Communion & Baptism
World 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. ...
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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 moreMT Communion Liturgy
Below is a simple Communion Liturgy to be used on Maundy Thursday. It was written for an “upper room” service that begins with a light potluck supper and ends with a service of Tenebrae. In between is an “unforgetting” of the Last Supper and a celebration of Holy Communion around the dinner table. It was written for two celebrants but could be easily adapted for one. Invitation – For the first time, or for the 1,000th time, we gather tonight around Christ’s table. The chairs at this table are not for some,...
read moreKeep Calm, See God: Ash Wed. 2017
Below is an order of worship for an ecumenical Ash Wednesday service for 2017. This service was conceived by Rev. John H.D. Lucy (Jericho United Methodist Church), Rev. Steve Anderson (Covenant Community Church) & Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen (United Church of Underhill), and designed by Rev. Lucy. “Keep Calm and See God “- Ecumenical Ash Wednesday Service, 2017 ~ DEATH WITH GOD Welcome Unison Prayer Scripture Reading: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Hymn: “Sunday’s Palms Are Wednesday’s Ashes,” words, E. E. Whitney, music,...
read moreCathedrals and Thatched Pavilions: A Prayer for World Communion Sunday
This communion prayer was written for World Communion Sunday (10/2/0216) but could be used any time. It was inspired by John 17:21, the UCC motto, “that they may all be one.” Communion Prayer & Words of Institution Holy God, the One Source of all our love, and all our wisdom, the One for whom we yearn, and in whose heart we rest, we thank you for the many ways in which you make yourself known to us and to people throughout the world. Today we remember our Christian sisters and brothers, gathering in cathedrals...
read moreShared Outdoor Summer Worship
Our church has a tradition of gathering with some of the other churches in our community for a shared (ecumenical) outdoor worship service. For our worship space we set up a tent (a few of our churches own them or they can be rented) or worship in the gazebo in our town park. byIt is a lot of fun and is well attended. It also requires a good deal of coordination and planning. So, below you will find an outline of our planning process followed by the liturgy we used in July of 2016. Planning Process After Easter each year, I send out an...
read moreVTCUCC AM 2016
In April 2016, and for the 221st time, the Vermont Conference, United Church of Christ met for its Annual Meeting. The meeting was held from Friday morning, 4/29 through Saturday afternoon, 4/30 at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, VT. Our theme was, “Be The Church” which was borrowed from the national setting of the UCC. Below you will find the orders of worship for three services that took place during plenary sessions. Our musicians for these services were Peter and Mary Alice Amidon and our preacher/keynote was Bishop...
read moreTable of Yes
Below are some prayers for a liturgy for Holy Communion. It was used for our annual Sunday School Sunday (2016) but the “table of yes” theme could be adapted for many occasions. Note: some of the phrases below are adapted from the UCC Book of Worship Invitation to the Table of Yes: 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, it’s the “table of yes”, and all of us are welcome here. At this table, you don’t have to look a...
read moreBass Drop
First things first. WHAT’S A BASS DROP? Well, it’s an EDM (electronic dance music term) used to describe a moment in a song when the bass line rhythm suddenly “drops” or changes. They are sonic intrusions into the natural flow of a song. Bass drops, besides being intrusions, also add structure to a song, mark transitions, build anticipation and excitement, reinforce musical themes, and often evoke an emotional/visceral response that lead to people saying things like: “ah, man, that bass drop is sick.”...
read moreMaple Syrup and Donuts: An invitation to Holy Communion (based on John 21)
We are the Church….the body of Christ made manifest in this world. We are ordinary disciples, doubters and sinners, strangers and friends, family members, we are from “away” and we are natives. We are immigrants and refugees. We are similar but not the same. We are striving to be God’s faithful people and here we are….at the table where everyone…all of us, are welcome. This morning we heard Jesus say “feed my sheep”. These directives are not just about caring for those around us but about those we do not know, it is about those...
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