God Lifts Us Up
Service Prayers for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
August 10, 2014

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Psalm 105:1-6. 16-22, 45b, Romans 10:5-15 and Matthew 14:22-33

Solemn Declaration

One:		+In the name of the Creator, the Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Many: 		Amen.

Opening Sentences
Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, 
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, 
they shall run and not be weary, 
they shall walk and not faint.			(Isaiah 40:31 NRSV)
We need this kind of hope.
Come; worship the Holy One who meets you where you are.
Come; open yourselves to the God who lifts us up.
We are here to worship; we are here to surrender to God.

Opening Prayer
God of Presence, 
as you walked upon the water to meet the disciples, 
meet us in the midst of the storms in our lives.
	God of Renewal, 
as you lifted Peter from the water, 
lift us from despair to hope, 
from distraction to focus, 
from death to life. 
God of the Journey, 
direct us in your way, 
work out your purpose in and through our lives. 
We pray in the name of Christ who lives and reigns with you 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  
Amen.

Gathering Hymn- Give Up Your Anxious Pains                              New Century Hymnal # 404

Confession of Sin
God is here, Christ is present, and the Holy Spirit surrounds you.
But we have turned our eyes to the challenges of this life, 
lost our focus on God and are sinking in sin.
You can begin again. 
Imagine a new way of being.
We have cast aside our dreams to maintain the familiar.
We have cast aside the dreams of others, fearful of what they might mean.
God loves you, 
Christ will lift you from the waves of doubt 
and the Holy Spirit will rescue you from currents of insecurity and alienation.

In these moments of quiet reflection confess to God all that separates you from God and one another.

Time for personal reflection and confession.

Before the Assurance of Pardon you may invite the choir or congregation to sing verse 3 of O Sing a Song of Bethlehem, New Century Hymnal # 51, text below.

	O sing a song of Galilee, of lakes and woods and hill, 
	Of one who walked upon the sea and bade its waves be still:
	For though, like waves on Galilee, rough seas of trouble roll,
	When faith has heard the Savior’s word, falls peace upon the soul.

Assurance of Pardon
Take heart, do not be afraid.
Every one who calls upon God’s name will be saved.
We are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!

Time with Children
	This might be a good time to chat with the children about their dreams and hopes for their future.  You can ask a simple question like, “Who do you want to be when you grow up?”  A list of professions as a response is good, but you may want to press them to offer qualities of character or discipleship that they hope to express through their lives.  Affirm each child as they respond.  You may then want to tell some of Joseph’s story emphasizing that God was able to bring Joseph’s dreams to reality in spite of other’s efforts to the contrary.  Conclude with a prayer, by name, asking God to work God’s purpose out through the lives and dreams of the children.

Hymn of the Day-- Incarnate God, Immortal Love New Century Hymnal # 414

Offertory Invitation
		“Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.  
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed?  
And how are they to believe in one whom they have never heard?  
And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim to them?”
(Romans 10:13-15)
		You have been saved.  You have believed.  You are sent.
Offer yourselves then to the work of invitation, community and purpose in this place and around the world.

Offertory Dedication
Loving God, we believe that you have saved us, you are saving us and you will save us.  We offer to you our whole lives as a living sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Use us; multiply us and these gifts we have placed at your altar, to extend the invitation of life, community and purpose in this place and around the world.  Amen. 

Communion Prayer

God be with you.				And with your spirit.
	Lift up your hearts				We them up to God.
Give thanks to God who lifts us up.	
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

Since the dawn of creation you have lifted humanity 
from the dust of the earth to life and fullness. 
*Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

Through dreams and their interpretation you lifted Joseph from slavery to leadership. Through Joseph you lifted the children of Israel from famine to a feast of reconciliation. 
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

Through Jesus you lifted Peter from the waters of Galilee to a ministry of inviting others to leave the comfort of their boats and walk faithfully with you.
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

When he had been crucified, dead and buried, you lifted Jesus from the grave to a resurrected life.  Through Christ you extend that gift to all.
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

With the sound of the rush of a mighty wind you lifted the first apostles from fear and despair to boldly proclaim a message of hope and build a community of purpose.
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

You have lifted your children gathered here through the waters of baptism to new life in Christ and through us you extend the invitation of life, community and purpose to others.
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

(Add a sentence here that tells of God’s recent work in your congregation or community.)
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

In the midst of life’s struggles, your handiwork may be eclipsed by the actions of others and yet you are present to lift us to new ways of living.
Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works! 

And so with all others you have lifted up, in every time and place, we join in the unending hymn of praise.

*This prayer may also be prayed without continued use of the refrain: “Sing praise to God; tell of all God’s wonderful works!”

Sanctus
For options please consult the New Century Hymnal # 789-795 

Words of Institution/Remembrance
See Book of Worship p. 47 or consider the following:

One: 	We gather at this table and remember how on the night when Jesus was handed
over, he gathered with his disciples in the upper room and together they shared
in an ordinary meal that had extraordinary implications.
For at this table,
Jesus broke bread and shared wine with the one who betrayed him.
At this table,
Jesus broke bread and shared wine with the one who denied him.
At this table,
Jesus broke bread and shared wine with those who fled from him in his
time of need.
At this table,
Jesus broke bread and shared wine with people from all walks of life.
And so whenever we gather at this table 
to share the bread and the wine in this
community of faith, 
we proclaim Jesus’ life, which affirms there is a place at this
table for all people.

All: 	The love of God transcends every power that tries to contain it. 1

1 Adapted from Toward a Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church is Good News for Mainline
Congregations by Phil Snider and Emily Bowen, © 2010, The Pilgrim Press. Permission is granted for
use.

Prayer of Consecration
Holy God, 
pour out your Spirit upon these gifts of grain and grape 
that they might be for us the presence of the living Christ 
and upon us so that we might be empowered in our ministry 
to lift the lost and lonely, 
invite others to walk faithfully with Christ in the resurrected life, 
to share in our community of purpose, 
and to join in the feast of reconciliation.
Through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
all glory and honor are yours Almighty God, now and forever.  
Amen.

The Blessing
One:	May the presence of Christ, Body and Spirit, 
keep and preserve you to everlasting life.

Thanksgiving
	One:	Let us pray.
All:	Holy God, thank you for your love which lifts us, your presence which fills us and your life which empowers us to be your people.  Amen.
	
Sending Hymn- Lead Us from Death to Life                                       New Century Hymnal # 581

Sending
You have been raised with Christ. 
Do the work of Christ in the world:
extend a hand to those in need,
speak up for those others would cast aside,
build bridges of reconciliation,
strengthen bonds of community,
and extend the invitation of life, 
community and purpose to others knowing that 
+ the God who created you, 
the Christ who redeems you 
and the Spirit who empowers you 
will be with you this day and ever more.
Amen. 

+ You may make a sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism.

Written by the Rev. Dr. Bob Gross, OCC, designated minister at First Congregational Church of Akron, OH. Rev. Gross is a member of the Order of Corpus Christi, (OCC), which is an ecumenical covenantal community that seeks to be a contemporary expression of the Mercersburg Tradition.

Copyright 2014 Local Church Ministries, Faith Formation Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.