Sermon and Worship Resources

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Mark 13:32-37, Mark 13:1-31

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship: Christmas is a laser piercing through boredom's hours breaking into the hum of frustration, cutting through pain. Christmas is a light beam waiting, even as its promise and hope burst forth, waiting for us. Collect You give us time to get ready. You give us time to expect. You give us time to wait. And still, ever-birthing God, you surprise us with the ways you come into our live...

2. A Little Robe

1 Samuel 2:12-26, 1 Samuel 1:21-28, 1 Samuel 2:1-11

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call To Worship Someone noticed the temple uniform Hannah took up to her growing son Samuel each year. Someone sees when a parent does the little sustaining things for a child in the name of love. Parents will know later what this teaches a child. So be of good courage, you who are a parent, for being a parent is a holy trust. Collect We have come to worship God who keeps on hoping. We rejoice in...

3. A Reason

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: Is it possible that human weaknesses are for a reason? People: We believe in a God who wishes well for us. Leader: Is it possible that hardships are to give us limits? People: We believe in a God who not only shaped but also sustains us. All: It is possible that in our weaknesses we find strength. Collect You continually re-introduce us to hope, O God, as you teach us to c...

4. A Sad Heart

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship A sad heart needs to pray, to speak honestly to God, to sort out and clarify what is the trouble. A sad heart requires attending to, understanding, kindness, and time. Collect When we are sad-hearted, we need to receive compassion so we can recognize the love that is all around us. When we find others who carry a sad heart, help us to meet them with the right questions, O God, so ...

5. A Stronger Hand

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call To Worship God has a mighty hand with which to guide us. God cares not about the particulars of who we are — where we live, the work we do, infirmities, age — but only that we are found. God leads all people with a sure hand. Collect To you, O God, who claims and reclaims us with a hand stronger than any other, we sing aloud with gladness. To you, who steadies us whenever we falter and who b...

6. All

Mark 12:38-44

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Wherein lies your poverty? There is the source of our compassion. There we identify with others who also suffer. There we most want to help. There we give of our energy, wisdom, experience, and understanding so that another might improve, so that another might know we join the journey into hope. Collect When we give of ourselves in service, our attention is on others rather than o...

7. All God's Children

Proverbs 10:1-32

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship We are all God's children who deserve to live in peace and abundance. We are all God's partners whose skills and abilities can share the struggle to raise the level of compassion in the world. We are all one family called to lift up the crushed members of God's family. Collect We renew our covenant to work together as the people of your realm, O God, to make this world a better pl...

8. An Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-45

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call To Worship Leader: Send us to an Elizabeth, O God, People: When we need someone to affirm what is happening to us. Leader: Send us to an Elizabeth, O God, People: When we need someone to hear our sound of greeting. Leader: Send us to an Elizabeth, O God, People: When we need someone with whom to sing the song of trust. Collect As a woman recognizes and accepts the miracle of an awaited yet u...

9. An Understanding Mind

1 Kings 3:1-15, 1 Kings 2:1-12

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call To Worship "Ask what I should give you," God invited young King Solomon in a dream. Solomon asked God to give him an understanding mind able to discern good from evil. What one thing would you ask God to give you? God also gave Solomon something he had not asked for. What unrequested gift do you suppose God might give you that you also need? Collect At your invitation, O God, we ponder what ...

10. Are You Sure?

Mark 10:17-31

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Are you sure, Jesus, that with God all things are possible? That we are not just wistful? The ideals you offer are high. You call us to stretch to our finest. No one can be that good all the time. Collect We look to you, O faithful One, to be our guide as we move through the daily muck of chagrin, conflict, and letting ourselves down. Despite our inconsistencies, move us toward th...

11. As First Fruits

James 1:1-18, James 1:19-27

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship All good gifts around us are gifts from God who wishes us well. Like first fruits of old brought to God, let us live exemplary lives that are gifts of thanksgiving to God. Like first fruits produced when the plant is at fullest potency, let us spend our highest energy on best acts. Come, let us bring thankful selves to God. Collect We offer you our best, O generous Creator, by liv...

12. At The Root

Joel 2:18-27

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Take up the song of thanksgiving to God that the world has sung since the beginning of time. Carry the song of thanksgiving forward into the new century and new millennium. Sing your thanksgiving song until all people everywhere tap their feet to the song of hope. Come, O thankful people, come. Collect We come this day of giving thanks to share what we have with others. We offer a...

13. Beginning to Weep

John 11:32-44

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship When Jesus saw the grief of Mary after the death of her brother Lazarus, he began to weep. The shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," brings us close to Jesus. We sense that God understands and accepts our tears when we begin to weep. Collect Help us, O God, to endure the regrets, the blame and self-blame, the anger, and all the other emotions of loss when we have sorrow. Guid...

14. Birthpangs of Change

Mark 13:1-31

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: Into the birthing of change -- People: The birthing of an idea, a new business, Leader: A new lifestyle, a new honesty, a new way of meeting life, People: An infant -- Leader: Into all of this change comes at once the sharpening of our sense of threat and the vigor of expectation. Collect As the birthpangs of change intensify in the midst of a broken world, Creator God, su...

15. Bread of Life

John 6:25-59

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Jesus is the bread of life. Whoever comes to Jesus will no longer be hungry. Whoever believes in Christ will no longer be thirsty. Let us renew our faith in Christ, that the belly of the soul might be filled. Come, let us approach God with hopeful hearts. Collect Great Sustainer, who gives life to this world, who sees that we have food for the body, who opens the way to nourishing...

16. Called By A New Name

Isaiah 62:1-12, Isaiah 61:1-11

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: God calls us out of our silence. All: God bids us find our voices. Leader: God calls us by a new name. This is the story of Christmas. All: We are God's family. Alleluia! Alleluia! Collect As we gather here, O God, to sing again the tunes of Christmas, let us renew our own sense of empowerment. As members of your spiritual family, let us carry forth the songs of Christmas ...

17. Called Forever

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship God calls us to take seriously our jobs, work, and professions even in times of low job security. When we greet our work with an attitude that anticipates high quality and satisfaction of purpose, an integrity surrounds us that has little to do with length of time or amount of money. Collect You offer to your people, O God, the sustenance of having a purpose and a sense of meaning...

18. Carrying The Ark Of The Covenant Across The Jordan

Joshua 3:1-4:24

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

Suggestions: Use in ordinary sequence with the scripture reading. 4 readers - 2 men, 2 women Key: 1 = first storyteller, 2 = Lord, 3 = Joshua, 4 = second storyteller 1: The Lord said to Joshua, 2: "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the c...

19. Cedar Or Goat's Hair

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship We live not in a land of nomads yet we know about the wandering of the human spirit. Come, all you faithful, and worship our faithful God whose presence brings permanence in transitory times. Come and await together the holy birth. Collect God, who is truly with us, we make room for you in pauses between our activities. As we make a point to remember your presence while flitting f...

20. Champion In His Name

Mark 9:42-50

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Be a champion for the ways of Christ. Be a wholehearted supporter of Christ. Put both your energy and your heart into holding Christ in first place in your life, above all else. Collect Just as Christ is for us, you are for us, O great Encourager, and we are for you. We come joyfully as cheerleaders because you steadily root for us. In the spirit of Christ. Amen. Prayer of Confes...

21. Clothed With Love

Colossians 3:1-17

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call To Worship Leader: Let us throw off the harsh response People: And clothe ourselves with compassion. Leader: Let us be rid of hostility People: And clothe ourselves with kindness. Leader: Let us abandon haughtiness People: And clothe ourselves with humility. Leader: Let us temper the curt comeback People: With the restraint of meekness. Leader: Let us empty ourselves of intolerance People: An...

22. Coming Forth

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: Come forth, O love divine. People: Meet us in the crevices between hope and hope. Leader: Come forth, O holy one. People: Meet us when we fade like the leaf. All: Come forth, O love divine. Collect In so many ways you come forth to us, you ever-concerned and active Parent. So variously you lead all your children, you who works for those who wait for you, even though we hid...

23. Confront

2 Samuel 12:1-31, 2 Samuel 11:1-27

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: When we do inexcusable things that bring hurt to others, we deserve like treatment. However, when we face the truth, see ourselves as we really are, and regret our actions, God offers not an eye for an eye but forgiveness. People: No matter who we are, we are accountable for our actions. No matter who we are, when we accept responsibility for our failures, God forgives us a...

24. Contradiction

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Let us be as constant as Uriah the Hittite in doing our work without letting distraction interfere. Let us dare to live with honor when those around us make lesser choices. Let us garner strength from God for the journey through our own human contradictions. Collect We look to you, O God, who has the power to keep us from wavering from our ideals. We ask you to awaken within us th...

25. Cosmic Powers

Ephesians 6:10-20

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: When we put on the whole armor of God, we can stand up against ominous and evil powers. People: With God, we can stand firm against violence in school, in the workplace, on the highway. Leader: In the strength of God, we can confront the greed that promotes poverty. People: With God, we can move beyond the drought, earthquake, and tornado. Leader: With the whole armor of Go...

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