God of honey and harvest of grain and grape of ocean and orchard: This harvest time may we both praise and pray; praise you for the abundance and pray that this harvest is not just shared but shared justly.
God of beehives and breadbaskets of living webs and the weaving of life of ecosystems and economy: This harvest time may we both praise and pray praise you for the wealth of the harvest and pray that this harvest is not just a promise but is full of promise for all.
God of bumble bees and blue whales evolution and environment ice-field and star-field: This harvest time may we both praise and pray praise you for the sheer wonder of the world and pray that this harvest is not about our wealth but the wealth of our generosity. Amen.
1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this reading? 2. What delights or comforts me in this reading? 3. What stories or memories does this story stir up within me? 4. What is God calling me to do or to be in this reading?
Gospel Canticle
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Blessing/Sending
God of harvest, gardener supreme, you place us at the centre, feed us, equip us and, having provided for us, look to a different harvest— a fruitfulness of lives in service to you and others. God of harvest, feed us prune us harvest us that our lives might bring glory to you. Amen.
We begin by creating a holy space. We light a candle to recognize the light of Christ, present with us during worship. We ring a singing bowl or bell to give us time to breathe and fully arrive, and to remind us to listen for God’s voice speaking to us during this holy time.
Confession and Forgiveness
Loving Father, all the fancy words in the world, expressed in eloquent prose, decorated with emotion, spoken with conviction, cannot compete with a heartfelt ‘sorry’ when all other words fail. There are times when we are all too aware of our limitations, conscious of sin, and the distance it creates between us. Sometimes ‘sorry’ is all the heart can bear to say aloud. It is only you who can read and understand the language of our hearts, only you who can translate our ‘sorry’ into the prayer we would have prayed, if we had the words within us. Then you forgive, and having forgiven surround us in an embrace of love, drawing us close to your heart, as it was always meant to be. Thank you, Loving Father, that you listen to hearts, as well as voices Thank you. Amen.
You can use these questions to discuss the Bible story with those in your household, with your study group, or on your own in a journal.
ELCA Book of Faith Devotional Questions 1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text? What do I have questions about? 2. What delights or comforts me in this text? What is my favorite part, and why? 3. What stories or memories does this text stir up in me? What does it remind me of? How does this story connect to the story of my life? 4. What is God up to in this text? What is this living Word calling me to do or to be?
Song of the Day: Changes Each Week
Apostles’ Creed
Prayers of the People: Prayer of Intercession for Lent
(inspired by Psalm 145: 14) The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
God of love hear the cry of those who yearn for love; fractured families, broken homes neglected, unwanted, alone. God of love hear our prayer
God of justice hear the cry of those who yearn for justice; persecuted and oppressed, exploited, ill-treated, broken. God of justice hear our prayer
God of peace hear the cry of those who yearn for peace; in battle zones and broken states, frightened, fearful, anxious God of peace hear our prayer
God of healing hear the cry of those who yearn for healing; physical and spiritual hurting, weakened, depressed God of healing hear our prayer
God of mercy Hear the cry of those who yearn for mercy; convicted, in need of your Grace, contrite, humble, bowed down, God of mercy hear our prayer
This year’s Lenten challenge is to participate in Warm Up America, a non-profit which makes and distributes blankets, scarves, and hats to distribute to anyone in need. Learn more about this project for knitters and crocheters here: https://warmupamerica.org/make/box-of-500/
Offering Prayer
God of the wilderness, We give these offerings in gratitude, rejoicing in the abundance of your gifts to us. We give these offerings in faith, trusting that you will provide for our needs. We give these offerings in hope, knowing you can use them to spread your love in this world. And with these offerings, we give ourselves; May we live with generous hearts, with open hands. Amen.
Gentle and patient, God, you are calling. Careful and persistent, God, you are calling. In grieving and in praise, God, you are calling. Through dawn and midday, God, you are calling. Unexpected and planned, God, you are calling. In a still small voice and in power, God, you are calling. Spontaneous and prepared, God, you are calling. Willing or protected, God, you are calling.
Our God is eager to share with us, wherever we are in our journey. May we be diligent to listen. God, you are calling.
Go in peace, called to journey with Christ. Thanks be to God!
We begin by creating a holy space. We light a candle to recognize the light of Christ, present with us during worship. We ring a singing bowl or bell to give us time to breathe and fully arrive, and to remind us to listen for God’s voice speaking to us during this holy time.
Confession and Forgiveness: Prayer of Brokenness/Confession
Holy God, we confess that we do not always love our neighbor. We confess that we have despised others, even to the point of hatred. We confess that we have been hurt by others. We confess that forgiveness and reconciliation at times are just impossible for us. We know that nothing is impossible in You. We come to You, seeking healing and wholeness for us. Help us, whenever possible, to live in peace with others, to seek reconciliation and healing and forgiveness. For Your Son came and lived among us, was betrayed and denied, abused and put to death. He rose again, and came with the message of peace to those who had denied him and abandoned him. May we walk in his ways. Amen.
Blessing/Assurance of Pardon
(inspired by Matthew 19:26, Psalm 139, Romans 8:31-39) For nothing is impossible with God. There is no place you can go, no end of the earth you can run, where God cannot find you. There is nothing on earth or beyond death that can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. You are forgiven. You are loved. You are reconciled to God. Go and live with the love of God. Amen.
You can use these questions to discuss the Bible story with those in your household, with your study group, or on your own in a journal.
ELCA Book of Faith Devotional Questions 1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text? What do I have questions about? 2. What delights or comforts me in this text? What is my favorite part, and why? 3. What stories or memories does this text stir up in me? What does it remind me of? How does this story connect to the story of my life? 4. What is God up to in this text? What is this living Word calling me to do or to be?
Song of the Day (changes each week)
Apostles’ Creed
Prayers of the People
Holy God, may we hear your voice In the stillness of night, in clatter of day You call us, and we respond, Here I am! May we follow you Holy God, May we love as you love.
Holy One, through trials and turbulence Make us steady, your hands Holding strong the fragile and weak Holy God, May we love as you love.
Gracious God, may the fruits of our lives be food for the hungry, bread clothing, shelter, fire, water, Word Holy God, May we love as you love.
God of justice, remove the barriers Of our lives that keep us from One another, barriers we construct Based on skin color, religion, or gender May we hear, and follow, graciously. Holy God, May we love as you love.
Loving God, take this day our fears our Worries, distractions, and all Turn them into grace and mercy, And, following the example of Martin Luther King, Jr. and all your Saints. Holy God, May we love as you love. Amen.
During this season where we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, consider giving the gift of soap for Personal Care Kits and Baby Care Kits. You can send boxes of soap to the MN or MD warehouses, or give a gift online here: https://donate.lwr.org/give/190907/#!/donation/checkout
Offering Prayer
Giving God, Following the example of the magi, we offer our gifts to you, our gold, our worship, and our time in relationship with you. Use our gifts for the healing of the nations, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
by Rev. Breen Marie Sipes
Sending Song: We are Marching in the Light of God
Blessing/Extinguish Candles
May our Epiphany God, Who appeared by the light of a star, In the rending of the heavens and the flight of a dove, In the miracle of water turned to wine, bless, keep, and call you forth, both now and always. Amen.
by Rev. Breen Marie Sipes
Sending: God, You Are Calling
Gentle and patient, God, you are calling. Careful and persistent, God, you are calling. In grieving and in praise, God, you are calling. Through dawn and midday, God, you are calling. Unexpected and planned, God, you are calling. In a still small voice and in power, God, you are calling. Spontaneous and prepared, God, you are calling. Willing or protected, God, you are calling.
Our God is eager to share with us, wherever we are in our journey. May we be diligent to listen. God, you are calling.
Go in peace, called into God’s marvelous Light. Thanks be to God!
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19 NRSV)
See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live…(Deuteronomy 30:15-16a NRSV)
“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. (Matthew 5:13 NRSV)
Image credit: “Salt Shaker” by financialaidpodcast on flickr.com
Dwelling in the Word Together 