By Season
A Birthing Prayer
Below is a short prayer written for use in worship on Mother’s Day/Festival of the Christian Home 2017. It was *inspired by 2 Timothy 1:5: “I’m reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I’m sure that this faith is also inside you.” (Common English Bible Translation). It could be used as a pastoral prayer, adapted for us as a litany, etc. *Note: I am indebted to the Annual Meeting Planning Team of the 222nd Annual Meeting of the Vermont Conference, UCC which was...
read moreEmmaus: Call & Prayers
Below you will find a Call to Worship, Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Pardon and a Prayer of Dedication to be used in a service that draws upon Luke 24:13-15 and the story of the post-resurrection walk to Emmaus. May your “hearts burn” as you open the Scriptures in worship! CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The road was sandy. Our feet were tired. People: We talked about many things. We just wanted to get home. Leader: We missed Jesus. People: We were scared. We hoped it was true. Leader: We did not know what to...
read moreInspired by Easter 2017
Below is a poem by Vermont poet Ama Hannan. It was inspired by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and written on the evening of Easter 2017. In worship, it could be used as a call to worship, as a centering prayer, as a projected meditation, and in many other ways. Create! The Son/the Sun/ He is Risen above the Lover the Mother the Maker of all! The creative spark/ the firebrand of Justice/ the flying Dove of Peace/ the Lamb of God/ the Ewe of Grace/ the Shepherd and the Sheep …our Self and our Holy Spirit Spirit of the Living Waters,...
read morePrayer: Easter 2017
Below are two prayers written for an Easter 2017 worship service. They can be used as is or adapted for your needs. TAKE THIS STORY AS OUR OWN Risen Christ, our soul’s spring, our heart’s desire, our dance of life, our song of joy, like a gardener, you turn over the dark soil of death, and coax up green, abundant life! Your empty tomb, once the sad end of a hopeless story, is now the place where a new story begins. Draw us close, in wonder, fear and hope, and let us take this story as our own. Amen. ALLELUIA’S RING OUT Lord...
read more