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Worship Order for
Sunday
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Led into
worship by a psalm
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn us back to dust, and say,
“Turn back, you mortals.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.
You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
For all our days pass away under your wrath;
our years come to an end like a sigh.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.
Turn, O Lord! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Hymnal #819
Psalm 90:1-6, 9-10, 12-14
text
from
the New
Revised Standard Version,
copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States
of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Opening
Prayer
You, O Lord, in whom we live and move and
have our being,
not just today but in all generations;
You, O Lord, who formed the earth and the world,
and breathed life upon this dust and made us;
You, O Lord, who care enough to say “turn back,”
when we head toward a dead end,
You, O Lord, who sent a deliverer to die
that we might live;
You, O Lord, who invite us to count our days
that we might gain a wise heart,
and also invite us to count the cost
that we might risk everything for your
kingdom;
Lord of all, to You we indeed raise
these all-too-brief moments of grateful praise.
Through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen!
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Returning
our Tithes and Offerings
To a complacent
Israel, especially those in leadership, who saw God as a
toothless, old man, who could care less about the world, the
prophet Zephaniah shouted that God is not impotent nor careless,
but that “the day of the Lord is at hand.” What he said
about trusting in silver or gold should give us pause, for we,
like those Israelites of old, tend to place too much stock in
our wealth to save us. Our willingness to take risks is often
more for financial gain than for the glory of God and our
neighbor’s good.
“The good news
from Zephaniah’s words of apparent doom is that we and our
actions really do matter to God and the future of the planet,
and that we can, as Mother Teresa counsels, ‘do something
beautiful for God.’ Our faithful and life-supporting actions
create a field of resonance that enables God and us to be more
active and creative in bringing healing and justice to our
world.”*
Ponder this as you return your
offering. Ushers?
*quote by
Bruce G. Epperly
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For
Children
"The
Little Yellow Leaf"
by Carin Berger
"In The Little Yellow Leaf, although late fall has come and
the frost is arriving, one little yellow leaf clings to a tree,
afraid to let go, to do what it is supposed to do, what it was
made to do as a leaf. Finally, another leaf encourages it and
they float through the air together and enjoy the sights and
sounds of fall, doing exactly what leaves were made to do, just
as we should do what we were made to do with our talents."
(comment above by
Sara Anne Berger)
After reading the story, ask why the children think the leaf
didn’t let go, and then what helped it to do what it needed to
do. Keep it simple. The parable has yet to be read, so don’t
step into that scripture. Let this story be the ground from
which we then enter Jesus’ story as a congregation.
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Benediction
Lay that shovel down, sisters and brothers,
stop digging a place to hide
what God has given you.
Even when the earth shakes around you,
there is a firm foundation beneath you.
So take the risk of using your talents this week.
In so doing, may you rise, shine,
and give God the glory,
children of the Lord.
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(para traducir a español, presione la bandera de España)
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