Liturgy | SEP 6 | 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.

HOUSE OF GOD FOREVER

God is my shepherd
I won’t be wanting
I won’t be wanting

He makes me rest
In fields of green
With quiet streams

Even though I walk
Through the valley
Of death and dying

I will not fear
Cause you are with me
You are with me

Your shepherd’s staff
Comforts me
You are my feast
In the presence of enemies
Surely goodness
Will follow me
Follow me
In the house of God forever

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.

ENDLESS ALLELUIA

In the morning when I rise to meet You
In the morning when I lift my eyes
You’re the only One I want to cling to
You’re the first thought on my mind

Let our voices rise
All creation cries
Singing out an endless alleluia
From this moment on
Join with Heaven’s song
Singing out an endless alleluia!

In the moments where You go unnoticed
In the ordinary day to day
Countless miracles of life around us
Point like arrows to Your name

Only a moment to live this life
Like shooting stars burning up the night
Till Heaven’s opened and we arrive
In Your presence, Lord
In Your presence, Lord…

Let our voices rise
All creation cries
Singing out an endless alleluia
From this moment on
Join with Heaven’s song
Singing out an endless alleluia!

In the evening when I lay my head down
In the evening when I close my eyes
You’re still the only One I want to cling to
You’re the last thought on my mind

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

Job 25

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

2 “Dominion and awe belong to God;
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.

3 Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?

4 How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?

5 If even the moon is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,

6 how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
    a human being, who is only a worm!”

Romans 12:9-21

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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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