FOURTH SUNDAY IN CREATION—RIVERS
September 27, 2020
GATHERING
GREETING & WELCOME
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
L: Let us confess our sins to God, to one another, and to the creation that groans under our weight.
silence
L: For the times we have failed to think of the harm done to air, water, land, plants, and animals,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to conserve energy,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For ignoring our civic responsibilities
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For allowing ourselves to be saturated by the allurements of a consuming culture,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not living more simply so others could simply live,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to ask for forgiveness from God and creatures,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not being thankful for the many gifts God has given,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: In Christ we are reconciled and re-created. Let us this day take the time to enjoy our relationship with our Creator made possible in our Savior Jesus Christ and to appreciate the goodness of the creation.
All: We declare this day to be a Sabbath unto God, a day of rest for all creation. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “Morning Has Broken,” ELW #556
September 27, 2020
GATHERING
GREETING & WELCOME
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
L: Let us confess our sins to God, to one another, and to the creation that groans under our weight.
silence
L: For the times we have failed to think of the harm done to air, water, land, plants, and animals,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to conserve energy,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For ignoring our civic responsibilities
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For allowing ourselves to be saturated by the allurements of a consuming culture,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not living more simply so others could simply live,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For failing to ask for forgiveness from God and creatures,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: For not being thankful for the many gifts God has given,
All: Lord have mercy.
L: In Christ we are reconciled and re-created. Let us this day take the time to enjoy our relationship with our Creator made possible in our Savior Jesus Christ and to appreciate the goodness of the creation.
All: We declare this day to be a Sabbath unto God, a day of rest for all creation. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “Morning Has Broken,” ELW #556
PRAYER OF THE DAY
L: God, our Creator, you cleanse the earth with water and renew our spirits through the gift of baptism. Help us participate in refreshing the world with your gift of life and joy found in the waters of creation, in the name of Christ, who reconciles and restores all things in creation.
All: Amen.
WORD
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 21:23-32
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 43:16-21
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY “Crashing Waters at Creation,” ELW #455
L: God, our Creator, you cleanse the earth with water and renew our spirits through the gift of baptism. Help us participate in refreshing the world with your gift of life and joy found in the waters of creation, in the name of Christ, who reconciles and restores all things in creation.
All: Amen.
WORD
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 21:23-32
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 43:16-21
Word of God; Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY “Crashing Waters at Creation,” ELW #455
CREATION CREED
We believe that God creates all things,
renews all things, and celebrates all things.
We believe Earth is a sanctuary,
a sacred planet filled with God’s presence, a
home for us to share with all creatures.
We believe every creature joins us in praising God.
We see many suffer with Earth
because of human crimes against creation.
We believe that God became incarnate
as a part of Earth, Jesus Christ,
that he lived and breathed and spoke among us,
suffered and died on a cross,
for all human beings and for all creation.
We believe that the risen Jesus Christ
fills the whole creation,
reconciling all things to God,
renewing all things.
We believe the Spirit renews life in creation,
groans in empathy with every suffering creature,
and waits with us for the rebirth of the whole creation.
We believe that with Christ we will rise
and with Christ we will celebrate a new creation,
reconciled, restored, and renewed. Amen.
MEAL
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
L: The peace of Christ be with you always.
All: And also with you.
Giving--
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS AND OUR LIVES
“For the Healing of Creation”, vs. 3
Sun and moon…God renew
Spinning planet… God renew
Star and comet… God renew
Things seen and unseen… God renew
Cloud and wind… God renew
Lightning and thunder… God renew
Atmosphere and ozone… God renew
Flames of fire… God renew
The waters of the earth… God renew
Polar cap and glacier… God renew
Aquifer and river… God renew
Lake and ocean… God renew
We believe that God creates all things,
renews all things, and celebrates all things.
We believe Earth is a sanctuary,
a sacred planet filled with God’s presence, a
home for us to share with all creatures.
We believe every creature joins us in praising God.
We see many suffer with Earth
because of human crimes against creation.
We believe that God became incarnate
as a part of Earth, Jesus Christ,
that he lived and breathed and spoke among us,
suffered and died on a cross,
for all human beings and for all creation.
We believe that the risen Jesus Christ
fills the whole creation,
reconciling all things to God,
renewing all things.
We believe the Spirit renews life in creation,
groans in empathy with every suffering creature,
and waits with us for the rebirth of the whole creation.
We believe that with Christ we will rise
and with Christ we will celebrate a new creation,
reconciled, restored, and renewed. Amen.
MEAL
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
L: The peace of Christ be with you always.
All: And also with you.
Giving--
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS AND OUR LIVES
“For the Healing of Creation”, vs. 3
Sun and moon…God renew
Spinning planet… God renew
Star and comet… God renew
Things seen and unseen… God renew
Cloud and wind… God renew
Lightning and thunder… God renew
Atmosphere and ozone… God renew
Flames of fire… God renew
The waters of the earth… God renew
Polar cap and glacier… God renew
Aquifer and river… God renew
Lake and ocean… God renew
HOLY COMMUNION—Words of Institution
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING & PRAYER
L: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
All: Amen.
L: We thank you, Christ, for the meal we have celebrated with you, and we pray that through your body and blood we may be healed and become agents of healing for Earth. Amen.
All: Amen.
BENEDICTION
L: May every living creature abound in peace. May every living being, weak or strong, great of small, seen or unseen, far or near, all have peace. In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
LITANY OF THANKS FOR ANIMALS IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF EARTH
We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals in our lives. We thank you for animals that comfort us, delight us and give us companionship. We thank you for dogs and cats, birds and hamsters, guinea pigs and fish.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
We also thank you, Lord, for animals that give us wool and feathers to keep us warm. We thank you for animals that give us milk, cheese and eggs to help us grow and to keep us healthy. We thank you for horses, donkeys and oxen that work hard on farms around the world.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
We thank you, Lord, for animals that eat plants and fertilize the soil, making it richer and more fertile for new growth and new life. We thank you, Lord, for the gift of insects, and especially bees, to pollinate fruit and vegetable plants for us to eat and flowers to give us joy.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
We thank you, Lord, for being our Good Shepherd, for seeking us when we are lost, for showing us water to quench our thirst, and for leading us to green pastures. Help us to share our blessings with others and to help others have clean water and green pastures to feed and nourish their families, too.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
SENDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS & MILESTONES
SENDING HYMN “God, Whose Farm is All Creation,” ELW #734
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING & PRAYER
L: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
All: Amen.
L: We thank you, Christ, for the meal we have celebrated with you, and we pray that through your body and blood we may be healed and become agents of healing for Earth. Amen.
All: Amen.
BENEDICTION
L: May every living creature abound in peace. May every living being, weak or strong, great of small, seen or unseen, far or near, all have peace. In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
LITANY OF THANKS FOR ANIMALS IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF EARTH
We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals in our lives. We thank you for animals that comfort us, delight us and give us companionship. We thank you for dogs and cats, birds and hamsters, guinea pigs and fish.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
We also thank you, Lord, for animals that give us wool and feathers to keep us warm. We thank you for animals that give us milk, cheese and eggs to help us grow and to keep us healthy. We thank you for horses, donkeys and oxen that work hard on farms around the world.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
We thank you, Lord, for animals that eat plants and fertilize the soil, making it richer and more fertile for new growth and new life. We thank you, Lord, for the gift of insects, and especially bees, to pollinate fruit and vegetable plants for us to eat and flowers to give us joy.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
We thank you, Lord, for being our Good Shepherd, for seeking us when we are lost, for showing us water to quench our thirst, and for leading us to green pastures. Help us to share our blessings with others and to help others have clean water and green pastures to feed and nourish their families, too.
We thank you Lord: We thank you, Lord, for the gift of animals.
In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
SENDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS & MILESTONES
SENDING HYMN “God, Whose Farm is All Creation,” ELW #734
DISMISSAL
L: Go in peace. Love Creation.
All: Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
L: Go in peace. Love Creation.
All: Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
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