56B – Sunday 24B

55B - Sunday 23B57B - Sunday 25B
 
See also my post from 2012, 2018, 2021

 
CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 19)
Come into this sacred space to worship God
whose teaching is perfect;
whose directions are sure.
Come into this holy place to worship God
whose standards are right;
whose commandment is clear;
whose judgements are true.
Come with holy fear —
to be given life, and made wise,
to have your heart stirred and your eyes opened wide.
Come — let us worship God.
Let the words of our mouths and the whispering of our hearts
be acceptable to you,
Source of life,
Word of life,
Breath of life. Amen.

PRAYER OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION    (from Psalm 19)
Your glory, O God
is declared in the holy silence of the heavens,
and told in the silent succession of day and night.
No speech, or word or voice is heard;
yet they speak to all the world,
and their words reach to the ends of the earth. 
The sun joyfully leaps across the sky,
from one end of the heavens to the farthest reaches,
and nothing is hidden from its heat or light.
So nothing that we do or say or whisper in our hearts 
is hidden from you, Lord God.
Release us from the darkness we hide deep within our lives.
Let our lives be radiant with holy fear;
delighting in your teaching, 
receiving insight from your commandments
and wisdom from your encouraging. 
Enliven our desire for your everlasting judgements
over wealth or fame:
to enjoy the sweet drippings of the honeycomb,
that are to be found 
in right relationship with those around us,
and with you.   Amen.

OFFERING
Gracious God,
the gifts we bring are signs
that our faith is expressed
not in words alone
but in our daily living,
following the way of Jesus. Amen.

For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 2000, 2012.


A CREATIVE MOMENT – James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38
(a) The reading itself offers a basis for the Prayer of Confession which could occur after the sermon/homily/reflection, i.e. as part of the congregations response to the service of the word.

A glass of fresh water and a glass of brackish water could provide a symbolic focus.

(b) The question, Who do you say I am?? offers an opportunity for the congregation to express their own convictions and doubts and questions about who Jesus is for them. Conversation/sharing might be facilitated by pictures/ posters/projected images of Jesus as seen from a variety of ethnic and cultural perspectives, or of the ways in which followers of Jesus have lived out who he is for them.


THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
 
Gracious and eternal God,
whose glory is declared
in the holy silence of the heavens,
and told
in the silent succession of day and night,
hear the cries of our world:
the lost, lonely, bewildered, brokenhearted, grieving.
Rejoice with those who rejoice and give thanks today;
Comfort those whom we have named
on our lips and in our silence;
those whose troubles are known only to you;
in Jesus’ name…
      (The Prayers of the People continue)


Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening’s Sing the Psalms

HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR SUNDAY 24B
Christ is our cornerstone TIS 433
Ising the almighty power of God TIS 1 19
In the cross of Christ I glory TIS 349
Sing praise and thanksgiving, TIS 107
When Christ was lifted from the earth TIS 248
Proverbs 1:20-33
Be thou my vision TIS 547
God of grace and God of glory TIS 61 1
Lord of creation, to you be all praise TIS 626
Lord, your almighty word TIS 447
Nature with open volume stands TIS 343
O Lord of every shining constellation TIS 157
O Spirit of the living God TIS 405
Psalm 19
Father, Lord of all creation TIS 631
God who stretched the spangled heavens TIS 163
God your are clothed with life TIS 193
God’s law is perfect and converts TIS 8
Let all creation dance TIS 187
Morning has broken TIS 156
Nature with open volume stands TIS 343
Sing a new song, sing a new song TIS 166
Stars and planets flung in orbit TIS 186
The day of resurrection TIS 361
The heavens shall declare the glory of his name TIS 746
The skies tell the glory of God TIS 7
The voice of God goes out through all the world TIS 282
This is my Father’s house TIS 149
We all believe inGod who made TIS 435
James 3:1-12
As a chalice cast of gold TIS 476
God be in my head and in my understanding TIS 549
Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands TIS 496
Take my life and let it be TIS 599
Mark 8:27-38
Come down, O Love divine TIS 398
Community of Christ TIS 473
God of grace and God of glory TIS 61 1
I danced inthe morning TIS 242
I’m not ashamed to own my Lord TIS 562
Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us TIS 526
O love how deep, how broad, how high TIS 194
Praise to the Holiest inthe height TIS 141
Take up your cross the Saviour said TIS 583

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