Sunday, February 18, 2007

Ash Wednesday 2007

Ash Wednesday is here again. Here is the second draft of the liturgy for TPUMC.
TRAVIS PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
ASH WEDNESDAY, February 21st, 2007 at 7:00 PM

GREETING
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
God’s mercy endures forever.

*HYMN 2138 Sunday’s Palms are Wednesday’s Ashes

*OPENING PRAYER IN UNISON:
For the mystery of your Presence in and beyond all that can be see thanks be to you. Guide me further this night into the inner universe of my soul ever opening inwards light upon light new depth after new depth. Guide me through strange and fearful spaces towards the place of your eternal dwelling. Amen.

LESSON FROM HEBREW SCRIPTURE Joel 2:1-2. 12-13

ANTHEM Create in Me a Clean Heart Carl F. Mueller
Sanctuary Choir; Lana Cartlidge Potts, accompanist
LESSON FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT II Corinthians 6:2b-10

HOMILY Beyond the Ashes Rev. Deanna Kirby

BURNING OF THE PALMS

THANKSGIVING OVER THE ASHES
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray:
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth; these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, so we may remember that only by your gracious gift are we given to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

IMPOSITION OF ASHES

*HYMN 77 How Great Thou Art

BENEDICTION

*Please stand if you are able.

February 18 9:00 Liturgy

Well, our pastor wasn't preaching about the Transfiguration but I got it in as best I could! :)

Travis Park UMC-Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday, February 18th, 2007
9:00 a.m.

PRELUDE: Camerata San Antonio

CALL TO WORSHIP*
Leader: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
People: Who publish peace, who bring good tidings, who publish salvation, and
proclaim, “Your God reigns!”
Leader: God will judge between many peoples,
People: And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and nation shall not lift
up sword against nation: neither shall they learn war any more.
All: Let us lift up our voices and praise the God of peace and justice. Amen.
--Ruth C. Duck

OPENING HYMN* No. 2103 We Have Come at Christ’s Own Bidding ALL

PRAYER of CONFESSION
Eternal God, we confess that we do not expect and long for the transforming power of your love to work miracles in these hard hearts of ours. Yet we secretly long for a rescue, an escape, a miracle, to relieve us of the responsibilities and the challenges you set before us. Healing Spirit, renew our confidence in your power and in the power of love to change our lives, and give us courage to be the fully responsible persons Christ calls us to be. Amen.
--Ruth C. Duck

SILENT PRAYERS

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

MESSAGE Matthew 12:31-32 Rev. John Flowers

TITHES AND OFFERINGS: Waitin’ for the Light to Shine from Big River
Words and Music by Roger Miller
Sanctuary Choir; Lana Cartlidge Potts, accompanist

I have lived in the darkness for so long, I’m waitin’ for the light to shine.
Far beyond horizons I have seen, beyond the things I’ve been,
Beyond the dreams I’ve dreamed are the things I’ve done,
In fact, each and everyone are the way that I was taught to run.

I am waitin’ for the light to shine, I am waitin’ for the light to shine.
I have lived in the darkness for so long, I’m waitin’ for the light to shine.
Yes, I’m waitin’ for the light to shine, I’m waitin’ for the light to shine.
I have lived for the darkness for so long, I’m waitin’ for the light to shine.
(Please register your attendance in the red registration books.)

*DOXOLOGY
(This morning’s doxology is found in the back of The Faith We Sing found in your pew rack.)

SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
Leader: The Spirit of God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts to heaven
People: where Christ in glory reigns.
Leader: It is right, and a good and joyous prayer, always and everywhere to give you thanks. For
in the beginning, Creator God, You made the earth; round, rich, and fertile, the mother of all life, the seedbed of all growth.
People: You bent low and gently gathered up a handful of clay and shaped and
wonderfully and intricately made man and woman.
Leader: You breathed wind and spirit into flesh and bone.
People: We became like you, formed in your image carrying the stars in our eyes,
the moon in our hearts and the cosmos in every breath.
Leader: And, so with all the saints who have gone before, all the creatures of the earth, and all the
faithful touched by the Spirit, we praise your name and join the unending hymn of praise:
--from Water Words by Larry Peacock

SANCTUS #2257-b in The Faith We Sing ALL

WORDS OF INSTITUTION AND CONSECRATION
Leader: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them become for us the presence of Christ, so that we may be signs of new life for our searching world. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with all creation and one in service to all the world until Christ comes in radiant glory and seats all at the heavenly table.
All: Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, living God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the people of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever.
Amen.
--from A New Zealand Prayer Book

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS

COMMUNION MUSIC: Camerata San Antonio

HYMN OF INVITATION* No. 378 Amazing Grace ALL

BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE: Camerata San Antonio

February 11 9:00 Liturgy

Travis Park UMC-Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday, February 11th, 2007
9:00 a.m.

PRELUDE: Lana Cartlidge Potts

CALL TO WORSHIP*
Leader: Sing praises to God, O you saints, and give thanks to God’s holy name!People: We exalt you, O God, for you have restored us to life!
Leader: We may cry through the night, but your joy comes with the morning.
People: You hear us, O God, and you are gracious in our distress.
Leader: You turn our mourning into dancing!
People: Our souls cannot be silent! O God, our Savior, we give thanks to you for
ever!
--Jane C. Weaver

OPENING HYMN* No. 102 Now Thank We All Our God ALL

PRAYER of CONFESSION
Leader: God, we confess our day to day failure to be truly human.
People: God, we confess to you.
Leader: God, we confess that we often fail to love with all we have and are, often because we don
not fully understand what loving means, often because we are afraid of risking ourselves.
People: God, we confess to you.
Leader: God, we cut ourselves off from each other and we erect barriers of division.
People: God, we confess to you.
Leader: God, we confess that by silence and ill-considered word
People: we have built up walls of prejudice.
Leader: God, we confess that by selfishness and lack of sympathy
People: we have stifled generosity and left little time for others.
Leader: Holy Spirit, speak to us. Help us listen to your word of forgiveness, for we are very deaf.
Come, fill this moment and free us from sin.

SILENT PRAYERS

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

MESSAGE Rev. John Flowers

TITHES AND OFFERINGS: Blest Are They
Text: Matthew 5:3-16; Music: David Haas
Sanctuary Choir; Lana Cartlidge Potts, accompanist

For the text please see No. 2155 in The Faith We Sing
(Please register your attendance in the red registration books.)


*DOXOLOGY
(This morning’s doxology is found in the back of The Faith We Sing found in your pew rack.)

SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
Leader: The Spirit of God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts to heaven
People: where Christ in glory reigns.
Leader: It is right, and a good and joyous prayer, always and everywhere to give you thanks. For
in the beginning, Creator God, You made the earth; round, rich, and fertile, the mother of all life, the seedbed of all growth.
People: You bent low and gently gathered up a handful of clay and shaped and
wonderfully and intricately made man and woman.
Leader: You breathed wind and spirit into flesh and bone.
People: We became like you, formed in your image carrying the stars in our eyes,
the moon in our hearts and the cosmos in every breath.
Leader: And, so with all the saints who have gone before, all the creatures of the earth, and all the
faithful touched by the Spirit, we praise your name and join the unending hymn of praise:
--from Water Words by Larry Peacock

SANCTUS #2257-b in The Faith We Sing ALL

WORDS OF INSTITUTION AND CONSECRATION
Leader: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them become for us the presence of Christ, so that we may be signs of new life for our searching world. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with all creation and one in service to all the world until Christ comes in radiant glory and seats all at the heavenly table.
All: Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, living God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the people of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever.
Amen.
--from A New Zealand Prayer Book

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS

COMMUNION MUSIC: Emily Watkins, viola

HYMN OF INVITATION* No. 2076 O Blessed Spring ALL

BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE: Emily Watkins, viola

I promise I'm not dead! (And other random thoughts.)

Wow, it's been yet another long sojourn from blogging. Life is full!!!! I just returned from a wonderful few days of skiing with great friends in New Mexico. We drove in during a blizzard (which, unfortunately, seemed to keep us from seeing any aliens in Roswell) so the skiing was great.

Recently, I have been preparing for my final ordination interview. The moment of truth, so to speak, occurs February 27th, at 2:00. I'm a bit nervous but I am looking forward to getting started on the interview.

I just finished reading Marcus Borg's The Heart of Christianity. Borg is truly a gift to the church. While the ending wasn't as strong, at least in my humble opinion, as the rest of the book, I believe it should be required reading for any progressive Christian.

Also, I finished reading Parker Palmer's Let Your Life Speak during my vacation. Palmer is a gift as well! I would recommend this book for anyone who is struggling to discern what their true vocation might be.

More random thoughts...the Sanctuary Choir here at TPUMC is working on the Rutter Requiem which is coming along better some days than others...I'm struggling not to panic! :)

I just found out that I will be preaching March 4th and I am quite excited about it! I will be preaching the early service and our district superintendent the second. The lectionary texts for the day are Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; and Luke 13:31-35. Lot's of difficult and interesting options!

Well, I've got a few more minutes until my wife gets out from her work with our youth group, so I better wrap things up!

God bless you and do not be afraid!!!