GATHERING

the paschal candle is lit before people enter

Welcome & Announcements[Andrew]

  • welcome & introductions

Sharing in Celebrations & Moments of Awe [Sarah & Lauren]

+ silence +

Preparation: (Choir)“O Lilium convallium” Notre Dame School 12-13th century

[trans. on screen]

trans. O lily of the valley, hope of all the faithful, light of lights. O daughter, O mother who redeems us through your son. Hail, O healer who frees us from suffering.

Opening Prayer[words not on screen] “Help Me Listen,” by Ted Loder (Guerrillas of Grace)

O Holy One,

We hear and say so many words,

Yet yours is the word we need.

Speak now,

And help us listen;

And, if what we hear is silence,

Let it quiet us,

Let it disturb us,

Let it touch our need,

Let it break our pride,

Let it shrink our certainties,

Let it enlarge our wonder. Amen.

Opening Hymn: MV 150 “Spirit God, Be Our Breath”

Prayers of Confession and Reconciliation[Sarah & Lauren]

Sung Response: Kyrie eleison (x 4)[MV 69]

Prayer…

+ silence +

Sung Response: Kyrie eleison (x 4)

…prayer, contd....

Sung Response: Kyrie eleison (x 4)

Amen.

Words of Assurance[Sarah & Lauren]

The Peace

The Peace of Christ be with you all! And also with you.

WORD

. . . after a time of sharing the Peace . . .

Song: MV 21 “Open Our Hearts”

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 [from the Inclusive Bible] – reader?

This is the witness of Israel.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel: John 9:1-41 (excerpts) [read by Lauren or Sarah]

The Good News of Jesus Christ!

God is with us.

We are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

Song: (seated): MV 21 “Open Our Hearts”

Sermon: Sarah & Lauren

+silence+

RESPONSE

Choral Anthem: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

music trad, arr Malcolm Dalglish, words: Robert Robinson and Malcolm Dalglish

Dedication of the Peace & Justice Mosaic [Greg et al.]

[begins on next page]

One: Over the past year, the Emmanuel College community has developed a mosaic of peace and justice with support from four professional artists. As a community, we offered our own ideas of peace and justice; we described a vision and articulated a commitment. From that input, the artists designed the mosaic that we, as a community, brought to fruition. Today we dedicate this work to God’s mission of peace, justice, reconciliation, and abundant life right here on earth.

[Pause]

We light a candle to acknowledge the transformation that can come from brokenness.

[Light candle]

Creator, we lift our hearts to you, and you hold them up.

You see all creation as holy and all creatures as kin,
and we thank you for the abundance of creation.

Like the air we breathe, your forgiveness surrounds us at all times
and we thank you as we inhale it.

Like the water with which we baptize, your love cleanses us
and we thank for transformation in our own lives.

Like the fire that warms us, your Spirit enlivens us
and we thank you for the impetus to seek new life

Like the earth that feeds us, you offer a firm foundation
and we thank you for our knowledge of you, incomplete as it ever shall be.

Guide us and give us courage as we look back on the brokenness and toward transformation.

Two: We light a candle to celebrate God’s unwavering invitation into relationship and wholeness

[Light candle]

Mother-Father-Parent God,

You patiently stand by us, ready to embrace us at all times.
You encourage us to fly with eagles
And you help us up when we fall.

You bless us with the freedom to seek you of our own volition.

You bless us with our own identities and our own desires and you invite us to bring our uniqueness into relationship equally with our supporters as with our detractors.

We remember that you made yourself known to us in Jesus,
to whom we can relate,
whose suffering often looks like our own,
whose struggle for justice cost him his life,
and whose revelation lives.

Accompany us on our journey for wholeness,
a journey that leads us against the current to challenge the status quo.

Three: We light a candle for the communities in which the work for peace and justice manifests.

[Light candle]

God in this world and beyond;

You challenge us to imagine what seems impossible

You agitate us beyond our comfort

And you remind us that we are not alone.

There is much work to do
and we thank you that we do it in community with many hands, many minds, and many points of view.

May our work be for something far greater than our individual selves.

As we live, work, and grow alongside others,
grant us awareness of our impacts so that we can be of benefit in your name.

Sacred Spirit, be present in our lives and in our works.
Fill the voids and open us to see and touch the world according to your will.

Grant us the strength to resist injustice actively and non-violently
in community and in pursuit of the whole, abundant life you promised in Jesus.

One: We dedicate these works of art to the glory of God, which we see as every creature fully alive. We commit to view these works as an acknowledgement of brokenness and as a desire for the wholeness made possible by peace and justice. May this mosaic remind us of the work we have to do and that by God’s grace, indeed it can be done.

As we sing the refrain on the screen, come to the table. Lay your hands on these works, taking time to allow your prayer to pass into them.

[on screen:]

The kindom of God is justice and peace[MV 146]

and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Come, God, and open in usthe gates of your kindom.

after singing, when all are seated, music fades, then:

. . . we gather these and all our prayers in the spirit of Jesus, praying together:

“Modern Paraphrase of Lord’s Prayer” Garrett Epp

[on screen:]

God, who gives birth to the world,

Who gives us breath,

Fill us with your light,

And help us to usher in your reign of love, justice,

And peace here on earth.

Tune us to the harmony of the heavens;

Teach us to sing your name.

Grant us wisdom, hope, and compassion

For all living things,

And feed us what we need each day.

Free us from what binds us,

As we release others from guilt and shame.

Help us to focus on what is good,

And to do what is right;

Teach us how to love.

Renew our hearts, our minds, our strength,

And make us wholly yours. Amen.

GOING FORTH

Closing Hymn: VU 389, vs. 1, 2, 4 “God Is Here”

Blessing and Sending Forth

Sarah & Lauren

Going Forth music

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