VISUAL ARTS (PARAMENTS, GENERAL DECORATIONS, SPECIFIC DECORATIONS)
Book Brim: Creative Overflow in Worship Design
Book Banner Designs for the Church Year
Book Christian Arts and Crafts
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CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 71:5-6, 8-9, 14-19 (NRSV)
Leader: For you, O Lord, are my hope,
People: My trust, O LORD, from my youth.
Leader: Upon you I have learned from my birth;
it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
People: My praise is continually of you.
Leader: My mouth is filled with your praise,
and with your glory all day long.
People: Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
do not forsake me when my strength is spent.
Leader: I will hope continually,
and will praise you yet more and more.
People: My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all day long.
Leader: I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD,
I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.
People: O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
Leader: So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God do not forsake me.
All: I proclaim your might to all the generations to come.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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Leader: Let us worship with one voice. To our Deliverer, our Father, our Creator, our Redeemer;
People: Our Bright and Morning Star, our Almighty, the Rock of My Salvation;
Leader: To our Holy One, our High Tower, our Refuge, our Strength;
People: Our Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End, our Spirit, our Counselor, our Potter.
All: We are your children, O God. Mighty Maker, we are here to worship you as one church, one voice, one heart. Amen.
—Dusty Luthy
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INVOCATION
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MUSIC (HYMNS, SONGS, ANTHEMS)
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CALL TO CONFESSION
1 Corinthians 12:14-20
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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There are so many differences in our lives that have the power to separate us one from another. Our age, our race, our lot in life, our health, our clothes, our political preferences, all have the power to divide. Let us cast aside our differences and pray for unity and peace today, asking forgiveness for when we’ve separated ourselves not only from each other, but from God above.
—Dusty Luthy
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PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Creator God, you have equipped each of us with gifts and given us a place in your body.
Too often we do not see our own worth or the worth of those around us with your eyes.
All: Lord, help us to see.
God, in your presence we see ourselves as we truly are: disconnected from one another and disconnected from the fullness you offer us. Too often we take the gifts and passions you give us and set them aside in pursuit of our own plans or for our own comfort.
All: Lord, reveal your heart within us.
Forgive us, God, for the brokenness we have brought to your body. Help us, young and old, variously gifted and fashioned to bring you glory, to restore fullness to our own lives and to connect our gifts with those of our neighbor.
All: Lord, bring healing to this body. Make us whole. Amen.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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ASSURANCE OF PARDON
In Christ you are made free, and your heart is new. Please turn to those around you and share these words: You are the body of Christ.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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CHILDREN’S SERMON
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PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
God Most Present, you are our dwelling place. In this time of worship may we draw close to you and open our hearts to your Word. Reveal to us the gifts you have given us, the passions you have placed in our hearts, even from our youth. As we seek your will, help us to hear you through the wisdom of those surrounding us. Help us to see not only our own value but also the value of those younger than us, the value of those older than us, and show us how our gifts and our stages in life are meant to work together for your glory. Amen.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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SCRIPTURE TEXTS/SERMON IDEAS
- 1 Peter 5:1-7—Spiritual Gifts
- 1 Peter 4:8-11—God calling/using the young– Instilling passions in us from youth
- Children—the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these
- 1 Timothy 4:12
- 1 Peter 5:1-7
- Psalm 71
- Psalm 15
- Psalm 19
- Joseph (Genesis 37, 39); Samuel; David (1 Samuel 17:42); Ruth; Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:1-2); Mary; Jesus; Timothy
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS (VIDEOS, TAPED SONGS)
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PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
God of all generations, you tell us when we find our delight in you, you will give us the desires of our hearts. When we seek you, we find your direction for our lives. We do not always understand when you respond. We do not always like the answer we receive. Help us to remember in every season, you are with us. For those who cannot find the strength to pray, we lift them to you now. For those who are far from our eyes but near and heavy on our hearts, we pray your presence is made known to them. For those who are sick and hurting, we pray your comfort would reach them through the presence of a friend. Lead us to be your hands, allow us to share your heart. Amen.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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LITANY
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INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
1 Peter 4:10
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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OFFERTORY PRAYER
God, we ask your blessing and guidance over this offering. May it be used to your glory. Amen.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. Go and be. Amen.
—Whitney Brown Cristoff
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OTHER HELPS (COMMISSION, COMMUNION, BLESSINGS)
Our Ministry Teams
