Arts
Baptized
A short poem for Baptism of Jesus Sunday. Could be used as a call to worship, prayer, or just printed in bulletin/projected. Audio version of the author reading poem along with text version are both below. baptized, i know i am i’ve got the certificate in my safe illustrated baby on the front tied with blue ribbon (if i remember correctly) a signature from my pastor at the time that’s all i know about the moment i was dipped long before i was aware of it my baptism was shaping me into a servant who wins by losing...
read moreAdvent Wreath 2018
“Silent Night, Holy Night” was first performed on 12/24 1818 at St. Nicholas church of Oberndorf. It was performed by Franz Xaver Gruber (composed tune) and Joseph Mohr (wrote lyrics). That means that the hymn celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2018!! To commemorate this anniversary, here is an Advent Wreath lighting liturgy for all four Sundays in Advent and for Christmas Eve. Advent 1: Hope Word of Hope: Psalm 25:1-10 One: Lift up our souls. MANY: As your beloved, we ask: do not remember our failings. One: But lead us in...
read moreSunday that Rocks
Here is an order of worship for a that weaves rock imagery and rock-themed Scripture verses throughout the service. It was created for worship on 9/16/2018 (17th Sunday after Pentecost) Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our Salvation. – Psalm 95 WE GATHER AS GOD’S PEOPLE Prelude Welcome & Announcements Introit: “Jesus is the Rock” (video): find it here (Jesus is the Rock (Bop shoo bop shoo bop woooo!) HD with lyrics Posted by Andrew Leer, Published on Jul 21, 2013) Call to Worship...
read moreTime to Heal
Here is a greeting and welcome or call to worship that could be used with call and response format. It may be more effective to simply have the worship leader recite it from memory. Time to Heal not the bells, but the ringing not the song, but the singing not the candles, but the fire burning Spirit who inspires not the words, but the tilling not the silence, but the stilling none here strangers, all are neighbors time to heal now from our labors © Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, 2018 Kevin Goldenbogen is an ordained minister in the United Church of...
read moreWe Told Them Another Parable
For World Communion Sunday, 2018, Kevin Goldenbogen at his home congregation preached about the Parable of the Yeast from Matthew 13:33: “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” (New Revised Standard Version). The brevity and density of this one sentence parable lends itself to repetition and so before the sermon, and because it was World Communion Sunday, they invited 7 readers to read the story in a different...
read moreEarth…Fire…Spirit
Earth, Fire, & Spirit, by Rev. Bert Marshall A Dramatic Reading for Pentecost Sunday Based on Acts 2:1–21 Pentecost! The birth of the church! We’ve come a long way since that ancient beginning. The biblical passage for Pentecost suggests that the Christian church did not arise from a clear, single-mindedness of purpose. Our tradition, instead, burst into the world in a rush of wind, a blaze of fire, and a cacophony of voices and languages. There was no “gold- en age” of unity and harmony. The mystery and miracle of the Jesus movement is...
read moreMan Born Blind
THE MAN BORN BLIND – John 9:1-41 An ensemble presentation created by Rev. Bert Marshall from the Scholars Version of the Gospel of John CAST Narrator Jesus Man born blind His parents Chorus (playing the parts of the Disciples, the Neighbors, the Pharisees, and the Judeans) [The man born blind stands in the center, farthest from the congregation. The narrator stands to his right, Jesus to his left, each slightly forward. The chorus is on the wings, with half of them on one side, and half on the other side. A shallow arc is formed. ...
read more“Wondrous” Lenten Reading
Through the seasons of the church year, we are quick to change colors, paraments, candles, seating arrangements and hymns, but maybe not so quick to change how we read Scripture. In most churches I know, there is “the” Scripture moment in worship when the liturgist/worship assistant/reader walks to the lectern, introduces the reading(s), reads, and then sits down. The readings change seasonally, of course, but HOW we read them remains consistent. Consistency in the HOW of reading is not a bad thing, but diversity in the HOW of...
read moreDayspring – Reading for 3 Voices
Here is an Advent/Christmas Eve reading for 3 voices based on Luke 1:67-79 (Zechariah’s Song). It weaves together two spoken voices with a sung refrain. The refrain is from the traditional Appalachian spiritual, “Bright Morning Stars.” The song has been recorded by many and the sheet music is readily available from a variety of sources. Here is one place to look: Amidon Music It is a simple arrangement but rehearsal is advance will be important to get the pacing and timing right. Note: I am grateful to scriptureecho.com...
read moreTimewalk
Below is a prayer-poem I wrote on 10/17/2017. It could be used as a call to worship, pastoral prayer, adapted for multiple readers, supplemented by projected images… Timewalk the sound I’ve heard before of countless leaves crunching under directionless feet the sight of now exposed branches, a calendar the transporting smells carried into my nostrils, carrying me back to distant days, younger walks the foretaste of nutmeg and buttered crumbles that are as close as the church parking lot the feel of time moving, time passing, time...
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