Call to Worship
“Star Words” A Service
Below is a complete order of worship created by Rev. Leigh McCaffrey for Sunday worship at Barre Congregational Church, Barre, VT on January 9, 2022 (The Feast of Epiphany). The order ends with the distribution of “star words” to the entire congregation. What are star words? See description below from https://www.ucc.org/worship-way/festival-of-epiphany-year-c/ (accessed 12/8/22), written by Debbie Gline Allen, Commissioned Minister of Christian Formation, who serves as Minister of Faith Formation for the Southern New England...
read moreHope Fund: Epiphany Resources 2023
Promoting the HOPE Fund During Epiphany 2023 As the HOPE Fund committee winds down our fundraising efforts and hands the baton to the HOPE Fund Discernment Team to award grants, we are asking congregations who have not yet contributed to the HOPE Fund to be part of this historic effort in the Vermont Conference. It would be so exciting to have 100% of our congregations participate in some way as we prepare for 2023, and the projects that the HOPE fund will support! Perhaps you have a traditional year-end fundraiser, or usually designate a...
read moreHope Fund: Advent Resources 2022
Promoting the HOPE Fund During Advent 2022 As the HOPE Fund committee winds down our fundraising efforts and hands the baton to the HOPE Fund Discernment Team to award grants, we are asking congregations who have not yet contributed to the HOPE Fund to be part of this historic effort in the Vermont Conference. It would be so exciting to have 100% of our congregations participate in some way as we prepare for 2023, and the projects that the HOPE fund will support! Perhaps you have a traditional year-end fundraiser, or usually designate a part...
read moreHope Fund: Pentecost Resources
On November 13th, 2021, a special meeting of the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ enthusiastically approved the creation of a visionary initiative called the Hope Fund. At that meeting the people of the Vermont Conference also approved the creation of a fundraising team to support this effort. Your fundraising team: Paul Sangree, Elise Foster, Kevin Goldenbogen, Elissa Johnk, Leigh McCaffrey, Andy Nagy-Benson (chair) On Pentecost Sunday, June 5th, 2022 (or another Sunday of your choice), we invite your church to hold a...
read moreLitany in the Time of COVID-19
The litany below was written in a time of COVID-19. It can be used as is or adapted for use as a call to worship, opening prayer, pastoral prayer, etc. Let us pray: Paul wrote these words so long ago: “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans. [Rom. 8:26-NIV] And surely, we are the ones without words, silent before the immensity of the pandemic. We offer our despair at the suffering of millions of people all over the world We offer our grief for the many thousands who have died...
read moreX-mas Eve Reading: Darkness/Light
Here is a dramatic reading for a Christmas Eve service of worship inspired by John 1. A cantor and three readers (Darkness 1, Darkness 2 & Light) are needed. Hymn tune for cantor part is the traditional, “Coventry Carol” The reading is in two parts: 1) Darkness, 2) Light. The first part could be used as a Call to Worship or a “cold opening” before a prelude. The 2nd part is meant to be read towards the end of the service (e.g. perhaps as the last of the lessons and carols). Darkness/Light: Darkness...
read moreWorld Communion Sunday 2019
SERVICE PRAYERS Call to Worship Women/Girls: We worship our God in Christ this morning, mindful that we’re not alone. Men/Boys: Old and young, near and far, different and the same, gather like this to sing, pray, listen, and commune. Left-Side: God of unity and diversity, join us. Right-Side: Christ of unity and diversity, love us. Pastor: Spirit, of unity and diversity, inspire us. Widening Prayer Provincial. Sectarian. Narrow and small. We confess these words are part of our stories, part of our behaviors, part of us. ...
read moreRe-Gathering
During the summer months in our church, like so many others churches, our people attend worship less frequently. Vacations, visitors, calls from the mountains to go hiking, nice weather, or one of 1000 other things keep people out of the sanctuary on Sunday mornings. In early September though, as the school year begins and our program year starts anew, more people attend worship more often. To visibly mark this change of seasons and the regathering of our community, we have developed a ritual using our leftover dried palms from the previous...
read moreUnfolding
Here is a prayer-poem that was written as a Call to Worship for a morning worship service. It could be adapted for use in almost any worship setting. good morning earth and cooing doves and the many risings of this day I surrender to your unfolding anticipating? yes expecting? yes longing? yes hoping, yes that I can welcome what unfolds and be unfolded too © Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, 2019 Kevin Goldenbogen is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ...
read morePentecost 2019
A simple prayer for Pentecost that could be used as a greetings, call to worship, etc. The version below leads into the Lord’s Prayer. Skin to feel the breath of God; ears to hear the blowing Wind of God; eyes to see the flames of God; noses to smell the aroma of God; tongues to taste the goodness of God; hands to respond to the love of God; time to pray like this: Our (Mother) Father (Creator) who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day...
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