Liturgy | AUG 30 | Job

Welcome & Key Info

Generosity Prayer

All that we have we have received from God. We bring nothing into this world and we take nothing out of it. We choose to follow the way of Jesus and increase in generosity until it can be said, ”there is no one in need among us.” We choose to be faithful stewards of all our resources: relationships, time, possessions, and money. We choose to be generous because our Father is generous, and as his daughters and sons we want to show the world what He is like.

CORNERSTONE

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name

Christ alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Savior’s love
Through the storm
He is Lord, Lord of all

When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil

Christ alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Savior’s love
Through the storm
He is Lord, Lord of all

When he shall come with trumpet sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless, stand before the throne

Faultless, stand before the throneChrist alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Savior’s love
Through the storm
He is Lord, Lord of all

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Part 1

LEADER: Our Father, loving maker of heaven and earth, we come before you with a posture of gratitude for all you have created and all you are creating in, around, and through us. We open our hands and our hearts to what you have in store for us. We thank you for your love and mercy that gives us life; may the name of Jesus be blessed above all names!

EVERYONE: We love because you first loved us.

LEADER: We offer prayers for the leadership of our country. We pray that our President, Donald Trump, the women and men of Congress, and our Supreme Court justices would rule with diligence, fairness, and kindness. We pray that they would resist and oppose deceitfulness, divisiveness, and self interest.

EVERYONE: May they know the weight of their responsibility and the levity of your grace.

LEADER: We pray for our parish, the City of Englewood; for which we are taking spiritual and social responsibility. We lift up prayers for our Mayor, Linda Olson, the members of our City Council, and Municipal Judge Joe Jefferson. Would you hold them up in their fatigue, grant them integrity in both public and private, and above all sustain them with your grace.

EVERYONE: May they be wise, kind, and gracious; cultivating love and generosity in this community.

LEADER: We pray for the mistreated in our parish; for those experiencing oppression and injustice on the basis of race, gender, and income. We pray against the spiritual and human systems, institutions, and laws that keep people down and hold people back.

EVERYONE: For the oppressed we pray for justice; for the oppressor we pray for repentance.

LEADER: We lament the shooting of Jacob Blake by law enforcement in Kenosha, Wisconsin. We pray for rapid healing in his body, and comfort and peace for his family and friends. We pray for action to be taken by those in power to prevent further police brutality. Lord, have mercy.

EVERYONE: Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: We celebrate the birth of Iris Jane Robinson-Stark to Jordan and Isaac, and Cameron Louise Penfold to Kevin and Katelyn. We pray every blessing over their new families, as well as health, joy, and peace.

EVERYONE: We thank you, oh Lord.

BUILD MY LIFE

Worthy of every song we could ever sing
Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for You

Jesus, the Name above every other name
Jesus, the only One who could ever save
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for You, we live for You

Holy, there is no one like You
There is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder
And show me who You are
And fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

And I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken

Holy, there is no one like You
There is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder
And show me who You are
And fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Part 2

LEADER: We offer prayers for our friends and family; for our loved ones, those who have been given to us, and to whom we have been given: [NAME]

LEADER: Bless them by drawing them near to Christ.

EVERYONE: Bless them, keep them, and grant them peace.

LEADER: We lift up those who don’t know you, that you may reveal yourself to them with your pursuing love and adopt them as your daughters and sons: [NAME]

LEADER: Draw them near to you, oh Lord.

EVERYONE: Invite them into your family just as you have invited us.

LEADER: And for those we know who face particular trials and tests this day: [NAME]

LEADER: Grant them grace and peace, oh Lord.

EVERYONE: Satisfy them and free them from their troubles.

LEADER: Make us a people who move out towards our city, making disciples as you have commissioned us.

EVERYONE: Strip from us our complacency and apathy, which prevent us from joining you in establishing your kingdom and will in Englewood as it is in heaven.

LEADER: Now with all your people on earth, we pray the prayer that Jesus taught those he called brothers and sisters and friends.

EVERYONE: 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory; forever and ever, amen

DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise him all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heav’nly hosts

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen

HOMILY | Nathan Hoag | What are we to do with Pain and Suffering?

Job 19
 

Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment me
    and crush me with words?
Ten times now you have reproached me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me
    and drawn his net around me.

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;

    though I call for help, there is no justice.
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
He has stripped me of my honor
    and removed the crown from my head.
10 He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope like a tree.
11 His anger burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.
12 His troops advance in force;
    they build a siege ramp against me
    and encamp around my tent.

13 “He has alienated my family from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends have forgotten me.
15 My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome to my own family.
18 Even the little boys scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.
19 All my intimate friends detest me;
    those I love have turned against me.
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.

21 “Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you pursue me as God does?
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!
25 I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,
    and then you will know that there is judgment.

  1. LAMENT: the world is not as it should be.
  2. DIG: discover the root of your lament
  3. CHOOSE: believe that God is listening and will redeem.

LAMENT & CONFESSION

LEADER: God of grace, you have always called your people to weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn;  

We join our voices together today in lament, confession, and celebration for all that has been done and all that remains undone.  

The effects of sin and brokenness are deep and wide: racism, sexism, abuse, economic disparity, violence, slavery and oppression of every kind.  

Let’s take a few seconds to reflect on this question: 

How have you recently observed the world or yourself to be incomplete, lacking, or broken?

May your grace and love heal with greater depth and width than any evil thing created or allowed by us.  

LEADER: Lord, have mercy.

EVERYONE: Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Most merciful God, we confess that we sinned against you, our neighbors, friends, family, and strangers by what we have done and what we have left undone.  

Let’s take a few seconds to reflect on this question: 

In what ways, internal or external, have you wronged another person, God, your environment, or yourself?

May your grace and love fill us and make us whole in spite of our propensity toward disobedience.  

LEADER: Lord, have mercy.  

EVERYONE: Christ, have mercy.

LEADER: Jesus, your yoke is easy and your burden is light. We are weary and we are broken

EVERYONE: Will you stand in our place? Will you hold us up? Reconcile us with God, with our neighbor, and with ourselves, we pray.

The Blessing

The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

COMMUNION

The Bread 

LEADER: The Lord is here

EVERYONE: His Spirit is with us.

LEADER: Lift up your hearts.

EVERYONE: We lift them to the Lord.

LEADER: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

EVERYONE: It is right to give Him thanks and praise

LEADER: We cling to the promise of the resurrection

EVERYONE: Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again.

The Cup

LEADER: We celebrate with courage all You have done today And hold on to hope for all You will do tomorrow.

EVERYONE: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and forever shall be. World without end! Amen!

BENEDICTION

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