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confession: impatient, overwhelmed, and frustrated

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Prayer for Confession (Unison)
Gracious God, we pray for new understanding
because we are tormented by our doubts and mistakes.  
We confess that we have been impatient with your ways.
We have not trusted your wisdom but have insisted on our own ways. We have been so overwhelmed and frustrated by what does not make sense that we have denied your righteousness and your salvation. We have ignored your glory.
We have dismissed your love. Forgive us, Gracious God.
Grant us new understanding.
 
Affirmation of God’s Grace (Responsive)
Leader: Beloved in Christ, believe in the good news.
For God’s love is made manifest in our flesh.
God’s love has been poured over us with
wisdom and understanding.
 People: We belong to God. Alleluia! Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Elsa Peters.

CTW: we want to see miracles

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Leader:  We come to see glory revealed.
People: We want to see miracles happen.
Leader:It is a time for miracles.
It is a time of new understanding
when God’s steadfast love becomes manifest.
People: O may God’s love become manifest in us!
Leader: May glory be revealed today.
Submitted by Rev. Elsa Peters.

communion: bring many names

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Prompt in Bulletin
As you come into worship this morning, you’re invited to write your name on one of the index cards provided. During the singing of our first hymn, Bring Many Names, you’re invited to bring your many names forward to place on the bare communion table. Before we celebrate the mystery of Holy Communion, this table will be transformed especially for those gathered here on this day.   
Action in Worship       

Our kids hang out on a quilt in the front of our worship space during the summer. They gather for a Children’s Sermon that may or may not introduce the activity they will share in that day. Often, it’s a coloring sheet related to the RCL. But, there are also books and playdoh and other good things for busy hands. This week, they will take the names gathered on the table during the first hymn and add those many names to a tablecloth that will set upon the table just before communion begins. Then, they will stand with me as we serve communion together.

Invitation to the Feast of God
“God created the world — the plants and the trees.
The fish and all the animals were given a name.
And each person, young and old, had a special name:
Ruth, Samuel, Joshua, Hannah.”*

And you were given a name — a special name. Names like:
(Ask kids to read names from tablecloth.)
Jesus calls each of us by name.
Just as called the twelve apostles:
“first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother;
James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother; Philip; and Bartholomew;
Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus.”**
Jesus didn’t limit his ministry to these twelve.
He called Mary and Martha.
He called Lazarus and those whose names were never written down.
Jesus knows all their names, and invited them to wrestle all night long with what it means to love and serve our God in this time and in this place.
And each time, just as the angel asked, he said, “Tell me your name.”
Beloved in Christ, say your name. Say your name aloud.
(Pause to let every worshipper say their names.)
Jesus calls you to this table.
Jesus calls you to fill your hunger and your thirst for righteousness.
Come to this table and know that God is good.
For this is the the good news that Jesus shared with his friends in that upper room.
He gathered those wrestling people together and…
Words of Institution

Prayer after Communion (Unison)
God of Many Names, we give you thanks for this holy mystery of bread and cup.
We give thanks that you have called us each by name — to sustain and redeem us.
May go from this table to dine at other tables to celebrate in this mystery,
in the name of Jesus Christ, our Sustainer and Redeemer. Amen.   

 

* From Sandy Sasso’s In God’s Name.
** Matthew 10:1-3, CEB.
Submitted by Rev. Elsa A. Peters, The United Churches of Olympia, WA

thanksgiving for the music ministry

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This will be offered on the last Sunday with our choir.
Members of the choir will be given party store horns to blow (thus the toot).
We will follow this litany with an alleluia before coming together for Communion.
Celebration of Choir
One: Let every living thing praise God!
All: Let every person with voice lift their praise!
One: Let every heart be joined together!
For we have offered great praise to our God the Creator.
And we give you thanks.
All: We give you thanks for the members of this choir.
One: We praise your holy name for every tune they have learned,
for each new lyric they have memorized
and every Wednesday night they have spent in the basement of our church
lifting their voices to praise your holy name.
We praise you for the gifts that each member of this choir
has offered to our worship from September to June —
for the hours they have spent,
for the love they have offered,
for the gifts they bring every Sunday.
Praise God our Creator in this sanctuary!
All: We celebrate the ministry you have each offered
in our church family. We thank you for your time and your talent.
We look forward to the new songs that you will bring in September.
One: But now, as the skies begin to clear,
and summer comes close, we celebrate your rest.
Let every living part of you praise God!
In these summer months, praise God in resting your voice
and nurturing your spirit. Go and blow your horn!
Choir:  Toot!
All: Thanks be to God!
Submitted by Rev. Elsa Peters, The United Churches of Olympia, WA.

CTW: heavens open

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One: We come as people filled with great expectation.
All: We come filled with hopes and dreams.
One: We come with serious questions.
All: We come with doubts that weigh us down.
One: We long for the heavens to open.
All: We need to hear the voice of God,
One: Whispering our names,
and telling us again,
All: You are Beloved with whom I am well pleased.

 

Submitted by the Rev. Elsa Peters, the United Churches of Olympia, WA.