In Sorrow and in Rejoicing

Call to Worship

Beloved, when sorrow and hardship abound and events across an ocean and down the block shake our resolve and make us question what good the good news is evening doing, God calls to us…

Open your heart.

When fear and misinformation infiltrate our relationships, and we don’t know who to trust or how to do the next right thing, God calls to us…

Open your heart.

When joy overflows, and we witness the fruit of grace all around us, transforming our lives and our communities into places of connection and flourishing, God calls to us…

Open your heart.

May this time of worship be for each of us a time to listen to God’s call to open our hearts and accept the divine invitation to say yes to the work of grace in us, among us, and all around us.

God, we open our hearts to receive your gift of grace, knowing you hold us securely in the palm of your hands that we might have the courage to live in vulnerable community with you and one another. Amen.

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

Opening Prayer

Holy God,
we extol and honor you for who you are.

We praise you for your faithfulness
and for your tender mercies
that are renewed every morning.

We exalt you, Sovereign One,
for every blessing of yesterday,
the gift of this day,
and the promises of our tomorrows.

Grant us an enduring faith
as we strive against oppression and despair.

Endow us with contagious joy
that uplifts the downtrodden
and inspires hope in you.

Increase in us
the faith and courage of the prophets,
the love of Jesus, and
the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

In your majestic name we pray, Amen.

Written by the Rev. Dr. Renee C. Jackson, Southeast Area Minister for the Michigan Conference, UCC, from “God of Awe and Glory.” Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship_worship-ways. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/search/label/Proper%208%20B.

Prayer of Confession

Holy God, hear our prayer. There is pain and there is sorrow, there are broken relationships and broken hearts. Sometimes we are the cause of those things. We have caused pain. We have broken the relationship. Sometimes we are simply a part of them – we are the ones who suffer, we are the ones who are broken. So we ask for your forgiveness, and we ask for your healing. Beyond that, we ask that you would help us turn from our former selves to the persons you have created us to be, full of mercy and grace and love. Through Christ, who is our example, we pray. Amen.

Written by Beth Merrill Neel on her blog, “Hold Fast to What Is Good.” Used with permission. Posted at https://holdfasttowhatisgood.com/liturgy/prayer-of-confession/.

Benediction

Children of God, today is the day of salvation! May you go from this place carried by the grace and peace of the Triune of God who holds you, surrounds you, and keeps you as we learn to love God, neighbor, self, and all creation in our sorrow and in our rejoicing. Amen.

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