This Week in Worship
Prayer of Preparation
Living spring and living fire Love!
Our hearts inflame, inspire!
Peace, true peace, we ask you, bring;
Lead us safe beneath your wing.
Call to Worship
One: A wind breathes among us, calling us to gather in the name of the Holy One.
All: A fire burns within us, calling us to service, calling us to prayer.
One: A spirit moves around us, calling us to turn in joy toward the sorrows of the world.
All: Burning, breathing, Spirit of Compassion, we bring our lives to you.
June 4, 2017 Worship Notes
Faith In Action Sunday
Scripture
Hymns
#285 “Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song”
#280 “Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us”
Prayer of Preparation
O Lord my God, I believe in you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Insofar as I can, insofar as you have given me the power, I have sought you. O Lord my God, my sole hope, help me to believe and never to cease seeking you. Grant that I may always and ardently seek out your countenance. Give me the hope of finding you. Amen. (Adapted from St. Augustine)
Call to Worship
All: God is calling us today.
One: Why is God calling us?
All: To be the church, people united by God in faith.
One: For what purpose would God do such a thing?
All: Because God has given each member a gift to share, so that if we all come together and lean on one another, then we can become all that God has called us to be.
Prayer of Confession
You call us to be your light in the darkness, your voice in the wilderness, your hope for the hopeless. You give us strength in our weakness, peace and gentleness, words and boldness, to proclaim more of you and of us, less. Bless us and open us to your Spirit of Love. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
One: The One who breathed life into our lungs continues to be present with us. God, who has made us reflective of God's own image, has forgiven us all and made us new creations.
All: God, who made me in Your image, teach me to love myself as You love me. God, who made me in Your image, allow me to show that image to the world. God, who made me in Your image, help me to see Your image in all those I meet.
God, who made me in Your image, teach me to conserve and protect all Your creation. God, who made me in Your image, bless, protect, and keep me and all Your children safe.
One: Therefore, since our sins are forgiven, let us be present with love and peace, honoring and upholding the dignity of all we meet, knowing we see reflections of God's image all around.
All: Thanks be to God.
June 11, 2017 Worship Notes
Celebration of Holy Communion
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"Going Into the World"
Hymns
#298 “Lord, You Give the Great Commission”
#510 “We Gather Here in Jesus’ Name”
#716 “God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending”
Prayer of Preparation
Be silent. Be still. Alone. Empty Before your God.
Say nothing. Ask nothing. Be silent. Be still.
Let your God look upon you. That is all.
God knows. God understands.
God loves you with an enormous love, and only wants to look upon you with that love.
Quiet. Still. Be. Let your God— Love you.
Call to Worship
One: Come with your questions, come with your awe!
All: For the God who broods over the chaos meets us in this place.
One: Come with your energy, come with your weariness!
All: For the God who breathes new life into the dust meets us in this place.
One: Come with your sadness, come with your joy!
All: For the God who dared to become human meets us in this place.
Morning Prayer
One: Into the daily cycle of our lives When all seems well with us and with the world; when our yoke is easy and the burden light, You break in
All: And scatter our complacency.
(silence)
One: Into the daily cycle of our lives when we are comfortable and at our ease; when the fire is lit but eyes are closed, You break in
All: And challenge our dependency.
(silence)
One: You break into our daily prayers; humble hearts lay souls bare, You break in
All: You break in
(silence)
One: You break in When defenses are down With an Angel's shout Or the quietest sound You break in
All: You break in
One: And we change
All: And all things change
One: When you break in.
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
Scripture
Exodus13:21
Luke 9:51-62
Hymns
#307 “God of Grce and God of Glory”
#649 “Amazing Grace” (stanzas 1, 3, 5)
#296 “Go in Grace and Make Disciples”
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Prayer of Preparation
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NRSV)
Call to Worship
One: We are part of the Church universal - faithful people of every color, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, and ability, gathered to love and serve God. We are an Open and Affirming church, a congregation of More Light Presbyterians. Together, let us worship God, rejoicing in the good news which we celebrate this day!
All: There is a place in God's heart, there is a place at Christ's table, there is a place here and in every welcoming church for all people.
One: Christ who gathers us, bids us follow in the ways of love and justice.
All: May our hearts be open to Christ's leading in our worship and our living, this day and always. One: We are the body of Christ! The hand clapping, toe tapping, heart pumping, arms embracing, justice seeking, hymn singing, love making, bread breaking, risk taking
All: Body of Christ!
One: Baptized in one Spirit, we are members of one body.
All: Many and varied in gender, color, sexuality, age, class, and ability, we are members of Christ's beautiful body.
One: None of us can say to another, "I have no need of you."
All: For only together can we find wholeness.
One: None of us can say to another, "I will not care for you."
All: For we are connected like muscle and bone. If one suffers, we all suffer. If one rejoices, we all rejoice!
One: Thanks be to God who, in Christ, has made us one.
All: Let us worship God!
Prayer of Confession
One: We are painfully aware of the ways we dismiss or disdain others who think or act or look differently from ourselves. At our best,
All: We celebrate the unity we create in the midst of our diversity. We are so quick to look down on the defect or sin of another. At our best, we affirm the inherent beauty, worth, and dignity of every person. We insist that our way and view are the only ones.
At our best, we remember: there are many paths to the sacred. The spiritual paths of all persons are among them. We get caught up in categories, presumptions, and stereotypes around and within us.
At our best, we know: the choice is whether or not to live an authentic life. We so often want to pull the covers over our heads or keep our “peculiarities” hidden.
At our best, we acknowledge: being genuine and authentic is a courageous and spiritual act.
At our best, we commit ourselves: we support each person's spiritual journey leading to wholeness. We hold fast to the promising truth that we are one human family.
At our best, we remind ourselves: no one is free when others are oppressed.
Assurance of Forgiveness
The One who breathed life into our lungs continues to be present with us. God, who has made us reflective of God's own image, has forgiven us all and made us new creations. Therefore, since our sins are forgiven, let us be present with love and peace, honoring and upholding the dignity of all we meet, knowing we see reflections of God's image all around.
(silence)
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
Affirmation of Faith
Today, Bethany Presbyterian Church, a More Light Congregation, re-affirms and celebrates its commitment to being the kind of open doors and arms into which persons of any variety or persuasion may be warmly received, regardless of circumstance or human condition; and, reaching out to the community so it may be known: Every person is invited to “come as one is,” raising hearts, hands and voices in thanksgiving and praise to God, maker of each of us, every one: a unique expression of unspeakable love!
Closing Charge
Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold on to what is good;
return no person evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, help the suffering, honor all people, love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Benediction
(Unison) Gracious God, may Your gifts of love transform and enliven us that we may live lives of thanksgiving. May Your presence among us provoke such longing for Your realm that we will never be satisfied until the whole earth knows Your justice, Your peace, and Your love. Amen.
Hymns
In Every Place Where God is Praised
Community of Christ
From Wisdom Emerging
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
June 25, 2017 Worship Notes
Shining More Light on Diversity
Sermon by Ananda Barclay,
Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians
Prayer of Preparation
God, the encourager, God, the compassionate,
God, the merciful, holy, blessed: Disturb us.
Rouse us from our sleep. Lift us into consciousness of your presence. Change us, move us, mold us for the better; so that, at the sound of your voice, at the call of our name, we will never be the same. May our worship do this and so much more.
Call to Worship
One: God calls us to a feast!
All: The table is set, and we will come from east and west, from north and south to sit at Christ’s table.
One: Compassion, love, and grace are poured out like fine wine.
All: We come to share our stories and Your story, to share our hope and our pain, to share our wisdom and our laughter.
One: The table is set, so come let us worship God together!
Morning Prayer
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.
(silence)
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
July 2, 2017
Celebration of Holy Communion
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"Even a Cup"
Hymns
#388 “Come All You People”
#507 “Come to the Table of Grace”
340 “This is My Song”
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Prayer of Preparation
Miraculous God, come to us now, even as your Son came to those first disciples on the shores of Galilee. Speak your peace to our hearts. Touch us with your Holy Spirit. Reveal your word, that we may hear your message this day, and live as your disciples in the days and years to come. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Call to Worship
One: In the midst of life’s storms, God is there.
All: What have we to fear?
One: In the darkness and terror, God is with us.
All: Of whom shall we be afraid?
One: Rise up, people of God, for you are loved and saved.
All: Thanks be to God who cares deeply for us.
Prayer of Confession
Lord, help me to relax. Take from me the tension that makes peace impossible. Take from me the fears that do not allow me to venture. Take from me the worries that blind my sight. Take from me the distress that hides your joy. Help me to know that I am with you, that I am in your care, that I am in your love, that you and I are one. Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
Scripture
Hymns
#267 “Come, Christians, Join to Sing”
#450 “Be Thou My Vision”
#853 “We Are Marching in the Light of God”
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Prayer of Preparation
Loving God, we are yours. We come as we are, with our cares and concerns. We long to touch you and find healing in your embrace. Strengthen our faith and heal our brokenness, that we may worship you with joy. Amen.
Call to Worship
We call now all the people of God to come -- men, women and children, come! Come and worship your king! Fill this place with song! Give glory to the one true God who is over all, and in all and through all! People of God, come! Come and worship!
Morning Prayer
They risked it all to come to him:
Jairus risked his pride, kneeling to a carpenter, begging for his daughter’s life;
The woman with the blood risked shame and disgrace heaped upon her by the crowd.
O Christ, we are just like Jairus. And we bleed like the woman. We want to touch you with the faith you give us. Heal us. Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
July 16, 2017
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"Being Known and Named"
Hymns
#401 “Gather Us In”
#796 “We Come to You for Healing, Lord”
366 “Love Diving, All Loves Excelling”
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Scripture
Prayer of Preparation
O God, we still our hearts. We do not know what words you will speak to us today, but we open ourselves to receive your truth. We want to see you, to know you more and to receive your love and to respond in worship. Our songs, our words, our actions are for you and you alone. Guide us, Spirit, as we worship today. Change us because we have been in your presence. Amen.
Call to Worship
One: Take off your shoes!
All: We are standing on holy ground.
One: Shake off the dust!
All: We are ready to start afresh.
One: Let us worship God and receive Christ’s teachings, that we may be renewed and strengthened to share God’s love with the world.
Morning Prayer
God of grace and powerful weakness, at times your ministry was ignored, rejected, belittled, and unwelcome. Trusting that we, too, are called to be prophets, fill us with your Spirit, and support us by your gentle hands, that we may persevere in speaking your word and living our faith. Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
July 23, 2017
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"Sensing, Inviting & Participating"
Scripture
Hymns
#365 “God Reigns! Let Earth Rejoice!”
#796 “We Come to You for Healing, Lord”
#700 “I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Prayer of Preparation
We gather together in Your presence with expectation, hungry for an encounter with You,
eager to hear Your Word. Open our eyes and ears to the presence of Your Holy Spirit. May the seeds of Your Word scattered among us this morning fall on fertile soil. May they take root in our hearts and lives, and produce an abundant harvest of good words and deeds. Amen.
Call to Worship
One: The kingdom of God is here, and coming.
All: A mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
One: The kingdom of God is here, and coming.
All: Yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all was leavened.
One: The kingdom of God is here, and coming.
All: Treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then joyfully sells all he has and buys the field.
One: The kingdom of God is here, and coming.
All: A merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one of great value, sells all of his possessions and buys the pearl.
One: The kingdom of God is here, and coming.
All: Let all who have ears, hear.
Morning Prayer
Lord, you place before us the images of the small - the tiny mustard seed, the grain of yeast, the small treasure - and remind us that we, though we think of ourselves as small, are not insignificant in your kingdom. Open our hearts and our spirits to you in thankful remembrance of the ways in which we can serve you throughout all our lives. Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #616
Preparation for the Word
July 30, 2017
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"The Kingdom of Heaven is Like..."
Scripture
Hymns
#33 “Praise the Lord, God’s Glories Show”
#701 “Lord, Prepare Me”
#614 “Great Are You Lord”
Our God is an awesome God
Who reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine.
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Prayer of Preparation
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand in
the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion. Amen.
(based on Psalm 134)
Call to Worship
Wrestling
Struggling, resisting
Powers beyond understanding Embracing, reconciling Sacred
Let us wrestle
Let us worship
that which is sacred.
Prayer of Commitment
You have called us into a whole-hearted relationship with You. You’ve asked us to leave behind all we possess and live out our
faith with passion and integrity. We thank You for the deep love You have shown toward us. Forgive us when we take our relationship with You for granted, when we let the fire of our early commitment cool, and allow other things to take priority in our lives. Give us strength to hold on to You no matter what comes our way. Give us courage to wrestle honestly with the things we don’t understand; to continually work out our salvation with fear and trembling, to grapple daily with what it means to faithfully follow You. We are Your people, chosen and named by You. Grant us Your continued blessing and mark us with Your love, as we seek to live as Your disciples in the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #413
Preparation for the Word
August 6, 2017
Celebration of Holy Communion
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"What is Your Name?"
Hymns
#32 “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”
501 “Feed Us, Lord”
307 “God of Grace and God of Glory”
Come into God's presence with singing,
"Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia"
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia!
Prayer of Preparation
O Lord my God, I believe in you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Insofar as I can, insofar as you have given me the power, I have sought you. O Lord my God, my sole hope, help me to believe and never to cease seeking you. Grant that I may always and ardently seek out your countenance. Give me the hope of finding you. Amen.
~ St Augustine
Call to Worship
We gather together to worship God, who comes to us when we least expect it, who calls us out of the safety of our ordered lives and invites us to join in the adventure of faith. Let’s worship God together!
Morning Prayer
Gracious God, we gather once again to offer You praise and thanksgiving for Your unfailing love and faithfulness, shown most clearly through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us grace to worship You in spirit and in truth. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, open our eyes to recognize You here among us. Give us courage to step out in faith to meet You, and confidence to follow where You lead. For You are our God, and we are Your people, called by Your name. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #413
Preparation for the Word
Prayer of Dedication
On my own , what I have to give doesn't amount to much in the light of all you have given to me and in the face of so much need. Put together as a congregation, what we offer you here in love becomes more, not simply added together, but somehow multiplied in its usefulness. We ask you to bless our gifts and, with the addition of your blessing, just as it was with the loaves and fishes, there is enough for all. Amen.
August 13, 2017
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"Taking Hold"
Hymns
#305 “Come Sing, O Church, in Joy!”
#76 Do Not Be Afraid
#547 “Go, My Children, With My Blessing”
Come into God's presence with singing,
"Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia"
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia!
Prayer of Preparation
You have drawn us together this day from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, hopes, and dreams, Lord. Be with us as together we experience your presence and your healing love. Open our hearts and our spirits to receive strength, encouragement, and peace. Amen.
Call to Worship
Come and worship, all you who love and serve the Lord -- outsiders and insiders, old-timers and new-comers, the young, old and the in-between. Come as you are, for this is God’s house -- a house of prayer for all people, and God welcomes each one who comes.
Morning Prayer
With open arms You welcome all who call on Your name –
who acknowledge You as Lord, and look to You in faith.
No one stands outside the circle of Your mercy and love.
And so we come to offer You our worship –
to declare that You are our God, and that we are Your people,
called and chosen by You from the very beginning.
Through the presence of Your Holy Spirit open our eyes to see You here;
open our minds to receive Your truth, and our mouths to speak and sing Your praise.
For You alone are God – worthy of all praise and worship, now and to the end of time.
Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #413
Preparation for the Word
August 20, 2017
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"A New Way of Seeing"
Come into God's presence with singing,
"Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia"
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia!
Hymns
#611 “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”
#728 “Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door”
#796 “We Come to You for Healing, Lord"
#741 “Guide My Feet”
Prayer of Preparation
You have drawn us together this day from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, hopes, and dreams, Lord. Be with us as together we experience your presence and your healing love. Open our hearts and our spirits to receive strength, encouragement, and peace. Amen.
Call to Worship
One: We come to worship this morning from different places.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
One: We come to worship this morning for different reasons.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
One: We experience the presence of the Spirit in different ways.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
One: We hear Jesus’ words with different ears.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
One “Deny yourselves.”
All: O God, do not be far from us.
One: "Take up your cross.”
All: O God, do not be far from us.
One: “Follow me.”
All: O God, we thank you for drawing near to us in this place, in our lives. Amen.
Morning Prayer
Lord God, Maker of heaven and earth, we gather together in Your name. We come as living sacrifices, to offer you our worship and thanksgiving, our praise and our prayers. Come among us, living Lord. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, transform our hearts and minds so that we may recognize your presence, hear your voice, know your will, and walk in your way. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
(silence)
Response Hymn #413
Preparation for the Word
August 27, 2017
Sermon by Reverend Kathryn Pyke
"A 'Come to Jesus' Moment"
Scripture
Hymns
#391 “This is the Day”
#308 “O God in Whom All Life Begins”
#394 “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation”
Come into God's presence with singing,
"Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia"
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia!
Archive - Pentecost/Summer 2017