September -- A New Beginning for a New Music Ministry Year 

September is the beginning of a new ministry year for so many of us.  So I'd like to start off this ministry year by sharing my plans for September -- creative calls to worship, anthem selections, prayer responses, and visuals.

September 11th:  The Lectionary scripture that will be used is Luke 15:1-10 and will focus on the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin.

• Call to Worship:  We use the Abingdon Worship Annual for our Call to Worship and Prayer of Confession.  The one we've selected for September 11th asks the congregation to respond by saying, "All are welcome here."  In various hymnals, Marty Haugen's "All Are Welcome" can be found.  (These resources can be found at Hymnary.org.)  The refrain of this hymn is a perfect musical response for this call to worship.  So instead of speaking "All are welcome here," we will be singing "All are welcome here."
• Anthem:  "Give Me Jesus with Steal Away" arranged by Ruth Elaine Schram, Lorenz Publishing. 
• Closing Hymn:  "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us"

September 18th:  The Lectionary scripture that will be used is Luke 16:1-15 - the Parable of the Shrewd Manager.  Also, included in this Sunday's Lectionary is Jeremiah 8: 22, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then have my people not been restored to health?"  Also, our congregation is emphasizing the theme of peace for this worship service.

• Choral Introit:  Mark Miller's "There's A Spirit of Love In This Place," W&S#3148, to emphasize our theme of peace.
• Opening Hymn:  "There Is A Balm in Gilead" to connect with the Jeremiah lectionary selection.
• Litany for Peace (during the Lord's Prayer):  We will be using this litany written by Joe Wadsworth.
• Our anthem, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," arranged by Cindy Berry, Hope Publishing, ties in with the final verses of the Luke 16 lectionary reading.
• Closing Hymn and Benediction:  Last year, our church purchased a Peace Pole.  For our closing hymn, we will exit the sanctuary, congregate around the peace pole, and sing "Let There Be Peace on Earth" followed by the benediction.
• Visuals:  Last year we dedicated the entire month of September through World Communion Sunday to the theme of peace.  During that time, the congregation was encouraged to write replies to "how do you define peace" on pieces of ribbon.  These ribbons were woven together and framed.  The frames along with a "peace" plaque and a single candle were placed on the altar table for World Communion Sunday.  (We have also used the same visual during Advent for Peace Advent Sunday.)  We will once again place this visual on our altar table as we emphasize peace on this Sunday.

September 25th:  The Lectionary reading for today is Luke 16:19-31, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  Also included in today's lectionary reading is Psalm 91.

• Choral Introit:  "On Eagle's Wings" connects with the Psalm 91 lectionary reading.
• Prayer Response:  "Jesus, Remember Me" connects with the Luke 16 lectionary reading.
• Choral Anthem:  "You Are My All in All with Fairest Lord Jesus" arranged by Larry Shackley, Hope Publishing, ties in with the Luke reading.

I hope you have found some inspiration for your own worship planning for September.  Watch for the next blog post for World Communion Sunday in a couple of weeks.

Ash Wednesday Covered Dish Dinner Worship Service

As Lent approaches and plans are being made for special services, I have been working on an idea for a special interactive Ash Wednesday service.  At my church, we are planning on having a covered dish dinner and using that format to share a common meal.  After the meal, we will prepare to enter into Lent by receiving the sign of the cross and sharing Holy Communion in groups around our common tables.  As I started looking at ways we could make this service more interactive, I came upon three resources, and so I have taken elements from each to add interest and interaction to this worship service.

The three resources are:

1.            http://www.pcusa.org/resource/ash-wednesday-service/

2.            http://www.pcusa.org/resource/isaiah-58-choral-reading-three-voices/

3.            https://stpaulsbr.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/853/

The basic outline of the meal and service are as follows:

As people enter the fellowship hall for dinner, the pastor and designated elders place the sign of the cross using ashes on the people's foreheads.  They are instructed to be seated at one of the tables prepared for the meal.  Each table has a table leader or elder assigned to it.  The table leaders or elders instruct those at their table to read through the Lenten Self-Examination that is found printed on their placemat (see resource #3) and to meditate on Lent and their observations from the self-examination.  The table leaders can lead discussion at each table or allow those at their table to quietly meditate.  Once all have arrived...

Call to Order based on Joel 2:12-18 (see resource #1).  This call to worship requires two people plus the pastor.  I envision the voices coming from different tables.  The intent of the Call to Worship is to startle people out of their contemplation.  The use of a trumpet or trumpet call also is utilized to startle the people.

Blessing of the Meal

Sharing of a Common Meal Together

Choral Reading of Isaiah 58.  After the meal is shared, a choral reading of Isaiah 58 is read (see resource #2).  This reading requires three voices and should be done from the front of the room.

Prayer of Confession and Words of Assurance are shared by the pastor (see resource #1).

Presentation of Confirmands and Prayer of Intercession.  If your church has a confirmation class in session during Lent, this is an ideal time to introduce them and to bless their journey through confirmation.  (See resource #1)

Invitation to the Table.  During this portion of the service, all are invited to participate in Holy Communion and to also remember their baptism.  Instructions are given to come forward to have the ashes that were received when they entered the room removed and traced and replaced by water to remember their baptism.  Congregants are instructed to return to their table at which time the pastor blesses the elements and the table leaders or elders serve the bread & grape juice to each person at their table. (See resource #1)

Prayer after Communion.  (See resource #1.)

Congregational Hymn:  Let Us Worship God With Justice (See resource #3.)

Benediction

Sermon In Song - July 5, 2015

Today I "filled" the pulpit while our pastor is home recovering from a very serious illness.  Our congregation loves to sing hymns, so they helped me out and we did a Sermon in Song.  Here's the outline of what we did:

Reading:  Mark 6: 1-13
Song:  The Summons (Words & Music ©1987 Wild Good Resource Group, Iona Community, Scotland, GIA Publications, Inc., exclusive North American agent)

Jesus, Our Friend
Reading:  John 15:9-14
Hymn:  What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Hymn:  Jesus Is All the World To Me

Jesus, Our Rock of Salvation
Reading:  1 Corinthians 1:4-10
Hymn:  My Hope Is Built
Hymn:  Rock of Ages

Jesus, Our Guide
Reading:  John 10:7-18
Hymn:  He Leadeth Me
Hymn:  Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us

If you're looking for additional resources, check out Sermons in Scripture and Song by Jeff S. Smith.

 

Friendship...John 15:13-15

This week I have been wrestling with friendship...what it means to be a friend and how it affects my friendships. One of today's lectionary readings is from John 15:9-17.  In this passage, Jesus does not call his disciples servants, he calls them friends.  He tells them that the greatest love you can give a friend is to lay down your life for them -- an obvious foreshadowing of the sacrifice that Jesus will make for all of us.  Because Jesus has shared what he has learned from God with us, we can be called his friend.  Over a month ago, I selected the anthem that our choir sang today -- "What A Friend!" by Don Besig & Nancy Price.  This has been one of my favorite anthems for over 20 years.  It incorporates the hymn "What A Friend We Have in Jesus" with an original text:  "When you feel discouraged, when you're lost and alone, ask the Lord to help you.  He will claim you as His own.  If you need to find an answer, he will hear your silent prayer.  Anywhere life leads you, you will find Him always there."  Little did I know when I picked this anthem how significant the words of this anthem and the text of this scripture would be for me this week.

According to my Facebook page, I have over 500 "friends."  Are they truly friends or are they just acquaintances that I have passing relationships with or are "friendly" with?  So what's my criteria for calling someone a friend?  To be honest, it's probably NOT whether they love others, but whether they love me and I can find it in myself to love them in return.  The dictionary defines a friend as a person who you like and enjoy being with, a person attached to you by affection or esteem, a favored companion.  I can count on one hand the number of true friends that I have -- those that understand where I've come from, believe in where I am going in my life, accept me for who I am, and can remind me of who I am and why I am their friend.  Unfortunately, most of these friends are miles away from me and I don't get to see them very often.  I don't get to look into their eyes and see the genuine friendship that we share or hear their voice and the joy they have when they are with me.  The rest of those 500+ friends?  I have to accept the fact that they are just acquaintances who I have a friendly relationship with.  But to those who I truly count as friends, I feel that I have not lived up to the true meaning of a friend.  I have not been a good listener, I have not made them a priority in my life, and I have not reciprocated their friendship to me.  I can truly say that I have been discouraged and, yes, felt alone this week.  And I have been on my knees on numerous occasions this week asking the Lord for help.  And as always, I struggle with surrendering my needs to God.  But today's promise from Jesus that he laid down his life for me, that he will always love me, and that he will always be my friend gives me the hope I need to become a better friend.  

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

 

Sunday, January 18, 2015 - "Here I Am, Lord"

The Old Testament Lectionary reading for the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany is 1 Samuel 3:1-10 -- the story of Samuel and Eli.  We know that it took three times for the Lord to call Samuel's name before he finally responded to the Lord and told him he was listening.  And it was Eli's discernment that helped direct Samuel to listen to the Lord.

For several years, I have been wanting to do a scriptural dramatization in word and song to this passage from Samuel.  This dramatization can only be done this particular Sunday during this particular Lectionary year.  And the song that is used for this purpose is "Waiting" by Pepper Choplin.  I heard about this resource when I attended a reading session that was led by Pepper.  He had mentioned using "Waiting" for the 1 Samuel 3 passage.  It includes added interludes and some changes in words, but is easily done with a little practice and flexibility.  You can find the script on Pepper's website.  Just look for "Waiting" under his "anthems in print" section.

December 25, 2014 Devotional Blog - Celebrate

Today's reading from the LEC Family Advent Devotional is Luke 2:21-38 -- the naming of Jesus and the Song of Simeon.

There are two parts to this story.  The first part is the Jewish ritual that Mary and Joseph followed by taking Jesus to the temple when he was 8 days old to have him circumcised and to name him.  And Mary and Jesus also had to be purified.  We already know that his name will be Jesus.  This part of the story speaks to the responsibilities of Mary and Joseph as parents to Jesus.  The second part of the story is the Song of Simeon.  Simeon was a devout man and was told that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  Simeon had waited a long time for this day to come, and it had finally happened.  When Mary & Joseph brought Jesus into the Temple, Simeon took the child and praised God saying, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”  Mary & Joseph marveled at what he said.  There are three applications that we can take from this part of this passage:  be faithful, be focused, and God's plans for us are good and will be revealed to us in His timing.

Song of Simeon (Nunc Dimittis) 

by Alexander Gretchaninoff with English lyrics adapted by N. Lindsay Norden

sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir