57A - Sunday 25A — 59A - Sunday 27A
See also my post from 2017, 2020, 2023
PRAYER OF INVOCATION (from Psalm 78:1-4)
Source of life,
you call us to listen to your teaching,
to prick up our ears to your word;
for your story is of old,
yours are parables of things past;
the stuff of our tradition;
what we have heard and known about,
what we have learnt from our ancestors.
These are stories of your activity in our history,
stories not to be hidden from our children or our grandchildren.
We gather in your presence,
to hear your story,
and praise you for your wonderful works. Amen
PRAYER of THANKSGIVING (From Ps 78:12-16)
Source of life and ground of our being,
whose marvellous works make the history of our faith
such a rich tapestry,
we thank you.
Those who have gone before us
witnessed your marvellous works
in Egypt and the Nile delta, and beyond.
You split the sea and brought your chosen people through it,
and you made the waters stand like a wall.
You led them with a cloud by day;
and were present at night in a fiery light.
You split the rock in the wilderness,
and your people drank abundantly;
You made streams flow from the crag,
and caused waters to run down like rivers.
For all of your marvellous works, O God,
we give you thanks. Amen.
A CREATIVE MOMENT – Exodus 17:1-7
Materials:
(a) One or more large, preferably shallow, bowls – half-filled with water – and set out at or near the communion table;
(b) small, smooth river or beach pebbles, sufficient for everyone in your congregation to have one.
Give each member of the congregation a pebble as they arrive for worship. Ensure that everyone has a pebble.
After the Exodus reading – a dramatic reading in which the congregation read the part of “the whole congregation of Israel” – have a time of silent confession, during which the members of the congregation have the opportunity to silently bring their confession to God by coming and placing their pebble in the bowl of water.
A dramatic aspect of this might be that as the pebbles are placed in the bowl, the water level is raised to the point where it overflows the bowl, a reversal of the image of the water bursting forth from the rock in the wilderness.
Conclude with a word of absolution/assurance of forgiveness.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer, usually with connection to one or more of the lections for the day, to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession. Sometimes this prayer also borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
God of life and hope,
who hears the joy and pain in our hearts
before we speak,
and answers us, in often unexpected ways,
before we know our needs;
by the gentle breath of your Spirit
strength to those whom we name
in word and in silence;
rejoice with the hopeful;
be company to the lonely,
a comfort to all weighed down with grief
and those whose troubles are known only to you
that all may know your peace:
in Jesus’ name…
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR SUNDAY 26A | |
| Come let us with our Lord arise | TIS 375 |
| Let all be one in mind and heart | TIS 247 |
| O for a heart to praise my God | TIS 568 |
| When I needed a neighbour | TIS 629 |
| Where cross the crowded ways of life | TIS 608 |
| Exodus 17:1-7 | |
| All go to God when they are sorely placed | TIS 240 |
| Guide me, O my great Redeemer | TIS 569 |
| How shall I sing to God | TIS 667 |
| Lord Jesus, joy of loving hearts | TIS 499 |
| Psalm 78:1-4,12-16 | |
| Bring many names, beautiful and good | TIS 182 |
| Come, sing praises to the Lord above | TIS 53 |
| Give ear, O my people, to my teaching | TIS 41 |
| The advent of our God | TIS 271 |
| Philippians 2:1-13 | |
| A mighty fortress is our God | TIS 103 |
| All praise to our redeeming Lord | TIS 442 |
| Blest are the pure in heart | TIS 448 |
| Christ from whom all blessings flow | TIS 440 |
| Christ is alive, with joy we sing | TIS 393 |
| Come, your hearts and voices raising | TIS 297 |
| For all the saints who from their labour | TIS 455 |
| God, we praise you, God, we bless you | TIS 99 |
| Holy Spirit, go before us | TIS 420 |
| Jesus the name high over all | TIS 218 |
| King of glory, king of peace | TIS 201 |
| Let all together praise our God | TIS 298 |
| Let earth and heaven combine | TIS 305 |
| Lord, You are the light of life to me | TIS 261 |
| Morning glory, starlit sky | TIS 174 |
| O Spirit of the living God | TIS 405 |
| Praise the God who changes places | TIS 178 |
| Praise to you, O Christ our Saviour | TIS 258 |
| The head that once was crowned with thorns | TIS 378 |
| Matthew 21:23-32 | |
| Among us and before us, Lord, you stand | TIS 259 |
| God has spoken to his people, hallelujah | TIS 636 |
| I danced in the morning | TIS 242 |
| Lord of creation, to you be all praise | TIS 626 |
| Seek ye first the Kingdom of God | TIS 745 |