FRAME MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Season of Creation – Humanity

October 1, 2006 World Communion Sunday 9:30 a.m.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

 

PRELUDE Arabesque for Flutes LANI SMITH

 

INTROIT Come, All You People GONDO/FERGUSON

 

*HYMN Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty #482

Please stand at the trumpet fanfare.

 

*CALL TO WORSHIP

Peoples from every corner of creation

Celebrate with all creatures on Earth!

Young and old across the planet,

Rejoice in the day that God has made!

Indigenous peoples of every land,

Help us sense the spirit deep in each land!

Peoples of all colors and every shade,

Celebrate with us the richness of creation!

All humanity on Planet Earth,

Praise God for our planet home.

Sing, peoples, sing!

Sing, creation, sing!

 

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

Lord Jesus Christ, you who said to your apostles, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you,” forgive our lack of faith in your word and your purposes. Pardon our belief that war and hunger are inevitable and peace is unattainable. Teach us, O Lord, that nothing in this world is to be feared more than our trust in you. Give us such confidence in your love and your care for the faithful in this life and the next that we can live out a quality of eternal life even in the midst of powers that would threaten to undo us. So may we live as a people marked by justice, vision, and hope. For it is your own Holy Spirit at work in us to bring about your sovereign reign of love in this time and this place. Amen.

 

*WORDS OF ASSURANCE

Christ hears your confession and forgives your sins against humanity.

Christ, teach us to love all human beings as your children and all creatures of Earth as our kin.

I speak for Christ: I invite you to come home to Earth as one

by rejoicing with all creation.

Shalom! We are coming home!

 

*RESPONSE (Santo, Santo, Santo Insert)

 

*THE PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you all. And also with you.

(You may share Christ’s peace by saying “Peace be with you,” and/or with a handshake or hug.)

 

MOMENT WITH CHILDREN AND THE YOUNG AT HEART

 

PROCLAIMING THE WORD

 

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

 

LESSON FROM THE EPISTLES Galatians 3:24-29 (p xxx)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

ANTHEM Pengyou Ting CHINESE/JENNINGS

 

HEBREW SCRIPTURE LESSON Jonah 4:1-11 (p. xxx)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

SERMON No More of Those People Rev. Zencka

 

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

 

*HYMN Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather #465

 

SHARING OF CELEBRATIONS AND CONCERNS

 

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

THE INVITATION

In the early hours of the morning, while all was quiet and dark here at our home, the sun was rising on the other side of the world. And with the dawn of this new day, God’s people began gathering for worship amid the sounds of drums, or pipes, stringed instruments, or pianos and organs. And now we, too, join in this worldwide chorus of those who call upon the name of the Lord. On this World Communion Sunday we remember especially that the Scriptures are fulfilled as “people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.” So come, not because you must, but because you may. Come not because you are strong, but because you seek God’s strength. All those who trust in Jesus are invited to come and join in the feast that God has prepared.

THE GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

The Creator be with you and all creation.

And also with you.

Open your hearts.

We open them to our Creator.

Let us give thanks to the Maker of heaven and Earth.

It is right to join creation in thanking God.

It is right to give you thanks, loving Creator. Your word is the impulse for all things to be, for space, stars, and stardust to appear, for Earth to emerge from the deep, for life to be born of Earth, and for humans to be born of Earth and the Spirit.

 

Your Spirit is the life impulse in all things, renewing the barren and healing the wounded, groaning in anticipation of a new creation, stirring a new life born of water and the Spirit.

 

You chose to be born a human being, to become a part of Earth, to suffer, die, and rise from death—to redeem humankind, to renew creation, and to affirm all born of Earth and the Spirit.

 

Your presence is the living impulse in all things, the Christ deep among us, filling Earth—land, sea, and air—filling every element and place, filling the grain and the grape we share with you this day.

 

Therefore with angels and archangels, ancient voices in the forest, high voices from the sky, deep voices from the sea, and the whole company of creation, we proclaim your presence among us.

Holy, holy, holy, God of all life,

Earth and sea and sky are full of your presence

and glorify your name. Amen.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us

that this meal may be

a communion in the body and blood of our Lord.

Make us one with Christ

and with all who share this feast.

We give you thanks that your Spirit not only comes to us,

But prays through us, and carries our prayers to you.

We pray for this world, God, even as we break bread together around this table this morning, we are aware that there are many who have no bread to break. Holy God, help us who have so much to reach out to those who have nothing. God, gather to your heart the roughly 30,000 who will die of unger before this time tomorrow. [Add prayers from the concerns & celebrations shared in worship.]

Unite us in faith,

encourage us with hope,

inspire us to love,

that we may serve as your faithful disciples

until we feast at your table in glory.

We praise you, now and forever, eternal God, in the holy and life-giving Spirit,

and through Jesus the Christ and we pray as Jesus taught us, knowing that all around your world today, people pray to you, using these or other words:

Our Father, 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 our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Our Father, 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 our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION.

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS.

THE PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Lord Jesus Christ, you have put your life into our hands; now we put our lives into yours. Take us, renew and remake us. What we have been is past; what we shall be, through you, still awaits us. Lead us on. Take us with you. Amen.

 

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS AND OUR LIVES

 

OFFERTORY Bluesleeves MALCOLM ARCHER

 

RESPONSE (Hymn #455, verse 6)

All creatures, your Creator bless, and worship God in humbleness. O sing ye! Alleluia! Praise ye Creator, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

 

BEARING THE WORD INTO THE WORLD

 

*HYMN Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ #514

 

*BENEDICTION

 

*CHORAL RESPONSE Halle, Halle, Halle

 

POSTLUDE Trumpets of Heaven DAVID PAXTON

 

*Please stand, as able

 

OUR LITURGY THIS MORNING comes from the Season of Creation website and the PCUSA Peacemaking Office.