May God our heavenly parent,
Emmanuel God with us,
and the Holy Spirit God upon us
guide and bless us each day. Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA
Matthew
Sunday’s Coming: working toward November 13
These waning days of Ordinary Time can be so challenging–some of us are still wrapping up Stewardship campaigns (check out the Stewardship brainstorming conversation for ideas about dedication, consecration, actions of commitment, and maybe to collaborate on writing a litany if you still need one!). We also have a call to worship for a commitment Sunday–check it out if that’s you this week!
Some of us are working through the interminable Matthew parables, this week working on everyone’s favorite: the talents. There’s nothing quite like a stewardship commitment sermon on the text “to those who have, more will be given, and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” Oh, the prayers of confession we could write with that!
Maybe you’re detouring to Deborah this week, in keeping with the women who were prepared last week. She was certainly prepared–but for what? What do these women of prepared faith tell us in this time?
Maybe you’re still in Thessalonians, contemplating the end (or at least the end of the liturgical year!). What does a life lived “in the day” look like during these days of waning daylight in the northern hemisphere? How can we encourage one another as we enter this season of giving thanks (in the US)?
Do you have a direction? A liturgical need? A call to worship or a prayer of confession you want to share? A prayer of dedication for our talents, buried or invested? The perfect hymn idea?
Join the conversation as we create together.
Sunday’s Coming: working toward November 6
Maybe you’re saving All Saints for this Sunday, because yesterday was Reformation Sunday.
Maybe you’re having stewardship commitment/dedication Sunday.
Maybe you’re in the middle of the stewardship campaign.
Maybe it’s a communion Sunday.
Maybe it’s just another Sunday in the endless Year A journey through Matthew.
Whatever you’re doing this Sunday, we want to create together for worship! Join in the comments below as we write together, bounce ideas around, contemplate themes or hymns or creative expression. How are the people of God encountering the living Word this Sunday?
If you follow the lectionary, you might be pondering telling our history and figuring out how to make a choice to serve the Lord. What does it mean to serve the Lord with your congregation’s particular story? How might that relate to All Saints or Communion or Stewardship? Or you might be wondering what’s up with those lazy bridesmaids who didn’t make sure they had enough oil. Aside from singing Keep Your Lamps, what are some ways we can use the liturgy to help our congregations be prepared to encounter God? If you’re pondering the connection between yet another missed rapture date and All Saints, perhaps Thessalonians is your guide. What liturgical language do you need to illuminate this strange and oft-misunderstood idea?
As we contemplate the plot twists, the lives of our communities, and the movement of the Spirit–what language are you leaning toward for this week? What ideas do you hope to convey? What musical ideas do you have?
Let’s create together!
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