Seminary Sunday

VISUAL ARTS (PARAMENTS, GENERAL DECORATIONS, SPECIFIC DECORATIONS)

Brim: Creative Overflow in Worship Design

Banner Designs for the Church Year

Christian Arts and Crafts

 

 

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CALL TO WORSHIP

  —Psalm 100

Leader:  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord

with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

All:      Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his,

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Leader:  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name.

All:      For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

—Susan Parker

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Leader:            The Lord has given us the blessing of teachers, that we may know how to sustain the weary with a word.

People:           Morning by morning God wakens us, wakens our ears to listen as those who are taught.

Leader:            The Lord has given us the blessing of teachers that we may know of God’s love and faithfulness which never fails.

 People:          Morning by morning God wakens us, wakens our eyes to see God’s grace abound in the trials of life.

Leader:            The Lord has given us the blessing of teachers that we may know how to be faithful and not turn back.

People:           Morning by morning God wakens us, wakens our hearts to give thanks to the one who is worthy!

—Kenny Butcher

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One:    We come to worship the God who calls in the middle of the night.

Many: Here we are, God. Send us!

One:    We come to worship the God who became flesh and lived as a teacher.

            Many: Here we are, God. Send us!

One:    We come to worship the God who educates us in classrooms from kindergarten to seminary and everywhere in between.

            Many: Here we are, God. Send us!

One:    We have come. Let us worship God.

Many: Speak Lord. Your servants are listening.

—Tiffany McClung

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Leader: We praise you, O God.

People: We praise God, for in our souls, we know how marvelously God has made us.

Leader: God’s ways are strange and full of wonder.

People: We praise you, O God, from our souls.

Leader: O come, let us worship and sing forth our praises to God who is good.

People: We shall humbly worship God, our God who is good all the time.

—Stan Wood

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—2 Timothy 2:11-13, 15

Leader:            If we have died with Christ, we will also live with him;

People:           If we endure, we will also reign with him;

Leader:            If we deny him, he will also deny us;

People:           If we are faithless, he remains faithful─for he cannot deny himself.

Leader:            Then let us present ourselves to God as ones approved by Christ,

People:           Workers who are not ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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—Isaiah 52:7, 9a, 10b

Leader:            How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,

People:           Who brings good news;

Leader:            Who announces salvation;

People:           Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Leader:            Break forth together in singing you ruins of Jerusalem.

People:           All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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One:    God says, “Come up to me on the mountain so that I can give you instruction.”

Many: We gather today to celebrate all the instruction God gives to us through Moses, Elijah, Jesus,

              and the men and women teaching at Memphis Theological Seminary.

One:    Jesus says, “Get up and do not be afraid.”

Many: We gather today in thanksgiving for the Christ who teaches us and calms our fears.

One:    The Holy Spirit says, “This is the beloved Son. Listen to him.”

Many: We gather today to listen. We gather today to learn. We gather today to worship God.

—Tiffany McClung

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INVOCATION

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MUSIC (HYMNS, SONGS, ANTHEMS)

Here I Am, Lord

Lord, You have Come to the Lakeshore

Jesus Calls Us

More About Jesus

Open My Eyes that I May See

O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling

 

God of the Prophets (Denis Wortman, 1884, alt.)

Can be sung to the tune “National Hymn” (God of our Fathers)

 

God of the prophets, bless the prophets’ heirs,

Elijah’s mantle o’er Elisha cast;

Each age in turn for solemn tasks prepares,

make each one nobler, stronger than the last.

 

Anoint them prophets, make their ears attend

To thy divinest speech; their hearts awake

To human need; their lips make eloquent

Right to enthrone and every evil break.

 

Send them, apostles, heralds of thy cross;

Forth may they go to tell all realms thy grace;

Inspired of thee, may they count all but loss,

And stand at last with joy before thy face.

 

Fields are Ripe (Jay Earheart-Brown, 2015)

Can be sung to the tune “Ebenezer” (Come, Thou Fount)

 

Fields are ripe, Lord, for the harvest, but the laborers are few;

People lost and wandering helpless, with no shepherd, leader true;

Hungry children need direction, broken families cry in pain,

Give us passion for your mission, missionaries once again.

 

So we pray, God, send us pastors, faithful workers for your field.

Raise them up, Lord, and prepare them, by your Spirit, fruit to yield

For your Kingdom and your glory, for your church, we call to you:

Send your Spirit, send us leaders, send us men and women true.

 

Give us vision for the lost and lonely people in our world.

Grant us leaders, blessed with wisdom, Spirit-led and Spirit-filled.

Fields are ripe, Lord, we implore you, send us workers, strong and true

That your church may grow and prosper, giving glory unto you.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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CALL TO CONFESSION

Let us confess our sins to our gracious and loving God.

—Susan Parker

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Proverbs 28: 12 says “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,

but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

In honesty and hope, let us confess our sins before God.

—Kenny Butcher

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Too often we hear God’s voice but refuse to listen. Even more often we simply do not hear God because we are listening to the din of noise around us. In these confusing times, we sin and allow ourselves to be separated from the one who teaches us who we are. In these moments, we must confess, repent, and begin again. Join me as we confess before God and one another.

—Tiffany McClung

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Let us bring before God the sin which weighs heavily upon us—sins of omission and commission, sin which has separated us from God and one another. Let us ask for God’s grace.

—Stan Wood

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This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. I will forgive their evil deeds, and I will remember their sins no more. In penitence and faith, let us confess our sins to almighty God.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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Like Peter on the mountain of the transfiguration, we too often want to settle in, to stop moving, to stop learning, to stop growing. We allow our pride to build walls around us that keep us from fulfilling all that God longs for us. These are the ways in which we sin and these are things we must confess. Together, let us come to God to confess those sins which keep us from being who God created us to be.

—Tiffany McClung

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PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Lord we know we have sinned and have all fallen short of our full potential.  We often fail to heed your call on our lives. We often think we have all the answers with our worldly knowledge. Please help us to renew our commitment to letting you lead our lives. Help us to seek your knowledge first. Help us to surrender to your call and inspiration in our lives.

(silent confession)

Amen.

—Susan Parker

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All powerful and all knowing God,

You know our every thought before we give it voice,

You know our every weakness before we share it with you,

We confess that we have sinned in so many ways.

We have given in to our fleshly nature and embraced its rule,

We have not listened to your instruction and dared to rebel,

 Instead of seeking to know you more, we have lived in our faith from days past.

In doing so we have become worn and weary, and our hearts have grown cold.

Forgive us O God of these shortcomings,

Revive us once again with the presence of your Spirit.

Instruct us in your ways that we may once again delight in you,

In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

—Kenny Butcher

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Holy God, we rely on our own limited knowledge to walk daily through this life. We look in the mirror and convince ourselves that we are smart enough and good enough and that we don’t need anyone else, much less you. We are ignorant, God. Forgive us. Enable us to acknowledge our own weaknesses so that we can be made strong through you. (Time for silent confession) Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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Lord, be merciful to us and forgive us—for our futile despairs and constant forgetfulness of your compassion; for sins we knowingly have committed and sins that are unknown to us; for our individual failures and our communal failings; for concentrating our gaze on the evil and neglecting to see the good; for our failures to praise you, to thank you and for our refusal to live by the power of love; for our unjust acts and attitudes—through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

—Stan Wood

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Forgive us, O God, for our intellectual laziness. We fail to study your word as we should. We don’t honor the men and women you have called to serve in our midst as leaders and teachers and pastors. We look for instant gratification of our needs and desires, when we should discipline ourselves as people of your covenant. Forgive our foolish ways, and by the power of your Spirit, cultivate in us a teachable spirit, so that we may grow in grace and faith, all our days, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Amen.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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Begin with a time for silent confession.

One:    And, now we confess together

All:     Holy and loving God, we come before you to break down the walls of sin that we build up because we believe it keeps us safe. We have sinned against you and our neighbor when we are unwilling to learn and grow. We have sinned against you and our neighbor when we have acted as if our education makes us better than others. We have sinned against you and our neighbor when we have failed to support all the men and women you have called to serve you in ordained ministry. Holy God, clear the clouds that blind us. Heal the pride that stagnates us. Open our hearts to the ways in which you provide tablets of instruction for us. We confess. We ask you to forgive us. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Who can forgive our sins? Only Christ can. Friends, hear the good news, Christ died for our sins and he has already born the burden. Let us know we are forgiven!  Thanks be to God. Amen.

—Susan Parker

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Hear these words from the Lord through the prophet Isaiah:

“Come now, and let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, receive God’s mercy and forgiveness!

—Kenny Butcher

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There is nothing that you or I can do that will make God love us any less. As we educate ourselves, we realize how little we know. As we come to this realization, we begin to rely on the only one we can rely upon. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any less. Through Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ! And Christ died for us, rose for us, reigns in power for us, and prays for us. Because of Christ, to whomsoever repents and believes, God promises reconciliation and full pardon. Accept your pardon. You are forgiven.  The peace of God be with you.

—Stan Wood

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Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Friends, believe the gospel: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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—based on Psalm 99

God is a lover of justice who establishes equity. God executes justice and righteousness. God has promised us that through Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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CHILDREN’S SERMON

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PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Open our eyes Lord that we may see. Open our ears that we may hear. Open our hearts that we may receive. And open our ways that we may obey. In the name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.

—Susan Parker

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We ask you to bless us this morning,

Grant us eyes that we might see,

Grant us ears that we might hear,

Grant us hearts that we might receive,

All that you desire to reveal this day. Amen.

—Kenny Butcher

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God of the word, you teach us through the prophets of long ago and the professors of today. We long to know you as best we can. We know that reading your word is a part of that process. Make our minds and hearts ready to receive the word that you have for us now. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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Loving God, illumine our minds and hearts that we may see you more clearly and love you more completely. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon the word that shall be proclaimed, that we may hear the word of God breathing freshly into our hearts and minds. Amen.

—Stan Wood

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Holy Spirit, as we read words written long ago and far away, we seek your light to shine on and through them so we can best understand the message that you have for us today. We pause to thank you for scholars of all types who provide us with translations and commentary so we can hear your Word most clearly. Enable us to take all that we know and all that we need to learn and meet you in the living word today. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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SCRIPTURE TEXTS/SERMON IDEAS

• Isaiah 5:1-7—This is the story of a vineyard being torn down and laid waste. The vineyard represents Israel. God has tried to bring leaders to the nation to warn them of the danger of not following him. The sermon could encourage leaders to be bold and active in warning of the danger of being without Christ.
• Jeremiah 23:23-29—Here the prophet asks God, “How long?” How long will Israel turn its back? The scripture mentions the prophet who has a dream should share the dream. This would be a good sermon to encourage congregants to consider their call as leaders or prophets.
• Hebrews 11:2-12:2—This scripture tells of the suffering of the first leaders who suffered from spreading the word about Christ. It reminds us faith is greatly needed if we are to be leaders as suffering is sure to come.

—Susan Parker

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• Isaiah 50:4-9a (Both teacher and student)
• Acts 8:26-40 (Philip and the Ethiopian)
• Acts 17:10-15 (Learn like a Berean)

—Kenny Butcher

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• Exodus 16:2-15 is a lectionary text for this Sunday. This is the story of the Israelites crying out in the desert for food and water. God provides both through the mysterious manna which appears each morning. A preacher could use this scripture to focus on the ways in which God provides for our needs—including our needs as congregations for educated men and women who can teach and preach the biblical texts with authority.
• Matthew 20:1-16 is also a lectionary text for this Sunday. A preacher could use a similar theme here. God will find the workers for the vineyard and God will provide work for every worker called. An analogy could be drawn between the vineyard and the seminary and/or vocation within the Church.
• 1 Samuel 3:1-10 is deviating from the lectionary and is the passage upon which this liturgy is based. It is the familiar call story of Samuel who is a young boy hearing God’s voice for the first time. Important themes for seminary Sunday are found in this passage. A preacher can focus on the call itself, but also tie in the education which Samuel had received and continues to receive from Eli. Without Eli’s guidance, Samuel would not have recognized or had the ability to live into his calling. This is our hope for a seminary education—which MTS is providing for men and women to live into their callings.

—Tiffany McClung

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• Genesis 3:1-5 Exploration of the Call to Ministry
• Jeremiah 8:20-22 Is There a Balm in Gilead?
• Mark 8:31-38 The Cost of Discipleship
• II Timothy 2:15 The Need for Theological Education

—Stan Wood

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• Romans 10:11-17─How can they believe unless someone is sent to proclaim Good News
• Matthew 28:16-20─The Great Commission
• Proverbs 1:1-7─Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise instruction
• Colossians 3:12-17─Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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• These worship elements are written with the lectionary texts for March 2, 2014 (Transfiguration of the Lord) in mind. Those texts are:
  • Exodus 24:12-18
  • Psalm 2 or Psalm 99
  • 2 Peter 1:16-21
  • Matthew 17:1-9

 

• Other possible texts for Seminary Sunday include:
  • Proverbs 4:10-13
  • 2 Timothy 3:14-16
  • John 1:1-5
  • Luke 1:16-17

—Tiffany McClung

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SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS (VIDEOS, TAPED SONGS)

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PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

O God of grace and mercy, we come to you today to ask your blessings on your people. We pray for the sick, those hurting emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially. We pray for your Church. We pray for this church. We pray for the leaders of Memphis Theological Seminary. We pray for the students, faculty and staff. We pray for those considering a call to ministry in any way or any place. Give them peace and knowledge as they seek to determine where they should serve and how. Give us all the faith to go do what we know you have called each and everyone to do. We pray these things in the name of Christ who taught us to pray:

(say the Lord’s Prayer together)

—Susan Parker

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Lord of all creation,

You tell us in your word that if we are anxious about anything,

With prayers and supplication to make our request known to you,

Then the peace of God which transcends all understanding will come.

Help us, O Lord, to take this invitation seriously this morning.

May this be the hour that we bring every anxious thought before you,

Silently pray about what makes you anxious today.

God of power and might,

Hear our prayer.

 Father of all comforts,

It would be easy for us to be crushed by the weight of our worries,

To be consumed by the pain and mourning we experience each day.

Let us remember the words of our Lord, who said,

“Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

May this be the hour that we refuse to hide our pain from you,

Silently pray about what makes you hurt today.

God of power and might,

Hear our prayer.

 God of all wisdom,

Our world is filled with worldly wisdom,

Wisdom that is neither from you nor points to you,

Wisdom that could even cause the faithful to have doubts.

Bless us with the gift of discernment to know what is true.

Bless us with teachers to teach us what is true.

Bless us with hearts to receive what is true.

May this be the hour that we share our doubts with you.

Silently pray about what makes you doubt today.

God of power and might,

Hear our prayer.

 Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers,

May we find peace in your faithfulness.

May we find comfort in your presence.

May we find wisdom in your teaching.

In Jesus’ name we pray these things. Amen.

—Kenny Butcher

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Call to prayer: As those called by God, we are invited to engage in ministry through prayer for ourselves, our community, and the world. Today we also pray especially for our seminary, Memphis Theological Seminary. There will be moments of silence throughout the prayer for you to offers your private prayers to God. Let us pray…

Holy and loving God, you call in the night and we get confused. You say our names and we want to just go back to sleep. We praise you for loving us so much that you awaken us to the needs of the world. Enable us to be mindful of the needs which are close to home and far away.

When the world as we know it was dark as night, you imagined something greater and spoke it into existence. It is so good, God, and we have not taken care of it. We pray for your creation—for trees, flowers, animals, the ocean—and we long to return it to what you first imagined.  We pray for creation.

(Silence)

You call all nations to be in ministry alongside you, but we choose to fight over who is best or has the most or is the strongest. We pray for the nations of the world: that peace will come, that death due to starvation exists no longer, that leaders make decisions which help the people rather than continue systems of injustice and evil. We pray for all nations and their leaders.

(Silence)

We live in a nation that speaks of “One nation under God” and “In God we trust,” but we do not treat one another in ways that embody those words. Rather than rising to answer your call, we roll over and pull the covers over our heads. You keep calling nonetheless and provide us with all kinds of opportunities to do ministry alongside you as citizens of this country. We pray for our nation.

(Silence)

You call out to us to love our neighbor. We look around our city and ask, “Who is our neighbor?” We want to better serve the city in which we live. We want our city to be an example of living according to your will. Help our city and state leaders, our governor and mayor, city council persons, and all those who make decisions on our behalf. Wake them up to your will. We pray for our city.

(Silence)

From the first arguments between Peter and Paul, you have called your Church to be united. Make the universal Church a light in the dark world. Keep it from adding confusion to our society. Grant it the ability to share your love in every corner of the world as one body. We pray for the Church Universal.

(Silence)

Sometimes, God, we feel like our small church can’t make that big of a difference. You call us to specific ministry at particular times and we want to answer that call with “Your servant is listening!” Give us ears to hear and eyes to see where you are leading our congregation. We pray for our church.

(Silence)

Today you have reminded us that it is important to educate men and women as they answer your call in their lives. We know that Memphis Theological Seminary is our seminary. We want to support the work that you are doing through it. We know that you will keep calling in the night. We know that ministers will continue to need to be educated in order to be the best they can be for you. We pray for those men and women called into ministry and for Memphis Theological Seminary.

(Silence)

We take time in our prayers, God, to remember how big the world is. We sit in silence to remember that you have called us to participate in global ways in what you are doing. Sometimes that is hard to remember, though. It is especially hard to remember when we or someone we love is hurting, sick, dying, or mentally ill. We pray for those now.

(Silence)

The ways in which you call us astound us, God. The ways in which you share your love with us keeps us up at night. The ways in which you allow us to minister alongside you makes us want to cry out, “Here I Am!” You are an amazing God. We praise you for being such a personal God that we can bring all of this and so much more to you. We pray to you, God, in the name of Jesus, the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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We give you thanks, Holy and Everlasting God, Sovereign Lord, for you have acted graciously and justly, and we are witnesses to your mighty acts. You call, and we respond. You lead, and we follow. You take care of each one. We thank you for the constancy of your loving kindness and tender mercies toward us.

On this special Sunday, we thank you for theological education. We pray for Memphis Theological Seminary, a community where many religious leaders have studied.  By your grace, you have formed it into a community of learners and seekers of truth. Empower all who are currently a part of that seminary community and give them the assurance of your abiding presence.

You have gathered them in one body—from the north and south, east and west, across racial lines, across denominational affiliations, male and female, conservatives, moderates and liberals, rich and poor. Unite them in a spirit of love and in pursuit of excellence of character.

Surprise the community with the discovery of how much of your kingdom they can experience.  Let your kingdom be alive among them, and let them see evidence of it in the way they meet, greet, respect, and protect the rights of each other.

Thank you for the many wonderful people who contribute their gifts to help to shape this community:

—Thank you for the commitment of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church that this seminary be ecumenical and remain open to various traditions, faiths and cultures.

—We thank you for the tireless and painstaking work of the Board of Trustees. You have assigned to them the oversight of this institution, and we ask you to guide them in all their decision-making. Order their doings that your kingdom may be advanced.

—Thank you for those who serve as administrators and staff, many who serve behind the scenes to keep the institution afloat. Thank you for their dedication, their love for you, and their commitment to the institution.

—Thank you for those who teach. Create in the Memphis Theological Seminary professors inquiring minds and good understanding, so that all they teach may learn your truth and do it gladly.

—Thank you for the students, unique and dedicated individuals with inquiring minds, maturing faith, and love for you. Thank you for bringing to this seminary, men and women who sacrifice greatly and who endure difficult schedules, because they are eager to learn more and thus serve your people better. Give them tender hearts, loving hearts, caring and compassionate hearts, but also give them tough minds to wrestle with your word, so that, as they speak and act for you, listeners may repent and return to love, believing in Jesus Christ who is our Lord and master.

You have drawn that community in faith to follow your son. It is he who is the way that leads to you. He is the truth which fills with joy. He is the life that sustains and gives hope. Receive our thanks for Memphis Theological Seminary, in the name of Jesus, our friend. Amen.

—Stan Wood

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(any of the following petitions can be included with other prayers for the sick, dying, and people in any other need)

God of all wisdom and learning, we pray for those who teach at Memphis Theological Seminary and in the Program of Alternate Studies. Give them wisdom to know your ways, and energy to teach with passion the women and men under their instruction. Save them from the pursuit of empty knowledge, and kindle in them a love for your word and your sacred teaching. May your Spirit inspire in them the love and devotion to your way that adds depth and devotion to knowledge, and crown all their learning with the love of Jesus Christ.

Guide the students who are studying to prepare themselves for the office of ministry in your church. Give them energy and endurance to persevere in their work, so that they may be well equipped servants, powerful proclaimers and teachers of your gospel of salvation for the whole world. Help them learn to lead, with humility and grace, as co-workers with all the faithful in your mission to reconcile all people to you.

Bless all who administer our educational programs: trustees, administrators, accountants, directors, those who care for facilities, and all who work in Memphis Theological Seminary and the Program of Alternate Studies with your guidance and mercy. May they share their gifts from you for the purpose of building up the whole body of Christ.

By your Holy Spirit, continue to call men and women to service in your church. Help us to create the kind of community where those who are called to such service may hear that call, and respond in faith. Help us to honor those who are called to ministry with our prayers, our support, and our encouragement, so that your church may be strengthened for its work.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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As prayers of intercession are offered, there will be moments of silence during which you are invited to pray silently for those who have been lifted up.

Together, let us pray for God’s children in the church and throughout the world.

May our search for education make us able to recognize the needs of the world so that we work for peace, justice, and righteousness. God, we pray for the world.

Silence

May we learn what it means to be your church in the world. We pray for the universal church and all its leaders. We pray for our denomination, our moderator, team leaders, and presbyteries. Help us to be the light of Christ for everyone seeking to know you better. God, we pray for the church.

Silence

May we realize that our nation has a long way to go to be all you dream for us. Help us to grow as neighbors and seek what is best for all rather than only a few. God, we pray for the nation.

Silence

May our community be one where every voice is heard and every need is met. Enable us to be a community of equality and acceptance. God, we pray for our community.

Silence

May Memphis Theological Seminary be strengthened through the next few years so that this ministry of our denomination can grow in teaching women and men to be ministers for the real world. God, we pray for MTS.

Silence

May our friends and family be well, joyful, and good. Bless those who grieve. Bless those who suffer from illness. Bless those who struggle financially, spiritually, or emotionally. Empower us to share the peace that passes all understanding with them. God, we pray for our family and friends.

Silence

May we never forget all those who have taught us in the faith, who have now found their home with you in eternity. We thank you for the cloud of witnesses which include some of the giants of MTS history – Colvin Baird, Hubert Morrow, Joe Ben Irby, Bill Ingram, Thomas H. Campbell, among others. We celebrate their lives, their love for education, and their witness to the resurrection through Jesus Christ. God, we remember all those who have died in the faith.

Silence

For these we pray, Eternal God, as Jesus taught us to 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.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and power and the glory forever. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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LITANY

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INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

God calls upon each and every one of us to give of our resources to the work of the kingdom. Today in addition to the other ministries we support, we ask for a special gift for Memphis Theological Seminary and the work they do there to educate men and women to lead people to Christ. We will be using some of these funds to support MTS and the students there.

—Susan Parker

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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” —James 1:17

Consider the blessings God has poured into our lives,

Let us now respond to God’s generosity as the Holy Spirit leads us to do so.

—Kenny Butcher

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God has provided us with so much and the amazing thing is this. God invites us to join in the ministry, to actually work alongside God in this world! We do that in many and varied ways through our congregational life. One way we are invited to participate today is by giving a special gift to Memphis Theological Seminary on this Seminary Sunday. In addition to your normal giving to the congregation, you are invited to join God in the educating of men and women for all kinds of ministry all over the world. Give and give generously.

—Tiffany McClung

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God calls us to be good stewards of all that has been entrusted to our care—the earth, the world, and all that dwells therein. As good stewards, may we honor the Lord by presenting our tithes and offerings in a spirit of worship.

—Stan Wood

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Today is Seminary Sunday. Our denomination provides us the opportunity once a year to stop and remember that pastors and teachers don’t just fall out of the sky ready to enlighten us. We are a denomination that values education and longs to provide the best education possible for men and women who are called to be in full-time ministry in the real world. As we bring our gifts to God today, may we thank God for those pastors, preachers, chaplains, teachers, and missionaries who are educated through Memphis Theological Seminary.

—Tiffany McClung

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OFFERTORY PRAYER

God we thank you for these gifts, for the giver and we pray these funds will be used to bring honor and glory to the ministry in this world. Amen.

—Susan Parker

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Almighty God,

Your kindness and favor knows no bounds,

You are quick to love and share with your children.

We know that we are a blessed people.

We offer these gifts with humble hearts of thanksgiving.

May you use them to further your kingdom.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

—Kenny Butcher

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Generous and thoughtful God, thank you for calling us to work alongside you in ministry. May our time in our workplaces and in our volunteer activities reflect your generosity and caring. May these material financial gifts be used to serve you beyond these walls and out into the whole world. Bless these gifts. Bless us as we give. But, most of all, God, may we bless you in our giving and our living. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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O God, accept our gifts this day. Thank you for this opportunity to return to you a portion of what you have entrusted to us. We offer you our very best. Consecrate and bless these gifts.   May they bless the work of ministry both here and Memphis Theological Seminary. Amen.

—Stan Wood

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God of wisdom, we bring these gifts to you today to support the ministry of this local congregation as well as Memphis Theological Seminary. We do not do this lightly for we realize what an impact our gifts can have in working alongside you to bring women and men to follow your call into the varied ministries you educate them for through our seminary. We ask you to bless these gifts now, that they be used wisely and well, that they touch the lives of local congregations by providing well-educated and good pastors and teachers, and they bless your kingdom on earth in a very real way. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

May the love of Almighty God, the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, and the power and joy of the Holy Spirit go with each and every one of you as you leave this place to answer God’s call in your life. Amen.

—Susan Parker

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Be watchful;

Always listening to hear,

Always ready to learn,

Always seeking to apply the lessons the Lord brings you each day!

May the Lord of all wisdom

Make you to know God’s ways,

Teach you to follow God’s paths,

Lead you to embrace God’s truth.

All praise to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Amen.

—Kenny Butcher

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As you go,

Go knowing that God is calling you.

Each of us is called. You are no exception.

Listen. You are charged to listen. Listen and obey.

 

As you do that, may the God who calls continue to speak.

May the Christ who saves continue to surprise.

And, may the Spirit who fills us continue to guide.

Today and every day. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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Let us carry out our lives with commitment to our God. With every gift and with our hearts, let us serve God and all of God’s children, with every moment of our lives.

Go in peace. You are forgiven.

Go in service. Remember those in prison, the poor, the anxious, the despairing, and those who fear death. Tell them by your life that they are loved.

Go in the power of God. May God be with you and abide with you now and forever. Amen.

—Stan Wood

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Go, now, down from the mountain and into the “real world.” Share what you know to be true. Seek what you do not know. And, follow Jesus each step of the way. As you do, may God bless you with tablets of instruction and may the light of the Christ guide you all the days of your life. Amen.

—Tiffany McClung

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OTHER HELPS (COMMISSION, COMMUNION, BLESSINGS)

The mission of Memphis Theological Seminary is to educate and sustain men and women for ordained and lay Christian ministry in the church and the world through shaping and inspiring lives devoted to scholarship, piety and justice. Today, we are invited to reflect on the role of theological education and to pray for the ministry of Memphis Theological Seminary where many of our religious leaders have been or are being educated.

—Stan Wood

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Seminary Sunday is a day designated by the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church to highlight the work of Memphis Theological Seminary and the Program of Alternate Studies in providing theological education for the women and men who are called to ordained and lay ministries within the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The following suggested worship elements are intended to give ideas for pastors and worship planners to use in worship on that Sunday. Please feel free to adapt any of the resources here suggested to the needs of your local worshipping community of faith. You may contact the Advancement Office at Memphis Theological Seminary for bulletin inserts about the work of MTS/PAS and offering envelopes for the collection of a special offering to support these vital ministries in our church.

—Jay Earheart-Brown

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If you give a regular invitation to discipleship during worship, consider focusing the invitation this Sunday on God’s call to service as pastor, educator, youth worker, missionary, or some other form of vocational ministry. Emphasize the church’s need for leadership, and God’s call to women and men, young and old.

—Jay Earheart-Brown