Posted 160 days ago
Liturgy: Community (Thursday Evening)
By Christine Sine
God who is community, come to us this night.
Embrace us in your love,
Unite us with your spirit,
Make us one in you.
(silence)
God of all creation, you come to us in community,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Perfect relationship, perfect community
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, you come
The three in one, the one in three
You offer us community
That together we might grow spiritually
And become mature in Jesus Christ
We need your community
To keep us accountable to your call
For we are called to serve one another
We need your community
To equip and develop your Holy Spirit gifts
So that we can build one another up
We need your community
For prayer and encouragement
For fellowship and festivity, for worship of you
We need your community
To witness to your all-inclusive love
For only in community are we made whole
One people together, family of the living God
Psalm 133 (The Message)
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.
Isaiah 25: 6-8
But here on this mountain, God-of-the-Angel-Armies
will throw a feast for all the people of the world,
A feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines,
a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts.
And here on this mountain, God will banish
the pall of doom hanging over all peoples,
The shadow of doom darkening all nations.
Yes, he’ll banish death forever.
And God will wipe the tears from every face.
He’ll remove every sign of disgrace
From his people, wherever they are.
Yes! God says so!
Acts 4: 33-36
The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.
And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person’s need.
Luke 14: 16 – 24
For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, “Come on in; the food’s on the table.”
Then they all began to beg off, one after another, making excuses. The first said, “I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.” Another said, “I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.” And yet another said, “I just got married and need to get home to my wife.”
The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, “Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.” The servant reported back, “Master, I did what you commanded— and there’s still room.”
The master said, “Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.”
Lord Jesus Christ, may we welcome you to our banquet table,
May we see you in the face of a stranger,
May we open our arms to embrace you.
Forgive us for the times we have allowed our prejudices to overrule,
And rejected you because you are different, ostracized or despised.
Forgive us for failing to see your face
Because you are disabled, poor, black or crippled.
Forgive us for the times we have counted you unworthy of our love,
For the times we have been indifferent to your cries,
Unconcerned for your suffering.
God help us to see others in your worldwide community as you do
Help us to see the beauty of each face,
Help us to be aware of the wonder of each life,
Help us to see the reflection of your grace.
We believe we are all precious in your sight
We believe we are called to share life together
We believe we are all members of one family
Created in God’s image, loved by God,
Redeemed by Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, AMEN.
I should like a great lake of finest ale for the King of Kings
I should like a table of the choicest food for the family of heaven.
Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith, and the food be forgiving love.
I should welcome the poor to my feast, for they are God’s children.
I should welcome the sick to my feast, for they are God’s joy.
Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place, and the sick dance with the angels
God bless the poor, God bless the sick, and bless our human race.
God bless our food, God bless our drink, all homes, O God, embrace.
God all-powerful and all-knowing encircle us
Keep love within and fear without
Keep peace within and violence out
Circle us with your presence
God all-loving and all-embracing encircle us
Keep wholeness in and disease without
Keep care within and selfishness out
Circle us with your love
God all-mighty and all-caring encircle us
Keep truth within and injustice out
Keep acceptance in and prejudice out
Circle us with your peace
The blessing of God be upon you.
The blessing of the God of life.
The blessing of Christ be upon you.
The blessing of the Christ of love.
The blessing of the spirit upon you.
The blessing of the spirit of peace.
The blessing of the triune God be yours, now and evermore.
Amen
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