Worship - November 15, 2009

Call to Worship

Leader: The veil has been lifted by nail-pierced flesh.

All: Because of God's Holy Lamb, we receive the power to stand in God's presence everywhere.

Leader: We may now approach God's presence freely.

All: Let us approach him daily with humility and stillness.

Leader: God has revealed all things through the Holy Spirit.

All: We now stand and serve one another, building each other up, with God's divine spirit and truth.

Leader: It is the blood of Jesus that has freed us, saved us, and washed all sin away.

All: Let us hold on to the hem of his garment, in faith, so that we can stand firm as the church. Let us hold on, praising Jesus, every moment. Let us hold on to his love that never fails, never waivers, never ceases.
May the Holy Spirit lead us, the church of Jesus Christ, as we receive power to lead this world with unwavering faith into all truth. Amen.

by Lurette D. Quijano-Israel
Brooklyn (NY) First Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"

Opening Prayer

You raise up the poor,
to give them the best rooms in your house;
you pull the broken
from the dust of the world,
brushing them off and clothing them with joy;
you exalt those we have pushed aside,
and let them say grace at the feast in heaven.
You are our God, and we worship you.

When we are tempted to wander off after
the rumors of sin,
you guard our feet so we can walk
as faithful people;
when we think we need to pay attention
to all the gossip around us,
you give us a double portion
of good news, so we will not fear.
You are the Christ, and we will listen to you.

When no one else will listen to us,
we can pour out our soul to you;
when no one notices us,
you see our misery, and fill us with joy;
when everyone else forgets who we are,
you remember us and call us by name.
You are our Spirit of Love, and we welcome you into our hearts.

God in Community, Holy in One, we raise our prayers to you,
even as we speak the words of Jesus,
Our Father . . .

by Thom M. Shuman (Cincinnati, OH)
from his Lectionary Liturgies webpage

For Children
"Through the curtain"

An adaptation (geared toward the younger children currently coming forward in our church for this time in worship) of a lesson by Ruth Gilmore in Sitting on the Rainbow (©2002, Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis), pp. 124-25, which begins, "A long time ago, the Israelites worshiped God in a church called a Tabernacle..." It mentions how "the high priest's robes were trimmed with bells, and a rope was tied around his ankle" in case something happened to him in the Holy of Holies and he needed to be pulled out by the other priests. The tangible object for this lesson is a sheet or other lightweight material that can easily be torn, used to remember how "Jesus' death opened a doorway to the presence of God," the curtain in front of the Temple tearing apart (this is the fun part, ripping the cloth which I probably will have the ushers hold up in front of the communion table). As this are literal-minded children, I'll need to avoid speaking of how this symbolizes God removing the barriers through Christ's death and thus giving us direct access. During the sermon later we'll recall how Hannah walked past Eli (somewhat boldly, I might add, though at the time she was pretty upset - see below) into God's presence at Shiloh.

Pastoral Prayer

written closer to the time (if not at the moment)
perhaps, even, this borrowed prayer.

Scripture
1 Samuel 1:1-23

(links are for pronunciation)

P - There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

M - He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

P - Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord.

M - On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.

P - So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her.

M - Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her,

P - “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

M - After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord.

P - Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.

M - She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly.

P - She made this vow:

M - “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.”

P - As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

M - So Eli said to her,

P - “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered,

M - “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” Then Eli answered,

P - “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” And she said,

M - “Let your servant find favor in your sight.”

P - Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.

M - They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah.

P - Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

M - In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son.

P - She named him Samuel, for she said,

M - “I have asked him of the Lord.”

P - The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband,

M - “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there forever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.” Her husband Elkanah said to her,

P - “Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word.”

M - So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Imagine a mother with her newborn child nursing at her breast. All-too-soon the day will come when she will release him into the hands of another person. All mothers face this, for children grow all-too-quickly, and before you know it they are men and women. For Hannah, however, that day was just around the bend. Can you imagine giving up your child at so young an age, returning him to the Lord as an offering?

As you return to the Lord your offering this morning, think about Hannah and what she was about to release into the hands of God. What would be most difficult for you to let go?

Ushers?

Dedication

The harder we hold on to something or someone, Lord, the less we have what we desire. When we grasp, our hands come away empty. Your grace leads us into another way of living. Teach us about faith-filled prayer and sacrificial giving at the table of Hannah. It is like the banquet table of your Son, Jesus. Not so long ago, you released him into the hands of others. In his name we dedicate with gratitude what we have chosen to return to you this morning. Amen.

Scripture
1 Samuel 1:23 – 2:11

(links are for pronunciation)

M - When she had weaned him, she took him up with her,

P - along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine.

M - She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young.

P - Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. And she said,

M - “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.”

P - She left him there for the Lord…. Hannah prayed and said,

M - “My heart exults in the Lord;
              my strength is exalted in my God.
                   My mouth derides my enemies,
                        because I rejoice in my victory.
       “There is no Holy One like the Lord,
                             no one besides you;
                        there is no Rock like our God.
              Talk no more so very proudly,
                   let not arrogance come from your mouth;
                        for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
                             and by him actions are weighed.
              The bows of the mighty are broken,
                        but the feeble gird on strength.
            Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
                   but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
              The barren has borne seven,
                   but she who has many children is forlorn.
              The Lord kills and brings to life;
                   he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
              The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
                        he brings low, he also exalts.
                   He raises up the poor from the dust;
                        he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
                             to make them sit with princes
                                  and inherit a seat of honor.
              For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
                   and on them he has set the world.
        “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
              but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;
                        for not by might does one prevail.
              The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
                   the Most High will thunder in heaven.
              The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
                   he will give strength to his king,
                        and exalt the power of his anointed.”

P - Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, while the boy remained to minister to the Lord, in the presence of the priest Eli.

Benediction

Go in peace, assured that God has heard,
           and will continue to hear your prayers.
Remember that no curtain separates us
           from the presence of the Lord.
Therefore, every table at which you will sit this week,
      be it a school desk,
              a work bench,
              a lunch counter,
              a meeting room table,
              an office desk,
              a board across sawhorses,
              your own kitchen or dining room table;
      every table is God’s altar.
So boldly pray,
      hold fast to hope,
            and encourage and provoke one another
                  to put love into action.
                        Amen.