Worship

Sounding the Alarm

/ The Pastor

The following is something I wrote as part of the Great Thanksgiving for our Holy Communion liturgy. Themes from the Luke 13:1-9 and Ezekiel 33:7-20 can be found here.

REPENT, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, oh God, King of the universe. You sent Jesus to die and rise for our sins and thus You have promised us eternal life through faith in him. May we speak boldly; sounding the alarm; the Good News, that Your Kingdom is at hand. You have called us to repent; to turn from our sinful ways, that Your holy name would be glorified. Oh God, Creator and Redeemer, You are worthy of all praise and worship. May we not hide behind our righteousness, but live in and through that righteousness that others would run to You. And so, because You are awesome and glorious, we join with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven in signing Your unending praise…

Known by God

/ The Pastor

The following is tonight’s Liturgy of Repentance for our midweek Lenten worship service. The theme is the call of Jeremiah from Jeremiah 1:4-19. The very thought that God knew me before I knew myself is humbling and thus who am I to say, “God, You must have the wrong guy.” I am known.

I am known by You, for You formed me.
I am known by You, for You knit me together.
I am known by You, for You choose me before I knew myself.
I am known.
I am known by You, for You breathed life into my being.
I am known by You, for You appointed little ole me to serve You.
I am known by You…yet Jesus died for me, a sinner.
I am known.
And knowing me, You still have sent me, but yet I search for excuses.
I can’t speak.
I’m too young.
I’m too old.
I don’t know enough.
Are You sure You have the right person?
But YOU know me. You. God Almighty. Creator. Know…ME.
And You send me anyway.
You and You alone qualify me.
Oh God, I confess my faithlessness to You.
Oh God, I confess my fear to You.
Forgive me.
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry: I repent…

Your Wings

/ The Pastor

The follow is something I wrote for the Great Thanksgiving in our Holy Communion liturgy based loosely on the preaching text from Luke 13:31-35…

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, oh God. For through Jesus Christ You spread Your wings over Your children to provde shelter and refuge. You have saved us from the forces of evil and have redeemed our lives from the pit. You give us hope in a hopeless world. You give us peace in a world filled with hate and death. You are our life and salvation. And so with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven we join in singing Your unending praise…

Amen and Amen!

The Pastor -|—

Crying Out

/ The Pastor

The theme for worship tonight is the call of Moses. The people of Israel called out to God and God heard their cries. God chooses Moses to be His instrument of freedom and but he resists…at first. Has God chosen you for for a specific task; to proclaim freedom in someway? Have you resisted? Are you doubtful that you can do it? Listen and trust God.

Oh God,
Your people are crying out, and You hear them.
They are crying out from bondage;
lost and alone.
They cry out, but I often know not their cry.
Their cries are often missed by my ears and I perceive them not.
Some even cry out without knowing they do.
They cry out through their actions and choices.
They don’t know their dire situation.
They are in bondage.
They fight and struggle.
They search and search, but they find no relief.
They search for meaning but find no firm foundation.
They cry out, and YOU hear them.
Oh God,
I cried out once, and You heard me.
I cried out, and You showed me mercy.
I cried out, and You sent Jesus.
Your people are crying out, and I either do not hear or refuse to hear.
I confess my deafness to You.
Forgive me.
Heal me of my deafness, oh God, and send me.
Send me that Your people may hear and know Jesus.
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry:
I repent…

The Pastor -|—

You Reign

/ The Pastor

It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
Sovereign King over all creation.
Your authority and reign stretches as far as the east is from the west.
Your power is without limit.
Your grace is without end.
You grant us what we need to withstand the attacks of the evil one.
You raise us up when we fall.
You dust us off as we prepare for another round.
And in the end,
You are victorious.
And so with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven
we join in singing Your unending praise…

The Pastor -|—

Your Glory

/ The Pastor

It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to You,
oh God,
our Creator and Redeemer.
Through Jesus Christ You showed us Your amazing grace and mercy. Through Jesus Christ You revealed Your abundant love.
Through Jesus Christ You defeated sin, Satan and the power of death. Through Jesus Christ You revealed Your glory
and showed us THE path to You and thus eternal life.
May we listen to Jesus and thus proclaim this glory.
And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we join in proclaiming this glory
and singing Your unending praise…

The Pastor -|—

Content in You

/ The Pastor

[Communion liturgy based on my sermon text from Philippians 4:10-20; the “secret” of being content.]

It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
the author of our peace.
For through Jesus Christ you have given us hope
so that we could live lives that bring You glory.
You provide for all our needs.
You strengthen us to do the work of the church.
You surround us with Your abundant love.
You shower us with amazing grace.
You give us Your Holy Spirit.
Through faith in Jesus Christ we are content in You
as we rest in Your mighty arms.
And so with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven
we join in singing Your unending praise…

The Pastor -|—

Wake-Up Call

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

[Based on Psalm 103:1-5]

Hey there soul,
wake-up and praise the Lord,
praise him with all that is in you.
Yes, you soul, praise the Lord,
and forget not all the Lord has done for you:
He forgives your sins.
He heals.
He redeems your life from the pit.
He crowns you with amazing love and mercy
He satisfies beyond anything this world can offer.
And He does all of this so that you can be renewed.
Oh soul,
wake up!
Worship and praise the Lord.
For He is awesome,
mighty in power,
great in mercy,
abundant in love.
The Lord is worthy of all praise.
Oh my soul, wake up and bless His holy name.

The Pastor -|—

Life Giving God

/ The Pastor

Communion prayer…

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times
and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
the creator and sustainer of life.
You breathed breath into us that we could live.
You gave your Son, Jesus Christ, that we could have hope.
You give Your Holy Spirit that we could be sustained.
You are an awesome; life giving God.
And it is for that reason that we join with the Church on earth
and the hosts of heaven
in signing Your unending praise…

The Pastor -|—

Intercede

/ The Pastor

Holy God,
Your Word proclaims to us
that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Intercede for us now, oh God, and teach us how we ought to pray.
We see the darkness of this world,
and the darkness within ourselves,
and become overwhelmed and convicted.
We know we ought to cry out, but words escape us.
Justice is being denied to many and we feel helpless.
Intercede for us, oh God, and then tune our ears to hear your voice.
Help us to help others.
Help us to cry out for others.
Help us to give justice to others.
Intercede for us, we beg You.
We especially remember those who can’t cry out for themselves;
the unborn.
Transform the hearts of those who feel no remorse
over the death of Your little ones.
Intercede, oh God, intercede.
We are Yours.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.

The Pastor -|—