Lent 2001: Building An Altar of the Fragments

 

Seekers Church

A Christian Community

In the Tradition of the Church of the Saviour

 

Lent 2001

 Building An Altar of the Fragments

 

REFLECTION

 

Concerning your sacrifices and your burnt offering I commanded not your ancestors.  What have I asked, and what have I sought of you but to fear me?  To serve with joy and a good heart; behold to hearken is better than to sacrifice, and a broken heart than a whole offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

 

I will build an altar of the broken fragments of my heart, and will bow my spirit within me.   

(from a Jewish Hymn of Unity, part of the daily morning prayer service)

 

PRELUDE

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

One:                Let us worship the God who calls us!

Let us bring our sacrifices of praise!

Let us declare the wonders of God!

 

Community:    We come from the broken places of the world,

gathering the shards of harried lives,

bringing our offerings of tears and joy.

 

One:                We gather as the ever-broken,

ever-risen Body of Christ,

our lives poured out for the healing of the world,

our lives made new in the promises of God.

 

All:                   Let us worship the God who calls us.

Let us bring our sacrifices of praise.

Let us declare the wonders of God.

 

INVOCATION

 

HYMN

 

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

 

SILENCE

 

CHANT

All:                         O God, be not far from me.

My soul thirsts for you.

I seek you;

Be near, I pray.

 

PRAYER

COMMON CONFESSION

One:                      Hear our cry, O God.

Hear this our prayer of longing.

The smoke of our desire rises up to you.

We come to you brokenhearted.

 

First Voice:            The cracks in our fragile world

grow wider every day,

split by our greed and complacency.

We come to you brokenhearted.

 

Second Voice:      We take as much as we can grab.

Our idol is scarcity.

We do not remember

your promises of milk and honey.

We come to you brokenhearted.

 

All:                         Those in need sit outside the door,

unable to walk and with little to eat.

We try not to look as we come and go.

We come to you brokenhearted.

 

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

 

 

ASSURANCE

One:                Here on the altar

are the broken pieces of our heart, God.

We trust that you will knit them together

to renew in us a right spirit.

 

COMMUNITY PRAYERS

 

HYMN

 

THE WORD

First Lesson   

Silence

Gospel Lesson

Sermon

Silent Reflection

 

OFFERING

 

SHARED REFLECTIONS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

 

HYMN

 

BENEDICTION 

One:                Let us build an altar

from the fragments of these broken times;

Let us cry out for those who have no voice;

Let us work with what we have,

to help bring healing, justice and mercy

to those whose lives

are filled with fear and suffering;

and know that God is with us,

even in the dark of doubt.

Amen.