Liturgy for May 10, 2020
May 10th, 2020 | April Karli
I Will Lift My Eyes
by Bebo Norman
God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near calm my fear and take my doubt
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in
I will lift my eyes to the Maker
of the mountains I can’t climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You
God, my God, let mercy sing
her melody over me
and God, right here all I bring
is all of me
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in
‘Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
The God that I need to save me
You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, oh God
so hold me now
Call to Worship
This Easter Season let’s join together
As participants and hosts,
Whether passionate believer or hopeful skeptic,
We gather today, to celebrate our joy that death ends in the resurrection.
If you are new to our liturgy,
we welcome you to be a full participant or a thoughtful observer.
Let’s pause together for a moment of quiet.
(Wait for a short moment of silence)
Mothering God,
we draw on the image of you as one who nurtures,
who gathers, who protects.
We pray for those women who have nurtured us as mothers
and who are no longer with us and whom we miss dearly.
We reflect upon those women who have influenced our own lives
in so many ways, and we give thanks.
We pray for the women around the world
who are working long days and nights to raise their children right now.
We pray for mothers who have fled violence
and difficult situations, including refugees,
and who have been separated from their children,
or experienced the tragedy of the death of a child.
We pray for mothers living in uncertainty and facing the unknown.
We pray for all the women who are expecting,
Esp the many in our own community.
Thank God for the women carrying new life
and the hope that it brings.
We pray for families where a mother’s illness has led to an early death.
We pray for those who step in to help with the care
and nurture of the children, including extended family.
We pray for those who take on the role of mother
when they themselves are still only children.
We pray for the women who took in others’ children
through adoption and foster care.
We give thanks for these mothers with hearts so big.
We pray for those women who have lost a child to death
and must carry on.
We pray for strength and courage for the mothers
who have faced grief and loss.
We pray for women whose children have grown
and whom they now seldom see.
We pray for mothers who are at a distance from their children.
We pray for all the women
who have desperately wanted to have children of their own,
but chose instead to mother everyone else.
We thank God for the mothers in spirit.
We pray for those troubled by the prospect of motherhood,
perhaps too soon, or too few resources to care for a child.
We are thankful for the women leaders in our community
who have followed God’s call in their life,
and have committed to leading the church.
Fostering a place for us to all grow and flourish.
Mothering God,
we offer these prayers to you this day.
Hear our prayers and bless the women present with us today.
Amen.
KIDS SONG
(led by Erin Williams)
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)
by Matt Redman
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
And on that day, when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
Come As You Are
by David Crowder
Come out of sadness
From wherever you’ve been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
There’s hope for the hopeless
And all those who’ve strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There’s rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
Lay down your hurt lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Fall in his arms
Come as you are
There’s joy for the morning
Oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Prayer of Confession
Confession allows us a moment to honestly reveal our hopes and pains. Today we cry out in sorrow over the death of another black man, Ahmaud Arbery, at the hands of two white men. We repent over the sins of our nation and ask God’s forgiveness and restoration.
Let us cry out to God as a community.
Our response will be in bold.
Gracious God, we thank you for making one human family of all the peoples of the earth and for creating all the wonderful diversity of cultures.
Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship and show us your presence in those who differ most from us.
From the bondage of racism that denies the humanity of every human being and the prejudices within us that deny the dignity of those who are oppressed, Lord set us free:
Lord, have mercy.
From racism that blinds oppressors to the destruction caused by the spirit and practice of racial injustice, Christ set us free:
Christ, have mercy.
From the racism that will not recognize the work of your Spirit in other cultures: Lord set us free:
Lord, have mercy.
Forgive those of us who have been silent and apathetic in the face of racial intolerance and bigotry, both overt and subtle, public and private.
And take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts.
Break down the walls that separate us.
And help us to find that unity that is the fruit of righteousness and will enable us to become your beloved community.
Empower us to speak boldly for justice and truth and help us to deal with one another without hatred or bitterness, working together with mutual forbearance and respect.
And work through our struggles and confusion to accomplish your purposes.
O God of unconditional love,
you who show no partiality in respect to people or nations,
we have heard your good news of great joy for all the people.
We hear that good news, and in hearing, believe.
We know that your sanctuary is a house of worship for all people,
with no regard for the color of our skin.
As we worship you, knit us into a people,
a seamless garment of many colors.
May we celebrate our unity, made whole in our diversity.
Forgive us for our inability to let our “old selves” die to the world.
We acknowledge that we participate in structures that are inherently racist,
and yet we so often do nothing to remedy it.
Show us we fail when we judge others according to the color of their flesh.
My friends, step free from the dark face of the past
and turn to the light and hope of tomorrow.
Listen to the Gospel:
God did not send his Son to condemn this century
but that through Christ this world might be saved.
You are a much loved and forgiven people!
Thanks be to God!
Prayers of the People
We now invite you into a time of prayer. This is an opportunity for us to support one another and participate by sharing our prayer requests.
Many may need to share. Please keep your prayers to a sentence or two so that everyone who wishes to share is able to.
We welcome any guests among us and welcome you to pray with us and share a prayer request as well.
If you have a prayer request, let us know in the chat box. We’ll unmute your mic so you can share.
If you have something you’re thankful for, end your prayer with…
“Let us bless the Lord” and we’ll respond together, “Thanks be to God.“
If you have something you’d like prayer for, end your prayer with…
“Let us pray to the Lord” and we’ll respond together, “Lord, have mercy.“
(Then start off with a prayer of your own as an example.)
“With the prayers that have been spoken, and those that are unspoken,
let us finish by praying this prayer together…”
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen
Eucharist
(We now come to the center of our Liturgy, the Eucharist. Parents may invite your children back into the room at this time. Today we’ll receive the Eucharist in our homes, separated by space, but knitted together by God’s Spirit. Please examine your hearts and pray this prayer with me. Your responses will be in bold.)
The Lord is with us
He is with us indeed
— ——
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
———
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
———
It is right and good that with hearts and minds and voices
we should praise you, God almighty
—
On that first Easter morning, as the sun was dawning, Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead. The earth shook as the angel rolled the stone away.
No grave could hold his body down. He is risen. He is risen indeed!
—
As Mary Magdalene and the other Mary looked on in fear, the risen Lord revealed himself to them, and they departed with great joy.
Rejoice! And again I say rejoice! For Christ Jesus has broken the curse of death and destroyed the power that it once had over us.
—
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is now given to those who believe in him.
Let us receive this spiritual power and use it wisely for the liberation of all God’s people!
—
Let us make a joyful noise unto the Lord. For there is none like him who can break the chain of oppression, evil, and the grave. He is risen and is seated at the right hand of God.
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
—
For this is the Passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb of God, is slain
whose love consecrates the homes of all the faithful.
Glory to you for ever.
—
For the moment when you first saved our ancestors,
freeing Israel from her slavery and leading her safely through the sea.
Glory to you for ever.
—
For this most blessed of all moments! When hatred is cast out,
peace and justice find a home, and heaven is joined to earth
and all creation reconciled to you.
Glory to you for ever.
—
For Christ the morning star has risen in glory;
Christ is risen from the dead
and this flame of love burns within us!
Christ sheds his peaceful light on all the world!
Christ lives and reigns for ever and ever!
Amen.
—
On the night Jesus was betrayed, the nation of Israel was celebrating their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. In the midst of the meal, Jesus took the symbols of the feast and gave them new meaning.
He took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of Me.”
(Pause for everyone to take the bread together)
Later, Jesus took the wine. Again, He gave thanks, gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you. This is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you. Do this for the remembrance of Me.”
(Pause for everyone to take the wine together)
After Eucharist
Let us finish our time of communion together with this prayer.
Christ, you are risen from the dead.
We are risen with you.
May our life never deny
this eternal life,
this peace and hope and joy.
Praise and glory to the God of life
who is stronger than all kinds of death.
We have seen with our eyes
and touched with our hands
the bread of life.
Strengthen our faith
that we may grow in love for you and for each other;
through Jesus Christ the risen Lord.
Alleluia, Christ is Risen
He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Offering
We now come to the time where we remember that nothing in this life is truly ours, but that all is a gift from God.
Giving is an act of love for God and for our community. We encourage you to celebrate God’s generosity and to give back as God has given to us online at austinmustardseed.org/giving).
If you are new or participating in our liturgy for the first time, please be our guest this morning.
We will sing one more song together as we prepare to close. This time is now yours, and we invite you to participate in worship.
Closing Song
I Saw The Light
by Hank Williams Sr.
I wandered so aimless life filled with sin
I wouldn’t let my dear savior in
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
Praise the Lord I saw the light
I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord I saw the light
Just like a blind man I wandered along
Worries and fears I claimed for my own
Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight
Praise the Lord I saw the light
I was a fool to wander and stray
Straight is the gate and narrow’s the way
Now I have traded the wrong for the right
Praise the Lord I saw the light
Benediction
Austin Mustard Seed, As we leave today:
Go with this truth firmly placed in your heart
That our story does not end in Death.
But that through death we are invited into new life.
Praise God who loves us.
Praise God who cares.
May God, who gave birth to all creation, bless us:
may God, who became incarnate by an earthly mother, bless us:
may God, who broods as a mother over her children, bless us.
May God, who, as a mother comforts her child, so comfort you.
So go now in the comfort and peace of the One who gave birth to us.
Go in the assurance that the Comforter is with us always.
And go, give this comfort and peace to others.
May divine Wisdom guide us as we go forth on Her paths of peace.
May She give us blessings more precious than silver or gold
May we find joy in sharing these blessings with others.
And may Wisdom empower us to change our world!
We pray these things
by the motherly love of God,
With the empathy of the Son,
and in sustaining breath of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Go in Peace,
Live the Church,
See you throughout the week online at Community Groups and other meetups. Stick around for an extended Passing of the Peace and say hello before we sign off.
(Prayers today are written by liturgists at Austin Mustard Seed & 2015 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Eucharist prayers are adapted from the African American Lectionary and The Prayer Book of New Zealand)