Benediction
Micah 6:8: benediction for a time apart
A simple and just-right benediction based on Micah 6:8. Written for 3/22/2020. Go in peace – to do justice – staying home is justice today; love mercy – be kind and gentle to yourself and others; and walk humbly with your God – God is beside you, in you, and from you, today and all days…Amen. © Rev. Sally May, 2020 Rev. Sally May is currently the pastor of Mallett’s Bay Congregational Church, UCC in Colchester, VT. She lives in Jeffersonville, VT. Her sense of call is rooted in worship, pastoral care, and...
read moreGun Violence Vigil
Here is a simple liturgy for a Gun Violence vigil held at Charlotte Congregational Church, Charlotte, VT in December, 2018. The liturgy below may be used in a group, or simply printed on sheets for attendees to use on their own. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.“Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace. – Jeremiah 8:11 ~ Welcome. The Judeo-Christian prophetic tradition teaches us that for real change to occur we need both lament and hope through God. Lament is the act of acknowledging what...
read moreWinged Word
Here’s an interactive way to let the kids in your congregation play with the adults. The lesson plan resulted from a couple boys in Sunday School who were on a paper airplane-making streak. You could use this as a benediction or it could easily be adapted for use in another part of a service. Supplies: Children’s Bibles Paper Pencils or pens Knowledge of how to fold paper airplanes Procedure: First, coordinate with the pastor/worship leader to lead the benediction (or another part of the service) on a Sunday morning. During...
read moreMLK 2018
Below is a call and response prayer that could be used as a Call to Worship, Pastoral Prayer, Benediction, etc. The text is taken from various MLK quotes and the congregational response is from King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, after the prophet Amos. One: We now raise the voice of the prophet Martin Luther King whose voice we still need so much: “I have the audacity,” King said, “to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds,...
read moreAs We Leave…
Below is a benediction that could be used on most Sundays of the year. As we leave this space, grant us the courage to confront a world where people are cruel and life is harsh with your justice. Give us the faith to go into a world where people are weak and life is barren and speak of courage. Grant us the strength to go into a world where people are weary and life is empty and speak of hope. And grant that in our ministry to your people, that we will recognize the Christ on the road. Go forth in love. © Gail Compton, 2017 Gail Compton is a...
read moreMLK 2017: Resources
Below are some resources written for Martin Luther King Sunday, 2017. For your service, you may want to consider interspersing readings from the writings of MLK throughout your service and/or adding a video projection of an excerpt of MLK speaking/preaching. Call to Worship One: It is good that there are fire extinguishers in this place. MANY: Worship. One: It is good that there is water close by. MANY: Worship. One: It is good that God’s Word burns, God’s Spirit blows, and God’s prophets speak. MANY: Worship. Prayer of Confession (unison)...
read moreThrough the Church Year
Below is a detailed liturgy for a single Sunday morning service that walks a congregation through the entire Church calendar from Advent through Reign of Christ. Through Word, explanation, and song, this service is a worshipful way to educate and to help a multi-generational congregation to participate in the rhythms and patterns of the liturgical year. It was originally used in 2006 for a United Church of Christ congregation in Massachusetts. (Note: *= Stand as you are able) Order of Worship Prelude & Meditation Time Greetings,...
read moreBe the Church
In 2016, The United Church of Christ has a lively new call to action, listing nine ways we are called to “BE THE CHURCH.” You can get banners and other materials to promote this vision of faith made visible in the world at www.uccresources.com. I explored the theme in a five part worship series, and these are the materials I wrote for the series. I have included the scriptures used, some of which are referenced in the worship materials. Martha Peck #1 – Be the Church: Care for the Poor (John 21:1-19, Acts 9:1-9) (NOTE: For this first...
read moreStewardship Sunday: Serving, Sharing, Giving
Like many churches in our partner denominations (United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church), our church engages in an annual fall STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN. Over the years we have used many different methods: circuit rider, cottage meetings, every household visits, and Consecration Sunday. It is this last one, the Consecration Sunday model that we have used a number of times and the standard set-up is simple: our Stewardship Team: 1) picks a scripture verse, 2) develops a theme, 3) does some advertising around the church, 4) plans a...
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