Liturgy, Sunday, Feb 14, 2021

February 13th, 2021 | April Karli

Call to Worship

Welcome to the liturgy of Austin Mustard Seed. The word liturgy means the work of the people. We welcome you to be a full participant or a thoughtful observer. 

Whether friend or stranger, Passionate believer or Hopeful skeptic, we gather today as participants and hosts to celebrate the light of Christ among us.  Let’s pause together for a moment of silence to still ourselves, and be reminded that we are always in God’s presence (pause)

Mighty God,

you spoke to your people in the pillar of cloud

as they walked together in the wilderness.

Speak to us through your Word today,

that we may hear you calling us

out of the wilderness places in our lives

and into new places you have promised to show us.

In the name of Christ, we pray.  Amen.

Psalm 50:1-6

The mighty one, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him.

He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

“Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge.

Confession

Confession allows us to honestly reveal our hopes and pain. Let us cry out to God as a community. Our response will highlighted in bold:

God of Mercy and Grace,
you come to us in Jesus of Nazareth
to break down the dividing walls of hostility between us:
Yet we maintain walls that separate and isolate.

You give us the ministry of reconciliation:
Yet we nurse our wounds and withhold mercy and forgiveness.

You invite us to join with Peter, James, and John
on the mountain of Transfiguration:
Yet we deny the wonders you have worked in our own lives.

You ask us to acknowledge and share our wealth:
Yet we refuse to recognize and relieve the poverty around us.

You bless our lives with boundless love:
Yet we fail to witness to that love,
and so keep others from knowing you.

Forgive our selfishness, we pray.
Transform us by your Spirit and your Word
into that which pleases you,
the image of Christ. 

Friends, Here is the good news:
Jesus lives! He is raised! We are forgiven!
Go, share the vision!
Tell of God’s love! In this God is well pleased!
Amen

Scripture Reading

Mark 9:2-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”

Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

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.

If you have something you’re thankful for, end your prayer with…
“Let us bless the Lord” 

If you have something you’d like prayer for, end your prayer with…
“Let us pray to the Lord”  

Let us know in the chatbox that you have something you’d like prayer for and Josh will unmute you.

(Then start off with a brief prayer of your own as an example out loud.)

“With the prayers that have been spoken, and those that are unspoken, let us finish by praying the Lord’s 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.
So please examine your hearts and pray this prayer with me.
Our responses will be highlighted in bold.)

The Lord be with you.  
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.   

We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our Lord thanks and praise.

Everlasting God, the radiance of faithful souls:
We celebrate your gift of creation. We rejoice that you have formed us in your image and called us to dwell in your infinite love.

You brought the nations into your light and kings to the brightness of your rising.
You sent your Son, the bright morning star, to illuminate our darkness and to lead us into harmony and peace. Through the Holy Spirit, you have brought good news into our hearts. Day by day you call us to feed the hungry, heal the sick, deliver the oppressed, and to wait and watch for your kingdom.

For this, we give you thanks.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name: 

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. 

(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 this 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.” 

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.” )

You are now invited to receive the bread and the wine, passionate believers and hopeful skeptics alike. Receive them because the Lord invites us to this remembrance of Jesus’ death, broken sinners in a disrupted world made right through the cross. We are a people who expect that the Spirit who raised Jesus from that death is bringing new life. Receive them as a people proclaiming that God’s work is not done. 

We now invite you to share the elements with those you are gathered with or on your own. If you do not have elements this morning, please spend a few moments in quiet meditation.

After Eucharist

Let us finish our time of communion together by reading aloud this prayer. 

Generous God,
in word and eucharist we have proclaimed
the mystery of your love:
help us so to live out our days
that we may be signs of your wonders in the world;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour

Together let us proclaim the Great mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Offering

As we prepare to finish our time of liturgy today, we want to remind you that you can give online at austinmustardseed.org/giving. Thank you for your generosity during this time. 

Benediction

Austin Mustard Seed:

Go now, and speak of what you have seen of God’s glory.
Do not cling to the holy moments
when heaven overshadows you,
but as the Lord lives, listen to Christ and follow him
from the places of revelation
to the places of mission.

And may God shine the light of glory into your hearts.
May Christ be with you and never leave you.
And may the Spirit renew the image of God within you.

Go in Peace,
Live the Church,
See you throughout the week.
Remember to look for Lent resources in your inbox and on our social media accounts this week. 

As we close we will take a few moments to share the Passing of the Peace with one another:

The Peace of the Lord be always with you!