the elements.

Prayer of Communion Elders this month are Kyle Sowers and Ele Workman.

Words of Institution 

Prayer of Response
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.

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.   And we abide in peace. Amen.