Some of us studiously avoid the civic-holidays and patriotism in worship. Some of us don’t have that luxury. Others of us are working on how to celebrate communion on a civic holiday, or dreaming up creative worship ideas that are easier to test out in the summer. And some of us are already tired of ordinary time, only 3 weeks in. Whether you fall into any of these categories or you just want to brainstorm how to approach “come to me, all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” yet again (but not in a funeral this time!), come share–what ideas do you have for this 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time?
I bookmarked this site a year or two ago. I thought we might try something like it this year, but we have a big dedication of an organ piece that on the 3rd this year so it won’t really work. But here is Elizabeth Kaeton’s lessons and carols type service that she put together to address the desire for patriotic worship and still hold on to her integrity. http://telling-secrets.blogspot.com/2008/05/lessons-and-hymns-for-july-4th.html
This might be a little too subversive for most contexts, but a couple years back we wrote a litany that juxtaposed the oath to become a U.S. citizen with the baptismal covenant. It has a very interesting effect when considering patriotism. You can find it here: http://belovedschurch.org/2008/11/22/allegiances-a-christ-the-king-montage/
simply brilliant!
I love that baptism/oath of allegiance litany. That’s very cool. I have no idea if I could get away with something like that, but I can certainly dream!
We are more in the mention-it-in-the-prayers kind of congregation. I’ll probably get something in the sermon, but we won’t be doing an all-out patriotic thing, or even a halfway patriotic thing.
I am preaching on the “take my yoke upon you” text from Matthew, and we’ll be “yoking” people–with handmade fingerwoven yarn “stoles”. People will come forward, and children will put a stole on them as a symbol of their following Jesus. So I am in need of some words the kids can say when they en-yoke people….any ideas?
I like the “give us rest” piece just as summer vacations are really getting underway; perhaps something about sabbath, and celebration, and God’s gift to us of both.
Teri- could you have them adapt something simple from Matt. 11:29-30? “Take my yoke upon you for my burden in light.” Something like that anyway.
Becca–I could, and probably will. But that’s the text I’m preaching on, so I don’t want the kids to have to repeat something I just said either…and some of them are quite young (3rd grade) so I want to make sure they are saying words they also understand. Maybe something like “stay close to Jesus” or “follow Jesus’ way” or some such thing. Then when people get to the communion station right after that, they can be told that it’s food for the journey, perhaps.