GATHERING
ENTRANCE
REFLECTION
Jesus takes the Resistance beyond prophecy, beyond songs of hope and lamentation, beyond satire and mockery, and beyond apocalyptic visions to declare the inauguration of a new kingdom. With his birth, teachings, death, and resurrection, Jesus has started a revolution. It just doesn’t look the way anyone expects.
Rachel Held Evans, Inspired, p. 140
LIGHTING THE ALTAR CANDLE
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Come and see
the revolutionary realm
of God’s goodness.
People: The realm of God is filled
with surprising delights.
Leader: Come and join
the unexpected life of the Spirit.
People: The realm of God flows
in us, around us, and through us.
Leader: Come, follow Jesus
into the eternal realm of God.
People: We are following Jesus
to become what we already are:
the holy, risen Body of Christ,
filling the world with grace and love.
OPENING PRAYER
HYMN
WORD FOR THE CHILDREN
SILENCE
PRAYERS
CONFESSION
Leader: Holy God, you call us to live
in a revolutionary realm.
People: We are used to the life we have,
and look for ways to keep it
in the face of chaos.
Leader: Living Christ, we want to join you on the Way.
People: We struggle to take care of those we love,
and don’t want to give much away.
Leader: Jesus’ revolutionary life and death and resurrection
points to a path of hope we do not understand.
All: We struggle to keep the faith in these unsettling times.
INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
ASSURANCE
Leader: God loves us unconditionally,
forgiving all our fears and failures,
showing us new ways to live and love
in these chaotic times.
People: Amen.
THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE
INTERCESSION AND PETITION
COMMITMENT
All: O Holy One, we come today
to claim our relationship with you.
We pray for the commitment to grow together,
sharing the gifts you give us with others
here and in the wider world.
Forgive us for the hurt we have inflicted
and help us forgive those who have hurt us.
Give us strength and discipline
to nurture our relationship with you;
to care for every part of your creation;
to foster justice and be in solidarity with those in need;
to work to end all war, and violence, and discord;
and to respond joyfully when you call,
freely giving our selves as you have shown the way.
We open our hearts to you and your creation
in the name of Jesus, who is the Christ. Amen.
HYMN
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE
SERMON
SILENT REFLECTION
OFFERING
Whether you are here in person or attending on Zoom, offerings may be made by sending a check to the church or through PayPal by clicking on the Donate button on the Seekers website or at PayPal.Me/SeekersChurch. Those in the sanctuary are welcome to place their offerings in the plate on the altar.
COMMUNION
PREPARATION
Leader 1: This is the table of the heavenly feast,
the joyful celebration of the people of God.
Leader 2: We gather now as one body, joined around the table.
united in Christ’s spirit, broken and whole all at once.
All: Nourished and hungry, loved and loving,
sinner and forgiven, we make one circle
of knowing, believing, rejoicing, being,
as God lights and rests among us.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
Leader 1: Holy God of the unexpected,
we give thanks for your deep caring
for each of us.
People: We give you thanks for Jesus the Christ,
who showed us how to trust his ways of living,
even when they led him to the cross.
Leader 2: We give you thanks for your Holy Breath of Life,
supporting each of us as we strive to follow Jesus.
All: We give you thanks for your Holy Church,
where we share and learn and care for one another.
BLESSING THE ELEMENTS
Leader 1: Christ invites everyone to eat the bread of life,
to drink the cup of the new covenant.
Leader 2: Jesus said, I am the bread of life.
You who come to me shall never hunger;
you who believe in me shall never thirst.
Leader 1: On the night he gave himself up, Jesus took bread,
and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said,
This is my body,
broken for the healing of the world.
Whenever you eat it, do so remembering me.
Leader 2: After supper, Jesus took the cup and said,
This is the cup of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for all.
Whenever you drink it, do so remembering me.
All: O Holy One, send down your Spirit
that these gifts of grain and grape,
and work of human hands
may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Unite us with Christ forever
and bring us with the whole creation
to your eternal realm.
SHARE THE ELEMENTS
As a sign of gathering in spirit while scattered, you may want to lift your bread and cup toward your camera.
Leader 1: The body of Christ, broken for all of us.
Feed on Christ in your hearts with thanksgiving.
Leader 2: The cup of the new covenant, poured out for the healing of the world.
Drink deeply of it.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION
All: God of abundance and mercy,
we give joyful thanks
for your eternal love and healing presence
in our celebration of bread and cup.
Bless this Body of Christ
that we may attend faithfully to our call to be your servants,
with each other and throughout the world. Amen.
SHARED REFLECTIONS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HYMN
BENEDICTION
Leader: Let us follow Jesus in the revolution he started,
not looking for it to be anything we expect,
but working as we are called
to bring about the realm of God in our time.
And let us greet each other
and everyone we meet
with grace and peace.
People: Amen.
