Prayers. Worship resources. for Vocations Sunday. Adoration

Transcription

1 Worship resources Prayers for Vocations Sunday Adoration It is you who calls with the word that changes everything; the word that brings shape and form out of chaos so that creation can return praises to you, the word that transforms despair into hope, the word that shakes us from complacency. So it can be us who now join our songs to the singing of all creation, us who find life in the hope of your presence, us who find your piercing summons disrupting the flow of our lives. Oh God of the strongest, sweetest and fiercest of voices, we worship you and tremble, lost in wonder at the mysteries we can never penetrate and yet caught up in the wonder of your love for all you have made. With all your children we rejoice in your touch upon our lives we honour your commands we offer you our worship and our serving. It is you who calls us to this place in this day, and in the power of your Holy Spirit, we joyfully obey. Amen. All prayers written by Neil Thorogood

2 CONFESSION (Responses in bold) In the midst of the journey you lead us through, in the midst of our journeys with each other, we are grateful for so much, receive so much, offer so much. And yet it is not gratitude alone that runs through our worship. We struggle in our discipleship and falter in our sharing. There are times when your claim is felt only as harshness and when your call is a voice we dread. Forgive us, we pray, for we falter; we doubt that you still have power to transform our lives and refashion our churches and communities we grow weary in our praying and half-hearted in our praising we ignore those who most need our company as they cope with life we offer easy condemnations and indulge in gossip. Forgive us for the brokenness of the Christian family and our failures in hospitality. Forgive us for the harm our living is doing to the creation that is your gift to us. Help us to truly listen to the words that tell of salvation: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners [silence] In Christ God has revealed mercy to us, forgiveness is real. In Christ s name let us now, forgiven and free, make everyone welcome. Amen.

3 THANKSGIVING Gracious and ever living God, we give you thanks for the call that constantly invites and provokes us to know you more: we thank you that Israel heard you in the voice of prophets and psalmists who opened up possibility and did not shy away from judgement we thank you that Jesus came out of the wilderness and the backwater to call a few women and men to follow him as your reign began to unfurl we thank you that your Spirit gave voice to those in hiding and the first sermons and missionaries were set free to tell of your abundant grace we thank you that generations of disciples have followed where others led, uncovering your unending work in every setting and situation we thank you for those who responded to your call and who, in doing so, have changed our lives for ever by blessing us through their living, teaching, praying and serving we thank you for those whose words we have sung and are still singing, those whose translations we have cherished and still make our own, those whose preaching has lifted us to the heavens and challenged us to the core of our being. For all the ways in which you have given us company and offered us the company of saints we thank you, in the name of Jesus who calls each of us by name. Amen.

4 INTERCESSION (Different voices could read the numbered parts) We come in hope and expectation; hope rooted in your unshakable involvement in our world, expectation rooted in our longing for this world to be a home for everyone. Dear Lord, hear our prayers for your people. [1] We pray for those who are called to serve when nations go to war, and those whose service is to seek peace, those whose power will decide where the bombs go off, and those who have had all their power snatched away. [2] We pray for those called to guide nations and communities, and those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to build hope in hard places, those who can shape futures by releasing funding, and those who wait in terrible conditions for someone, somewhere, to care. [3] We pray for those called to care for the sick, and those who struggle alone with what makes life their misery, those who reach out to the homeless and the lost, and those who refuse to give up hope that a life can be transformed. [4] We pray for those called to teach and to train, and those who study and seek after knowledge, those whose researches make things better, and those who are desperate for news of a cure. [5] We pray for those called to help us be Christians, and those whose mission is to share good news, those whose caring and wisdom sustain the Church, and those whose restless energy can make the Church new. [6] We pray for those being challenged this day to accept a call to service amidst God s people, and those who will test and support that calling and see it through. [7] We pray for this congregation and its calling in this place, and for all who are part of making the gospel vividly real in the streets and homes around us. And we pray for the calling that you have for each one of us, that we might know it, hear it, and respond with all that we have and all that we can offer. These prayers we ask, in the name of the one whose constant invitation was to follow him. Amen.

5 Hymns and Songs for Vocations Sunday CG = Common Ground HOAN = Hymns Old & New (New Anglican Edition) MP = Mission Praise R&S = Rejoice & Sing Abba Father (MP 3) All I once held dear (Graham Kendrick) All that I am, all that I do (HOAN 19) Be thou my vision (R&S 489) Christ be our light (CG 21) Come, Holy Ghost our hearts inspire (R&S 751) Do not be afraid (HOAN 111) Father, hear the prayer we offer (R&S 495) Father, I place into your hands (R&S 518) Forth in the peace of Christ (R&S 602) Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go (R&S 521) From Heaven you came (The Servant King) (R&S 522) Give me joy in my heart (R&S 523) God has spoken to his people (MP 182) God is working his purpose out (R&S 573) Go tell everyone (R&S 576) Guide me, O thou great Jehovah (R&S 345) How can I keep from singing (CG 51) I am a new creation (HOAN 221) I hear the sound of rustling (MP 274) I the Lord of Sea and Sky (CG 50) I will walk in the presence of God (CG 61) If I were a butterfly (HOAN 241) Inspired by love and anger (CG 63) Jesus, be the centre (Michael Frye)

6 Jesus calls us, o er the tumult (R&S 355) Jubilate ev rybody (R&S 713) Just as I am (R&S 364) Lead kindly light (R&S 544) Lead us heavenly Father, lead us (R&S 543) Let all the earth hear his voice (MP 403) Lord for the years your love has kept and guided (R&S 603) Lord Jesus Christ (Living Lord) (R&S 373) Lord of Creation, to you be all praise (R&S 532) Lord, you have come to the lakeside (CG 79) Love is his word, love is his way (HOAN 322) Loving Spirit (R&S 326) Loving Shepherd of thy sheep (HOAN 325) Make me a channel of your peace (R&S 629) Morning glory, starlit sky (R&S 99) Moses, I know you re the man (R&S 547) O Jesus I have promised (R&S 509) O thou, who camest from above (R&S 433) One more step along the world I go (R&S 549) River, wash over me (Douglas Brown) Send me, Lord (Thuma Mina) (CG 129) Take, o take me as I am (John Bell) Take my life and let it be (R&S 371) Take this moment (CG 122) The king of love my shepherd is (R&S 552) This little light of mine (HOAN 510) We are marching in the light of God (R&S 555) When we walk with the Lord (HOAN 553) Wherever you go, I will follow Will you come and follow me (The Summons)

7 All age worship ideas 1. The Godly Play story of the Good Shepherd (in Volume 3 of The complete Guide to Godly Play by Jerome W Berryman) uses much of the imagery from the 23rd Psalm and encourages children and adults to think about when they have known the care of the shepherd and when they have heard the Good Shepherd call their name. 2. In John 10: Jesus is asked if you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. Jesus answers I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father s name testify to me. The congregation could be asked what evidence they can remember for who Jesus is things he said and things he did. These could be written up on a flipchart. Then invite them to reflect on Jesus words My sheep hear my voice what does Jesus voice sound like? What sorts of things does he say? How can we hear Jesus voice more clearly? 3. You could have a worship station where people can listen to the hymn I heard the voice of Jesus say come unto me and rest and/ or Michael Frye s Jesus be the centre. As they listen and reflect, invite them to choose from a printed selection of verses of words of Jesus (eg I will be with you always, I no longer call you servants but friends, I am the way, the truth and the life, On this rock I will build my church, I am the resurrection and the life ) they can take home one verse (or more) which they feel is particularly relevant to them, for further prayer and reflection. 4. An all-age discussion and activity: Revelation 7: 9-17 describes the worship of heaven. What parts of worship feel to you most like being in heaven (singing? praying? greeting each other?).

8 How do you feel when worship is like this? How could worship in this church be more like heaven? Is there anything you could do to help to make things even better? You could have a promise sheet and invite people to write down what they could do to make worship better for everyone. 5. Invite members of the congregation to talk about how they experienced a call to teaching, nursing, business, parenthood, etc, (as well as ministry) and how they tested those calls. Allow the stories to challenge the whole congregation. Allow questions to be asked and try to find a way to allow conversations about possible call to grow naturally. Children may not be listening for a call at this stage of their lives, but it is good to show them that calls do come to ordinary people in a variety of ways. 6. Read the story of Acts 9: 36-43, perhaps using a dramatic form with different voices. Which of the characters in the story do you think had a call or vocation to what they did ie. Tabitha/Dorcas; the 2 men; Peter; the widows; Simon the tanner. (note: there is no right answer to this it depends on your view of vocation but you could encourage people to be ready to say why they think someone has or has not received a call to what they do or who they are). What do all these answers say about our understanding of identity, call, employment, choices, gifts and graces? You could ask people which character or characters they most strongly associate with or are their favourites.

9 Poems Looking Back He sometime wonders if he did the right thing. With his limited talents there was not much choice. He thought of teaching, but having gained so little from those who did, and seeing how some suffered, he knew it was not for him. At the time of decision, with his whiny voice, never getting a decent role, how could it occur to him to choose an actor s life? At times, not deeply, he has regretted that. Made without choice, there was nothing to do but be this purveyor of Holy Love: lacking it, but having words for it. A few were ready to wear it, some were antagonistic even to the point of hatred; at times his own anger might have obliterated it. But the Love he spoke of, having its effect, he met coming back; and with some perhaps more than he knew, he claims to have shared the sharp clear water of indestructible joy. Alan Gaunt, by kind permission, from his 2009 book The Space Between signed copies available from the author 6.50 post free.

10 The Calling To live in darkness, so others may have Light To be poor, so others can be made rich To be overlooked, so that others can have fame To kneel, so that others can stand To break up hard ground, so others can know smooth roads and footpaths To be ignored, so others might be known To live without love, so others might know real love To die, that others might live. Mark Meatcher July 2009

11 Reflections Another day Another sigh I pick up my cross again and walk on The tears at last begin to flow Understanding begins to come Christ died for me. Another day Another cry It is now other voices I hear The hungry child The war-torn land That Christ died for them was planned? And now the pain is truly felt In the palm of my hands, In my side In my feet My head hurts as if thorns had been pressed there Not quite a headache but something similar. I look down from my vantage point And strangely see that actually I am looking up Where I am is in a place that serves That gives That forgives And from now on I will always be looking up Admiring all people Who in their bravery carry their crosses as only they know how.

12 I cannot speak from their vantage point I cannot see or hear what they see or hear But maybe somehow I can help them to speak their own words To declare their own praise For this is something that their bodies can do Even if they cannot speak. Mark Meatcher April 2009

13 Called to be workers for the kingdom It helps now and then to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church s mission. No set of goals and objectives include everything. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water the seeds already planted knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing this. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. Archbishop Oscar Romero (martyred on March 24th 1980) written by Bishop Ken Untener, reprinted with permission from Little Books of the Diocese of Saginaw, Mich.

14 Quotes A selection of quotes about vocation as sermon spice or discussion starters More can easily by obtained from the internet! Neither the hair shirt or the soft birth will do. The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world s deep hunger meet. Frederick Buechner We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Winston Churchill Working hours are never long enough. Each day is a holiday, and ordinary holidays are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vocation. Winston Churchill Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus. Mother Teresa of Calcutta We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

15 Vocation is the spine of life. Friedrich Nietzsche God doesn t require us to succeed; he only requires that you try. Mother Teresa of Calcutta The test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves. Logan Pearsall Smith My object in living is to unite my avocation (hobby) and my vocation as my two eyes make one in sight. Robert Frost If each one does their duty as an individual and if each one works in their own proper vocation, it will be right with the whole. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe We are apt to mistake our vocation by looking out of the way for occasions to exercise great and rare virtues, and by stepping over the ordinary ones that lie directly in the road before us. Hannah Moore Dear friends, this is the mystery of God s call, the mystery of vocation. It is part of the life of every Christian, but it is particularly evident in those whom Christ asks to leave everything in order to follow him more closely. Pope Benedict XVI

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