Fill Me with Laughter

Call to Worship

We come to worship, remembering God’s goodness that has carried us and sustained us to this present moment.

We remember the days when God covered us in love and filled us with joy.

We come to worship, weary from stress, heavy with grief, and wondering when relief will come.

We long for the days God covered us in love and filled us with joy.

We come to worship to remember and remind one another that God’s love has never left us, and God’s joy cannot be extinguished.

God, restore us that we know your love and your joy once again.

We come to worship to remember and become the Body of Christ, a community called to restore the world around us.

God, empower us to be your restoration people who fill the world with love, laughter, and abundant life. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2024.

Opening Prayer

Come to this sanctuary, this house, this home, Holy Christ,
And let us receive you with lavish welcome.
You are the Restorer of our fortunes,
The Promise of new life –
We pour out our praise to you.
Fill this room with your Spirit:
The sound of wind, the warmth of flame, the scent of perfume
And fill our hearts with your compassion,
Not just in this time and place,
But in all times and in all places,
So that as we celebrate the great things you have done for us,
We may also embody the love you give to all. Amen.

Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways Archive, http://www.ucc.org/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/02/opening-prayer-psalm-126.html.

Prayer of Confession

Like Judas, God of new things, we like to complain about your generous ways, rather than living in your grace. The poor are always with us, we believe, which justifies our ignoring them. In our memories, we focus on a perceived golden past, and so we ignore the new things you do in our midst. We are so enamored with our achievements that we are not willing to throw them away in order to follow Jesus. Forgive us, Restoring God, and help us to notice the kingdom springing forth in our midst. By your grace, may our fears turn to faith, our seeds of grief produce a bumper crop of joy, and our tears turn into torrents of tenderness as we journey with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to Jerusalem.

Silence is kept.

Assurance of Pardon

Making a way through all the foolishness and mistakes of our lives, God leads us into new life, where we are restored to grace, to hope, and to peace.
Do we notice what God has done for us, what God is doing in us? This is good news for everyone. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Adapted from Thom Shuman, posted at https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=2008.

Benediction

May you go out from this place in the blessing of God, who turns your weeping into laughter and your laughter into joy that plants seeds of restoration, justice, and abundance for all of God’s creation. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2024.