Liturgical Color: White

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

Theme: The Beatitudes - the essence of joy.

Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration
One pastor did this: Invite all the saints to stand. (Many will hesitate and probably remain seated.) Now, I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. (Some still may remain seated.) I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. When all have stood, ask the saints to greet each other. (At this point in the worship, do not talk about the biblical meaning of sainthood.)

Act of Recognizing our Humanness and Receiving New Life
Consider this: Develop both the confession and assurance around the Beatitudes, using J. B. Phillips' translation, or your own translation. Have one person speak of the human condition. For example, "Happy are the pushers, the people who…