Communion & Baptism
[.mp3] to Worship
![[.mp3] to Worship](https://i0.wp.com/worshipwell.church/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/call-to-worship-banner-pic.jpg?resize=184%2C184&ssl=1)
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone It is common in many church services to begin with a CALL TO WORSHIP. It’s an ancient thing to do and we Christians do it for a variety of reasons: 1) historical (we learned it from our Jewish brothers and sisters – shema); 2) theological (it reminds us that it is God who calls us to worship); 3) scriptural (calls to worship are often adapted from psalms and other scripture passages); and 4) practical (a call to worship signals the start of a service and focuses a...
read moreWorld Communion Sunday: Bread-Gift
In 2011, our church began a tradition on World Communion Sunday (1st Sunday in October) of giving BREAD-GIFTS to every family at the end of worship. The week before the service, we fill gallon size ziptop bags with the following: all of the dry ingredients for a basic french bread dough. We include enough for 2 standard sized boules (round loafs); the recipe with ingredient list (5 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2¼ tsp instant yeast, 2 tsp salt, 2 cups warm water) and instructions. Here it is: a. Pour bread mix from the plastic bag into a...
read moreEaster Communion: Words of Resurrection
Below are some elements of a simple liturgy for Holy Communion on Easter Sunday. They are similar to the elements of our standard Communion liturgy (adapted from the United Church of Christ Book of Worship) except that the WORDS OF INSTITUTION have been replaced by WORDS OF RESURRECTION. INVITATION – Dear ones, this isn’t my table. It’s not your table. It’s not our table. But it’s Christ’s table. And because it’s Christ’s table all of us are welcome here. At this table, you don’t have to look a certain way. You don’t have to worship a...
read moreSharing the Banquet: Luke 15:1-3; 11-32
Worship and Communion Resources based on Luke 15: 1-3,11-32 (Prodigal Son) CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: Though we are often wayward and stubbornly independent, People: God invites us to share the banquet. Leader: Though we are often obedient and dull, People: God calls us to join in the dance. Leader: Are you hungry? Come and eat. People: Are you lonely? Come and touch those who love you. Leader: Friends, let us worship and feast at the Lord’s Table. People: All are welcome here. PRAYER OF INVOCATION...
read more“Word-Play” Family Service
In our church, we hold “Family Services” about four times a year. These services are held during our normal Sunday morning worship time on the first Sunday of the month when we celebrate Holy Communion. On these days, we do not convene Sunday School but all ages worship together the whole time (nursery is still available). This pattern has given us permission every quarter to worship in different ways and to try new things. Some elements don’t work well. Some do though, and these often move into rotation within our more...
read moreExploring God’s Glory with Scouts & Communion
For Transfiguration Sunday In 2016, Scout Sunday and Transfiguration Sunday fall on the same day. Each year on Scout Sunday at our church a young scout is tasked with reading the Scriptures for the morning service. Likely because it comes every year, the transfiguration story feels like smooth vanilla – a good story but nothing out of the ordinary. Except that it is very out of the ordinary! Here is a fresh paraphrase of the transfiguration and following healing story that could breath new life into this wonderful Scripture and make it more...
read moreMaundy Thursday: Commandments & Promises
This Service for Maundy Thursday focuses on the commandments and promises of Jesus. The congregation is drawn in as they read aloud the words Jesus spoke to his disciples in his final days with them. We are reminded that Jesus offers us both comfort and challenge, as we follow him. The responsive readings work best when not hurried. The mood should evoke remembering the last cherished words of a loved one no longer with us. Hymns cited are from the Chalice Hymnal. Leader reads regular type, congregation, bold. *=stand as able. DIVINE...
read moreCommunion Liturgy for Epiphany: Cinnamon Stars
Below is a Communion Liturgy, written for Epiphany 2016, by Rev. Amy Pitton. Unison Invitation We remind one another: Jesus welcomes everyone at this table. No one is turned away. If you seek God’s presence, come and eat. If you are hungry for this spiritual food, come and eat. If you have questions and doubts, come and eat. If you feel unworthy, come and eat. This table is spread for all of us that we each might experience God’s abundant and unconditional love. Jesus often ate with strangers. He ate with more than 5000 of...
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