VISUAL ARTS (PARAMENTS, GENERAL DECORATIONS, SPECIFIC DECORATIONS)
Brim: Creative Overflow in Worship Design
Banner Designs for the Church Year
You may want to begin the worship service outside and process into the sanctuary during your first hymn. Or if you are really adventurous, hold the whole service on the lawn of the church. The neighbors seeing you outside may be drawn to your church.
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CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 24
Leader: God claims Earth and everything in it,
People: God claims World and all who live on it.
Leader: God built it on Ocean foundations,
Laid it out on River girders.
People: God is at our side; with God’s help we make it.
Leader: Who is King-Glory?
People: God of the Angel Armies:
All: God is King-Glory. Praise God. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Leader: Christ is risen from the dead and brings new life to all of creation.
People: He is risen indeed and the whole earth is in awe.
Leader: The trees burst forth in bloom as a celebration of what God has done.
People: The winds have blown away all of the darkness of Lent,
Leader: And the waters offer a cool freshness to the ground in honor of the Good News!
People: Christ is risen!
All: He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Leader: Extravagant God, we raise our voices to you in song!
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For air and water, soil and stone,
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For owl and flower, flesh and bone,
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For wind and river, bee and whale,
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For bird and mammal, sun and snail,
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For sight and fragrance, warmth and ice,
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For egg and apple, wine and spice,
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
Leader: For coal and steel, for brick and fire,
for ocean depth and mountain spire.
For songs and silence, joy and grace,
and purpose in this time and place.
People: Praise God from whom creation flows!
All: Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
—Mark J. Davis
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—Adapted from Psalm 65
One: Praise is due to you, O God in Zion.
You are the hope of all the ends of the earth.
Many: By your strength you established the mountains.
You silence the roaring of the waves.
One: You alone can silence the tumult of the peoples.
All the world stands in awe of your works.
Many: You visit the earth and water it, enriching it.
The river of God is full of clear water.
One: You provide the people with grain as you have prepared it.
You water the furrows of grain with soft showers, blessing its growth.
Many: The pastures of the wilderness overflow, meadows are clothed with flocks.
The valleys filled with grain shout and sing together for joy.
—Chris Warren
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God said, “Let there be light.”
God saw that the light was good.
God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place,
and let the dry land appear.”
God called the dry land Earth and saw that it was good.
God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation.”
God saw that it was good.
God created every living creature.
God saw that it was good.
God said “Let us make humankind in our image.”
God saw everything that had been made and it was very good.
—Byron Forester
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Leader: Consider the sun, the moon, and the stars.
All: God’s power is on display in the heavens.
Leader: Look at the wildflowers in the fields.
All: They reflect the beautiful, creative heart of God.
Leader: Pay attention to the sparrows.
All: God cares for the smallest creatures.
Leader: Listen to the sounds of the wind and the surf.
All: All of nature sings God’s praises.
—Jennifer Newell
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INVOCATION
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MUSIC (HYMNS, SONGS, ANTHEMS)
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CALL TO CONFESSION
God calls us to turn away from our sins and to ask for forgiveness. Let us together confess our sins before our Creator.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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God calls us to turn away from our sins and to ask for forgiveness. Let us together confess our sins before our Creator.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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As a people to whom God has entrusted care for the fruits of God’s divine imagination, let us humbly confess our failures to be worthy of that trust, seeking to be reconciled to our maker, the architect of all things bright and beautiful.
—Mark J. Davis
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God has given much to the dominion and protection of humankind. The world and all that is in it belongs to God, and we have been charged with its care. Sometimes we have faithfully cared for the earth, and sometimes we have neglected its care or even contributed to its abuse. We pray together in confession.
—Chris Warren
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Let us be bold and confess our sin against God and creation.
—Byron Forester
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In confession, we tell the truth about ourselves to the God who created us and already knows the truth about us. In confession, we trust our loving Creator to forgive us once again.
—Jennifer Newell
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PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Creator God,
You alone have made all the blessings we see every day.
When we open our eyes, we see your beauty
And instead of being amazed and awed, we are apathetic.
When we are in relationship with others, we are annoyed by them
rather than seeing your image reflected through them.
When we see rain, we wish for sunlight.
When it is warm, we wish for cool breezes.
When we are amidst one season, we can only long for the beauty of another.
Lord, forgive our fickleness. Forgive our apathy. Forgive our dissatisfaction.
Give us new eyes to see the beauty of your earth. Give us new hearts that are passionate to conserve, recycle and care for our global home. Give us new courage to stand up for this Eden that you have blessed us with. Forgive us for sinning against your creation and you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Creator God,
You have done the miraculous for you have sent Jesus Christ
to be the Savior of the whole world.
We are humbled by your gracious mercy and feel the need to try to make things right.
On this beautiful Easter day when we have so much for which to be thankful,
We are still aware of our short-comings.
We do not give others the mercy that we have received.
We do not care for the bountiful gifts that you have bestowed on us.
We trash resources, we waste materials, and we ignore nature.
As you have shown us what real love is, let us show it to others.
As you are the Great Steward of all, so let us follow your example.
As you have not created a single thing
that does not have a special use on this earth,
so let us use what we need and share what we don’t.
As you have created all things
that are outdoing themselves to be lovely this spring day,
So let us take time to recognize them
and the part they play in your wonderful world,
saved by your Son’s life, death and resurrection that we celebrate today.
Forgive us Lord.
Give us new eyes to see the beauty of your earth.
Give us new hearts that are passionate
to conserve, recycle and care for our global home.
Give us new courage to stand up for this Eden
that you have blessed us with and for which Jesus died.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Almighty God, life-spark of the universe, we are a broken people. We have wasted so much of our time here in worry and fear about what tomorrow may bring. We have looked beyond the lonely, weak, and suffering as if they weren’t there while busily filling our own storehouses with material things, neglecting even those we love the most in our pursuit of the illusion of security. We have squandered and spoiled the gifts of this good earth, Creator God, endangering our children’s future in favor of short-term gains. We treat those gifts as possessions—bargaining chips for personal or political gain. Forgive us, Lord, for not trusting you. Forgive us for being careless with your gifts. Shower us in your healing mercy, that we may be washed clean of complacency, fear, and greed. Renew in us the infant’s capacity for unconditional love with which you first created us. In the name of the Christ in whom we see that love so perfectly modeled. Amen.
—Mark J. Davis
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Holy One, creator of all that is, help us to be mindful of the earth and all its resources. Help us to remember the love you have for creation, the willingness you have for all creation to be redeemed. Cause us to repent of our neglect for your earth, and move in us to repair the damage we and previous generations of humanity have caused. As we repent, make us true stewards of your creation. Amen.
—Chris Warren
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Redeeming God, though we are created in your image we do not live in that image.
You have made us caretakers of creation yet we exploit that creation for our own purposes.
We pollute the air.
We foul the rivers and streams.
We poison the earth.
In our attempts to make our lives more comfortable we make creation unsustainable.
Forgive us, O Creator.
Call us back to your holy mandate to have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing.
Call us back to our role as co-creators
to join in the holy work of redeeming and restoring creation to you. Amen.
—Byron Forester
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Lord, we have sinned, and have harmed our relationship
with you, with each other, and with your good creation.
We selfishly hoard resources
that you intend for us to share.
We trample across your land
and claim it as our own.
We take what we want
with little regard for what others need.
Lord, forgive us.
Teach us to value the natural world as your good creation,
and to care for it in ways that honor our Creator. Amen.
—Jennifer Newell
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ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God wants us to live in perfect harmony with other another. God has promised that if we say we are sorry for our sins, God will wash away the dirt of our sins and cleanse us as if we have been washed in a clear, pure stream. Believe the good news! Through Christ we are forgiven and are again restored to a right relationship with God. Thanks be to God! Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Believe this! We have so much in which to rejoice. God created this wonderful world, Jesus saved this wonderful creation and the Holy Spirit leads us to live in perfect harmony with other another in it. God has promised that if we turn away from our sins, God will wash away the dirt of our sins and make us anew like a clear, pure stream. Believe the good news! Through Christ we are forgiven and are again restored to a right relationship with God. Thanks be to God! Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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—Isaiah 58:9a, 11
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
In the name of Jesus Christ, let us accept the forgiveness that is offered to us without condition.
—Mark J. Davis
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It is God’s will that all creation will be redeemed. We believe that God will provide for that redemption. As we repent of our misuse of creation, we commit to being a part of God’s plan for the health and well-being of this world. God has promised that those who truly repent will be forgiven. Children of God, you can be assured of your pardon.
—Chris Warren
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God creates and loves creation and God creates and loves us also. Just as surely as God makes creation new each morning God offers us a new beginning each new day. Sisters and brothers we are a forgiven people.
—Byron Forester
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We were created by a loving God, whose saving grace is greater than all our sin. In Jesus, the Christ, we are forgiven.
—Jennifer Newell
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CHILDREN’S SERMON
Who made people and the world and the plants and the trees, and the water and everything? (Response) God. God made everything. God made us all and made us caretakers of the world and all that is in it. The Bible uses the word “steward” to mean someone who takes care of God’s world and all that God made. When God put us on the earth God trusted us to care for the world.
What does trust mean? (Response) Right. It means that God is sure that if we read the Bible and know how we should care for ourselves and the world, that we will do it.
There is a verse in the Bible that says “God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
God not only made us, but God made us just like we are so that we can do what God wants us to do. Wasn’t that smart of God to make us like that? (Response)
Now God has made us like we are and given us gifts. Not presents, but things we are able to do like running, jumping, playing, working. What are some gifts that God has given us? (Response) Yes, all these things! And to be good stewards, we need to use these things to help others. Out of the gifts, we just named, how could we use these to help others? (Response)
God is trusting us to be able to do things for others, to be responsible—do what we say we will do and be dependable—God can count on us.
I would like to give you a tag that says just that. It says: “Steward of The Earth Who is Able, Responsible, and Dependable.” The first letters of the words spell out “steward” so that we can remember what steward means to us. (Make a tag that has this acrostic on it:
S teward of
T he
E arth
W ho is
A ble
R esponsible &
D ependable
If we are able, responsible, and dependable, we know that we can be good stewards of God’s creations,
Let us pray: God, help us to be able, responsible, and dependable with the gifts that you trust us with. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
O God, clear away the fog in our minds. Let your word shine light the brightest sunshine so that we may hear your word, both read and preached, and that we may accept it into our lives like a healing balm. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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O God let your word shine like the brightest sunshine so that we may know your truth, and accept it into our lives like a healing balm. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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As we ponder the breathtaking beauty, mystery, and complexity of the world in which you have set us, Lord, open our hearts and minds to the guidance of your Spirit, and to gratitude for the bountiful blessings you have bestowed upon us. In Christ’s name, Amen.
—Mark J. Davis
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Great and awesome God, you are great in power and in wonder. We celebrate your works of creation this day. As you made the heavens and the earth, you declared all the things you had made good. We humans are also your creation, and we long to be good, just as you created us to be.
Give us wisdom to see your creation as a holy responsibility for us, your people. Help us to see the beauty in all you have made. Help us to see clearly the ways that we have damaged your creation, our air, water, and natural resources. Help us to see clearly how we can live our lives so that we may honor our holy responsibility before you.
Gracious God, grant that we may see the world as good, just as you declared it good, and help us to love it and care for it, to your glory. Now grant us the openness to hear your good news through the reading of this scripture and the preaching of your word. Amen.
—Chris Warren
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O Creator, your word comes to us by the power of the Holy Spirit which moves in and through us. Calm us now and open us to hear your word anew. Amen.
—Byron Forester
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Lord of all creation, you gave us eyes to see and ears to hear; thoughtful minds and compassionate hearts. Open them, Lord, so that we can meet you in your word this morning, then give us the faith to respond to your word with our eyes and ears, our hearts and our minds. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
—Jennifer Newell
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SCRIPTURE TEXTS/SERMON IDEAS
- Genesis 1:1—2:3
- Psalm 24:1
- Psalm 104
- Matthew 25:14-29
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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- Jeremiah 31:1-6
- Psalm 118:1-2
- Acts 10:34-43
- Colossians 3:1-4
- Matthew 28:1-10
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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- Psalm 65:5-13
- Hosea 4:3
- Matthew 6:26-29
—Mark J. Davis
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- Psalm 8
- Psalm 65
- Genesis 1 (specifically 1:26-2:4)
- Mark 4:26-32
- Colossians 1:15-20
—Chris Warren
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- Genesis 1:26-31
—Byron Forester
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- This is “Good Shepherd” Sunday. Two of the four lectionary texts (Psalm 23 and John 10:11-18) point us in that direction. The focus is not on our role as shepherd/elders in the church, but on our life as sheep, whose well-being is in the hands of the Good Shepherd. In the context of Earth Day, these passages offer a useful starting point for reflection on the dependence/interdependence of the created world (us included!) and on God’s activity as provider.
- If you aren’t in the mood for sheep, today’s Epistle (1 John 3:16-24) challenges us to turn our loving thoughts (and good prayers) into tangible actions that meet real needs (vv. 16-18). I think the call to act for the welfare of others includes a call to good stewardship of and care for the planet we share.
- If pastoral needs warrant something different, consider Matthew 6:25-34. In times of anxiety, the calming, comforting power of the natural world has been well-attested. Rather than looking to creation with “doom and gloom”-colored glasses, invite your congregation to find peace and encouragement and comfort in the way that God’s power, goodness, and grace are on display in the natural world.
—Jennifer Newell
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SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS (VIDEOS, TAPED SONGS)
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PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
God of sunshine and rain, God of all the seasons, God of the birds and the flowers,
of the gentle and the dangerous, God of all that we can see around us,
We worship your name and give you all the thanks and praise for the gifts of your world.
You asked us to be caretakers of the earth and we know that we struggle,
but we strive to try because we see your hand in everything.
In the…
…the fragileness of petals of a flower
…the strength of a flood or thunderstorm
…the beauty of a sunrise and sunset
…the awesomeness of a waterfall
…the tenacity of a humming bird
…the majesty of the mountains
…the mystery of the stars in the sky
…and the complexity of our own bodies.
We offer ourselves to become your hands and feet and minds in this world.
Give us the awareness to see what we can do to save your creation from our greed’s destruction.
Give the audacity to speak out for creation that is not able to cry out for its own justice
Because we know that you have said that there must be a witness for you
or even the stones will shout out.
Give us the joy to celebrate with all creation that you are indeed Lord and God of all of life.
And we will be sure to give you all of the praise and glory forever and ever! Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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God of resurrection, you alone are holy and we are honored to be able to worship you.
We find it hard to express enough thanks for what you have done for us through your son Jesus Christ and yet we cannot help but try. Like the psalmist we are in awe of the beauty that surrounds us. We marvel at its ability to die each year and yet burst forth with the help of the warmth you provide through the sun and the nourishment you supply through the rain and snow and minerals in the earth. This resurrection is a reminder to us of the life, death and resurrection of your son and the renewal that you offer everyone through this wonderful gift.
We know that as we celebrate your wonderful gift that there are others who cannot celebrate and so we pray for them now…
…those that don’t have the benefit of shelter from the harsh elements of the world
…those whose bodies are not acting with them for their health,
but against them to cause them pain
…those who are experiencing grief in their lives as a result of losing someone they love
…those who cannot see the beauty in life and may be thinking that life is not worth living
…those who don’t have the essentials to live—food and drink, healthcare, support
…and for all those hurting in ways we cannot imagine and need your Holy Spirit’s comfort.
We offer ourselves to become your hands and feet and minds in this world.
Give us the energy that can only come from joy and gratefulness
to do those things to help and change the world for the better.
Give the audacity to speak out for a creation that is not able to cry out for its own justice
Give us the joy to celebrate with all creation that you are indeed Lord and God of all of life, that your son is the Savior of us all, and that your Holy Spirit is with us forever to be a comfort, strength, and an encourager. And we will be sure to give you all of the praise and glory forever and ever! Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Creator God, author of sensation, sight, and sound,
we come to you this morning in humble awe of the world you created for us.
You confront us daily in the life-affirming beauty of a sunrise
and the joyful song of a mockingbird;
in the intoxicating scent of a blooming rose and the busy-ness of a honey-bee;
in the smell of gentle rain on parched earth and the cool shade of a massive oak;
in the mischievous smile of a wide-eyed child and the warmth of her loving embrace;
in the mastery of the surgeon’s blade and the wonder of a body healed;
in the luscious slurp of a ripened peach and the earthy bite of fresh-picked greens;
in the sacrificial guidance of loving parents
and the reassuring sense of their presence in us long after they’re gone.
We experience you in all these and countless other ways, loving God,
and are filled with gratitude for your patience and persistence in remaining with us.
We have done so little to deserve such treasures,
and sometimes feel that all we can do is say, “thank you.”
We are acutely aware, Gracious God, that we have fallen far short
of becoming the people you created us to be.
We feel so often that our hearts are in the right place—
that we really do love our neighbors as we love ourselves,
that we take the responsibility you have entrusted to us for care of this earth seriously—
that we mean well… but somehow, when it comes to translating our feelings into action,
we just can’t seem to get it right, although we want to, desperately.
At work, we just can’t seem to shake our sometimes not-so-secret jealousy and envy
when another gets the raise or promotion or recognition that we coveted or thought we deserved,
knowing that this is not the model of selflessness Jesus modeled for us.
We pray for those with whom we work and play,
that they might see you in our interactions with them.
At home, we have discovered how easy it is,
when things don’t go exactly the way we want them to,
to lash out and hurt the persons who are the closest of all to us,
knowing all the while that we dishonor our capacity for love when we do so.
We pray for our families, that they might see you in our actions toward them.
And out there in the world, Lord, we find it impossible not to see the pain that is wrought
by poverty, neglect, and hatred, and our self-centeredness disguised as personal or national pride.
Yet we excuse our inaction by pointing to the enormity of the problems facing us,
as if the strength you offer is available only to someone else—someone more worthy than us.
We allow fear to guide our actions,
blindly grasping at the illusion of safety through the worship of material wealth or weapons,
as if you haven’t demonstrated throughout history that our ultimate safety is simply in you.
We pray for ourselves and for our world, that we might learn to live as you would have us live,
caring for the world you have created and for those who do not share our beliefs or goals.
We know you want more for us.
We have seen glimpses of the unimaginable joy that you intended for us—
the joy that is available to us if we will just trust in the power of your love
to transform not only our own lives, but the lives of those with whom we live and work,
and among whom we move.
We want a bit of that joy, Lord, we really do.
And we’re here today once again to start repairing our relationship with you—
and thus with our friends, and families, and yes, even with those whom we do not know
but who perhaps need us most of all.
Strengthen us, Lord.
Pull us closer to you, that we may feel the warmth of your presence.
Speak to us and guide us as we seek to employ the discipline we know we need
to fully receive and appreciate the gifts you so freely offer us.
Open our eyes to the joy that awaits us when we trust that guidance
and practice the unflinching love this world so badly needs right now,
but which is often so difficult for us to embrace.
Comfort us, Lord, with the knowledge that while perfection is not something we may attain,
humility is—and that’s one step in the right direction.
Loving God, there are many among us who are hurting this morning—
many who could sure use an extra measure of your grace.
Some of us are struggling with physical illness, some with heartbreaking loss,
some with unmet expectations or shattered dreams, some with uncertain futures,
some with self-doubt and worry, and some, Lord,
with problems they can’t even put their fingers on.
Be with these, your children,
in ways that allow them to feel the warmth of your understanding and unconditional love.
And may they continue to feel that understanding and unconditional love
from this community of faith as well.
In the name of the one who made you real to humankind, we pray:
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, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
—Mark J. Davis
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One: Let us pray together for the goodness of the earth:
For the mountains and plains, for the rocky and fertile soil,
for the health of the ground the earth over…
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For the waters that abound on the earth,
for the health of our streams and lakes and rivers and seas and oceans,
for their health and well-being and their cleanliness…
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For the air that we breathe and that sustains life throughout the globe,
for its health and an end to its pollution…
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For the plants that live on the ground and in the waters,
that they may enjoy health and they may continue to cycle clean and fresh air
for the renewal of the world…
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For the animals near and far, for their flourishing and their ability to adapt
to the pressures placed on them by humanity…
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For the planet as a whole: the earth, water, air, plants, and animals,
for the ability of humanity to see the ways the planet has been damaged
by our use of the natural resources entrusted to us by God,
for an end to abuse of the planet and the beginning of a time of healing…
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
—Chris Warren
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Holy Spirit, you have given us an inner being that longs to be connected with you.
We are drawn to leave the concrete and pavement to walk on the earth,
to ride the wild rivers, and breathe the clean air.
We long for an open place where our eyes take in the full sky
and behold the canopy of the universe.
We look into the stars and imagine what other forms of creation might be out there
and wonder how you reveal yourself to them.
O Lord, we glorify your creation in psalms, poems, music, paintings, and photography.
But we live as if creation is disposable
and we turn away from the reality that someday psalms, poems, music, paintings, and photos
will be the only evidence that there was ever an earth that was pure.
When you willed humankind into existence in your divine image
the very first words you spoke to humans were the instructions to have dominion over the earth. Dominion. Not domination.
Loving God, you have blessed humans with the ability to think, to reason, to develop ideas.
Inspire us, Lord, and help us inspire others to use our intelligence
to develop alternatives to what we are doing,
help us find a way to live that does not require draining all our resources to sustain it.
Move us to an appreciation of what we have been given
and to take to heart our responsibility to care for this gift.
When we defer our responsibility as stewards of the earth,
we also deny our connection with the earth and we deny our connection with each other.
We deny our connection with you.
Eternal God, it is from you that all blessings flow.
May those blessings flow upon us
as clean rain that nourishes the earth and produces wondrous abundance.
May we, in turn, bless others till all creation exists in your grace
and that you will forever look at it and call it good.
In the name of the Triune God we pray. Amen.
—Byron Forester
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Christ Jesus, in you all things in heaven and on earth were created, and in you all things hold together. In you, we find life—and life abundant.
For the gift of life, we give you thanks. (time of silent prayer)
For the beauty and majesty and wonder of creation, we give you thanks. (time of silent prayer)
For the bounty of the earth: the food, the clean water, and the air on which our lives depend, we give you thanks. (time of silent prayer)
When you created the world, Lord, you declared that it was good; but now all creation suffers the effects of sin, and all creation groans for redemption.
In the silence,
we pray for all who work to restore what has been broken, endangered, or polluted by our sinful choices. (time of silent prayer)
Lord, empower us as stewards of your creation to honor you in the way we care for the creation. Amen.
—Jennifer Newell
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LITANY
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INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
God has given us so much and asks so little from us: to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with God. Let us give as we are able—regularly, sacrificially and gratefully.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Just as the women were told to go and tell the disciples the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, so God calls us to tell that same good news. Let us give of our tithes and offerings as a way to support the ministry of telling the good news that this congregation has been charged with.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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The Bible begins with the story of God giving us everything that is. Our experience of the God who gives without condition continues to this very day. Our response to such incomprehensible generosity is what makes God’s kingdom here on earth a reality—our time, our talents, and our resources. Let us now respond to God’s grace through the presentation of our tithes and offerings.
—Mark J. Davis
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All we have we have received from God. Nothing that has ever been was created without God. It is only fitting that during a time of worship we respond to these gifts to us by offering our gifts to God. Let us give generously, even as we have received from a generous God.
—Chris Warren
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The Lord provides for us everything we need in this life. May we now offer our resources of money and the pledge to live our lives in accordance with your plan.
—Byron Forester
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“The natural world is God’s. Its resources, beauty, and order are given in trust to all peoples, to care for, to conserve, to enjoy, to use for the welfare of all, and thereby to glorify God” (Cumberland Presbyterian Confession of Faith, 1.12). May the God who has given us so much be glorified in our giving.
—Jennifer Newell
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OFFERTORY PRAYER
God, we give you back a tiny bit of the blessings that you have so freely given to us. Let our generosity flow to others so they may see your love and respond to it by giving also to others. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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God, we know that even if we did not praise and thank you, that all of creation would shout the good news to all the nations. We ask that these offerings gathered here will be used to send the message loud and clear to the four corners of the earth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Gracious God, we have so little to offer when compared to what we have received, but we remember what Jesus did with the loaves and fishes and pray that you will take these gifts and multiply them as only you can to further the work of your kingdom. Help us in the coming days and weeks to practice the generosity you have modeled for us, and to find satisfaction not in the thanks or praise we may receive, but in the knowledge that in giving, we move closer to becoming the people we were created to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
—Mark J. Davis
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Great One, through the offering of our gifts we acknowledge our reliance on you. We pray for your blessings on these gifts that they may be used for your glory throughout the world, wherever our influence reaches. May they care for the sick, feed the hungry, and bring justice to the oppressed. May we use all we have to care for your creation. Amen.
—Chris Warren
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Lord, we thank you for your bountiful blessings and your tender mercies. Accept our gifts of money as a means to sustain the good thing you have started. Take our lives and make us aware of how much we need you and all you have made. Amen.
—Byron Forester
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Lord God, we are humbled by your generosity and provision. Receive these gifts as our grateful response to your many blessings, and help us to be good stewards of these gifts and of every opportunity you give us to use them in kingdom-building, life-affirming ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
—Jennifer Newell
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CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
Just as all creation celebrates God with all that it has, so we are called to go from this place celebrating God—with our gifts, with our talents, with our love. And as we do, may we know that God the Creator and giver of all good gifts, God the Son and savior of us all, and God the Holy Spirit, guide, healer and comforter, will be with us always and forever. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Just as all creation celebrates the gift of God in the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
so we are called to go from this place celebrating God
—with our gifts, with our talents, with our love.
And as we do, may we know that God the Creator and giver of all good gifts,
God the Son and savior of us all,
and God the Holy Spirit, guide, healer and comforter,
will be with us always and forever. Amen.
—Elinor Swindle Brown
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Let us never forget: we are God’s people, created in God’s image. The whole of creation comes from God—the warmth of the sun, the song of the bird, the water that sustains us, our families, our labor, and yes, even those we label as enemies. We are the crown of God’s creation. We are called to protect it, to nurture it, and to rejoice and be glad in it. Let us go from this place in humility and gratitude, and be the people of God.
Go forth, children of God, into the world that so desperately needs your light. Go forth into a world that virtually hums with the presence of God—from the deserts to the oceans, from the canyons to the mountaintops—and seek the harmony with God that resolves into peace, and justice, and love that knows no bounds. May God in God’s infinite wisdom bless you on your way, both now and forever more. Amen.
—Mark J. Davis
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Go, now, children of God, secure in the knowledge that God is a sovereign God of the heavens and the earth!
Go, now, children of God, working alongside God for the redemption of all creation!
Go, now, children of God, with the goodness of creation firmly established in your hearts and minds!
And may God’s grace and the blessings of continual creation be ever with you and ever sustain you
as you work toward the healing of God’s world. Amen.
—Chris Warren
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Go now out into the wonderful and mysterious world.
Go and behold the beauty that is all around you.
Let yourself be blown by the wild wind.
Hear the birds and listen to the music of the ages.
Know that the Holy Spirit is in you and for you. Amen.
—Byron Forester
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The God who created us cares for us;
the God who gave us life longs for us to live with abundance;
the God who blesses us with resources wants us to steward them well.
Go, brothers and sisters, out into the world that God loves:
and with the blessing of God the Creator,
the grace of Jesus Christ the Son,
and the power of the Holy Spirit,
live and love and speak and act as the people of God. Amen.
—Jennifer Newell