The Glory of God
Prayers for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost
October 19, 2014

Moses longed to see God's glory. All of us share that longing, especially the most vulnerable among us. Let us look into the faces of children who struggle in school, go hungry at night, are denied comprehensive healthcare or fear the violence within their own homes. Let us listen for God speaking to these children as God spoke to Moses so that we might find the way to offer these children a glimpse of God's glory in action for justice, and find God’s glory revealed in their faces.

Call to Worship (inspired by Exodus 33:12-23)
	One: 		How shall we know that we have found favor in your sight, O God?
	All: 		How do children know that they are created in your image?
	One: 		How do we raise up youth to always know your presence goes with them?
All: 	How do we find this faith within ourselves, O God?
	One: 		With Moses, we implore, “Show us your glory.”
	All: 	With the children, we seek your graciousness now. 

Invocation 
Sing God’s presence into your worship space by using one of these hymns: 
the fifth verse from Bring Many Names (TNCH 11),   
the fourth verse from Child of Blessing, Child of Promise (TNCH 325),   
the first verse from Wonder of Wonders, Here Revealed (TNCH 328),   
the first verse from Great God of Earth and Heaven (TNCH 579), or   
the first verse from like a child (Dan Damon, Hope Publishing, 1999).

Prayer of Confession (adapted from Christian Resources for Children’s Sabbath)
Growing God, we confess that we cling to the comfortable, 
fall back on the familiar, and allow apathy to dull our hearts and our commitment. 
We shrug our shoulders and say that poverty is inevitable 
even as it deprives children of the fullness of life that you intend and they deserve. 
We throw up our hands at the number of children without health coverage 
and accept what is unacceptable. 
We shake our heads over the bursting prisons 
but turn away from the things that push children toward prison 
rather than keeping them on the path to success. 

Forgive us, Growing God, for callousness instead of compassion, 
for discouragement instead of determination, 
for selfishness instead of service. 
Allow us to grow into your ways and find favor in your sight. 
Mature with us so that just love may be realized for all your children. 
Daydream with us so that we might do justice on the behalf of all children. 
Answer these prayers we pray in the name of your Beloved Child, 
the hope of the world. Amen.

Words of Assurance (inspired by Exodus 33:12-23)
God grows with you. 
Look upon her face, as she speaks sweetly to you, saying,
	I will do the very thing you have asked; 
	for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.

Bless the Children (inspired by 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10)
Even as we experience the assurance of God’s love and mercy, we must still struggle with the justice issues facing our children. In some of our churches in the United Church of Christ, children living in poverty and in violence are unknown to the church family.  While these children remain in our prayers, we cannot see their faces in our regular gatherings for worship.  Most of our congregations in the United Church of Christ do have children – whom we love and adore. On this particular Sunday, bless the children that you can see, and invite, imaginatively, children whom  you cannot see, but who still need the blessing of our commitment to justice for them.  During the Children’s Time, or at a special separate moment in worship, invite all of the children forward. Invite adults to encircle these children and extend their hands over the children, as one person prays: 
Grace and peace to you, our children.
We will always give thanks for you.
We pray for you constantly because we love you.
We love you just as God loves you.
We know, children of God, that God loves you so much.
There are no words to express it.
There are no wonders we can perform.
But, we know that the power of God is in you.
We can see it upon your faces.
You remind us of God’s love.
Teach us to see the world as you do.
Surprise us with the wonders you see.
Show us what gifts God has given you.
And we will bless you, and protect you, and 
We will always give thanks for you.
We will bless you in the name of our God.
We will bless you again and again. 
Grace and peace to you, our children.
Grace and peace to you who show us God’s glory 
shining through your faces.
Amen.

Call for the Offering 
God looks upon your face.
God assures you when nothing else can.
“My presence will go with you”, God says.
“I will give you rest”, God prays.
Let us carry this spirit into our giving. 
	Let us praise God with our gifts of tithes and offerings.

Dedication of the Offering (adapted from Christian Resources for Children’s Sabbath)
	O God, help us to recover our hope for our children’s sake. 
	Help us to recover our courage for our children’s sake. 
	Help us to recover our discipline for our children’s sake. 
	Help us to recover our ability to work together for our children’s sake. 
	Help us to recover our values for our children’s sake. 
	Help us to recover our faith in you for our children’s sake. Amen.

Benediction (inspired by Exodus 33:12-23)
One:	Growing God, we have known your presence.
All:	We have lived in your love.
One:	Show us your glory.
All:	Reveal your glory in us.
One:   	We will carry your glory from here.
All:	We will show it to all your children. Amen.

Written by the Rev. Elsa A. Peters, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, presently serving as Pastor and Teacher of the First Congregational UCC in South Portland, ME, an Open and Affirming congregation where God is still speaking. She wonders about ministry and liturgy at: http://impossiblethingswithgod.blogspot.com/.

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.