Today, as usual, I led a first-Friday service of contemplative prayer and song. This month's service coincided as an observance of All Souls Day. I prepared a "Day of the Dead"-style altar--which I stupidly didn't think to photograph--with candles and icons, plus photos and keepsakes of my dead and Hugo's dead. Some of those who attended brought additional photos or keepsakes to add to the altar. It was chaotic and familial.
The theme this month was Abiding in Christ. Living or dead, all who have been made one with Christ abide together in him forever.
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PSALM 16
Protect me, O God!
I flee to you for refuge.
You are my benefactor.
All that is good, I have from you.
I praise you, my trusted guide!
Even at night, you teach me through my dreams.
Wherever I am, you are with me.
With you always at my side, nothing can shake me.
Therefore my heart is glad! My spirit rejoices!
My body rests, assured of your protection.
For I know you will not give me up to the underworld.
You will not abandon your faithful servant to the grave.
You have taught me the way that leads to life.
You have invited me to sit at your right hand.
Surely there is no greater pleasure!
In your presence, my joy is full!
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ROMANS 8:35, 37-39
Can anything separate us from Christ’s love?
Hardship?
Distress?
Persecution?
Famine?
Poverty?
Danger?
Violence?
No!
Over all these things, we are victorious
through the One who loved us.
I am convinced
there is absolutely nothing
that can ever separate us
from the love of God in Jesus Christ:
nothing in heaven or on earth,
nothing in the heights or in the depths,
nothing present or future,
not life,
not death.
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JOHN 15:4-12 (selections)
A branch cannot bring forth grapes by itself.
It must abide in the vine.
I am the vine;
you are the branches.
Abide in me,
and you will bring forth much fruit.
Apart from me,
you can do nothing.
As my Father has loved me,
I have loved you.
Abide in my love.
You will abide in my love
if you live the way I teach you,
just as I abide in my Father’s love
because I have lived the way my Father taught me.
This is my teaching:
As I have loved you,
love one another.
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PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Risen Christ—
you are always with us, whether or not we perceive it.
We praise you for all the ways that you have sustained and supported us.
You have taught us that we should love others as you have loved us.
We fail to live up to that teaching—yet your love flows to us still.
Transform us, through your Spirit, so that we will love as you love.
We pray for people who suffer—
those who are burdened,
those who mourn,
those who are in need of comfort.
Show us what you want us to do
to be instruments of your love for people in need.
We pray for your church—for all who have been joined to you.
May we bring forth fruits worthy of your name.
Risen Christ—
you are Lord of the dead as well as Lord of the living.
Those who have been made one with you, abide in you forever.
We pray for our dead.
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CONCLUDING PRAYER
When we feel alone,
you are our companion.
When we feel lost,
you are our guide.
When we are afraid,
you are our strength.
When we feel spent, or fruitless,
you are the roots that infuse us with new life.
And when at last we fall off the edge of this world,
you are the warm, blue sea
into which we will plunge.
Amen.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Love the Lord
The suggested worship outline for November 4,
includes Moroni 10:29 as a “Scripture of Love.” Here are some additional
options. All have been re-rendered, to a greater or lesser extent, into more
contemporary language.
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2 Nephi 13:29
Press forward
with steadfastness in Christ,
having a perfect brightness of hope,
and a love of God
and of all people.
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Mosiah 2:19-23 (excerpts)
If you have known God’s goodness
and tasted his love,
always remember his goodness to you,
calling on the Lord’s name daily.
If you do this,
you will always rejoice
and be filled with the love of God;
and you will grow
in the knowledge of what is just and true.
***********************************
Alma 10:28-29
Be led by the Holy Spirit,
having faith in the Lord
and the love of God always in your hearts.
***********************************
4 Nephi 1:17, 20
Because of the love of God,
which lived in the people’s hearts,
there was no contention in the land.
They were one,
the children of Christ;
and they shared God’s kingdom together.
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Moroni 7:11
The things which come from God
invite and entice* people
to always do good.
Therefore,
everything that invites and entices* people
to do good,
and to love God,
and to serve God,
is inspired by God.
* An alternative, less archaic, reading would be: motivate
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Lord, Let Me See
Some worship resources for October 28. Themes
of blindness, light, and healing. Scroll down to find:
- Responsive call to worship – D&C 83:7b-d
- Responsive call to worship – D&C 85:2-3
- Reading of the written word: In community – Mark 10:46-52
- Scripture reading: A Time for Healing – Mosiah 1:97-98
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RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
Adapted from D&C 83:7b-d
Leader: The word of the Lord is truth,
All: and whatever is truth is light.
Leader: Whatever is light is Spirit,
All: even the
Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Leader: The Spirit gives light to everyone
who comes into the world;
All: and everyone who listens to the
Spirit’s voice comes to God.
***************************************
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
Adapted from D&C 85:2-3
Leader: Jesus Christ is the light of truth—
All: which truth shines!
Leader: He is in the sun, and the light of
the sun,
All: and the power by which it was made.
Leader: He is in the moon, and is the light
of the moon,
All: and the power by which it was made.
Leader: He is the light of the stars, and
the power that made them;
All: also the earth, on which we stand.
Leader: The light which shines to enlighten
our eyes
All: is the same light that illuminates our
understanding.
Leader: This light proceeds forth from the
presence of God
All: to fill the immensity of space.
Leader: The light is in all things, and
gives life to all things;
All: it is the law by which all things
are governed.
Leader: It is the power of God,
All: who is in the midst of all things.
***************************************
READING OF THE WRITTEN WORD – In community
Mark 10:46-52
[6 reading parts: 3 narrators, 2 bystanders, Jesus]
1st Narrator: As Jesus and his followers left Jericho,
a
crowd went along with them.
2nd Narrator: Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus,
was
seated by the side of the road, begging.
He was
blind.
3rd Narrator: When he heard that the person passing by
was Jesus of Nazareth,
he
began to shout:
All: Jesus,
son of David, have mercy on me!
2nd Narrator: Many of the other people around were annoyed.
They
ordered Bartimaeus to be quiet.
3rd Narrator: But he called out even louder:
All: Son
of David, have mercy on me!
1st Narrator: Jesus stopped. He said:
Jesus: Bring him here.
2nd Narrator: The people said to Bartimaeus:
Bystander 1: Calm down—it’s all right.
Bystander 2: He is calling for you. Get up!
3rd Narrator: Bartimaeus was wrapped in a cloak.
He
threw it off, jumped to his feet, and came to Jesus.
1st Narrator: Jesus said to him:
Jesus: What can I do for you?
3rd Narrator: Bartimaeus answered:
All: Rabbi—make
me see again.
1st Narrator: Jesus said:
Jesus: Go—your faith has healed you.
2nd Narrator: Immediately, Bartimaeus could see again.
3rd Narrator: He followed Jesus down the road.
***************************************
SCRIPTURE READING: A TIME FOR HEALING
Mosiah 1:97-98, contemporary language
God, the Almighty Ruler,
who has always existed, and will exist forever,
will come down from heaven,
and will live among human beings in a body of clay,
and will go out among the people, performing works of great
power—
healing the sick,
raising the dead,
giving people who have been crippled the power to walk,
people who are blind the power to see,
people who are deaf the power to hear,
and curing all kinds of illness.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Serve in community
Some short scripture readings appropriate for use during
worship on October
21. These might be incorporated into the Call to Worship, the Disciples’
Generous Response, or as a preface to the Reading of the Written Word.
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Adapted from Mosiah
2:24, 27-28
Traditional language:
Live peaceably.
Love one another.
Serve one another.
Succor those in need of your succor.
Administer of your substance to those who stand in need.
Contemporary language:
Live peaceably.
Love one another.
Serve one another.
Help those who need your help.
Share what you have with those in need.
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Adapted from Mosiah
9:39-40
Traditional language:
If you are desirous to be called God’s people—
bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
mourn with those that mourn;
comfort those that stand in need of comfort.
Contemporary language:
If you wish to be called God’s people—
lighten one another’s burdens,
mourn with those who mourn,
comfort those in need of comfort.
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Adapted from D&C
85:38a, c
Traditional language:
Love one another.
Learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
Cease to find fault one with another.
And above all things,
clothe yourselves with the bonds of charity,
as with a mantle,
which is the bond of perfectness
and peace.
Contemporary language:
Love one another.
Learn to share with one another the way the gospel requires.
Stop finding fault with one another.
Above all,
wrap yourselves together
in the blanket of charity.
This is the perfect bond!
This is peace!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Respond generously to God's grace
Some worship resources appropriate for October 14. I’m
providing two different Readings of the Written Word, so that there’s one to go
with whichever New Testament text the speaker has chosen to preach on. Both readings
are in the “two witnesses” style, where I set passages from Restoration
scripture alongside the biblical text. I know one person, at least, has tried
this style of reading in their congregation, and they say it went well.
1st Reader:
Scroll down to find the following:
- Reading of the Written Word—Mark 10:17-22
- Reading of the Written Word—Hebrews 4:12-16
- Disciples’ Generous Response
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READING OF THE
WRITTEN WORD—“Two witnesses” style
Excerpted from Mark 10:17-22 and D&C 42
(contemporary language)
1st Reader:
In the mouth of two or three witnesses—
2nd Reader:
—shall every word be established.
1st Reader: [holding up the Bible]
A reading from the Gospel of Mark.
2nd Reader: [holding
up the D&C]
A reading from the
Doctrine and Covenants.
1st Reader:
A man ran up to Jesus
and knelt in front of him.
He said: “Rabbi—
What must I do to receive eternal life?”
Jesus said:
“You know the commandments—
Do not kill.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not bear false witness.
Do not cheat anyone.
Honor your parents.”
2nd Reader:
I am Jesus Christ,
the Son of the
living God,
the Savior of the
world.
I speak to the
church:
Do
not kill.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not speak evil of
your neighbor
or do them any harm.
1st Reader:
The man said: “Rabbi—
I have kept all these commandments
from the time I was young.”
Jesus, looking at him, felt love for the man.
He said: “There is just one more thing you must do—
Go sell everything you own,
give the money to the poor,
and then come follow me.”
The man was shocked to hear this.
He went away devastated,
because he was rich.
2nd
Reader:
If you love me, you
will serve me
and keep all my
commandments.
You will remember the
poor
and consecrate your
property for their support—
whatever you have to
give them—
with a covenant and
deed that cannot be broken.
By giving your property
to the poor,
you will be giving it
to me.
For whatever you do
to the least of these,
you do to me.
1st Reader:
In the mouth of two or three witnesses—
2nd Reader:
—shall every word be established.
****************************************
READING OF THE
WRITTEN WORD—“Two witnesses” style
Adapted from Hebrews 4:12-16 and Book of Mormon excerpts
(contemporary language)
1st Reader:
In the mouth of two or three witnesses—
2nd Reader:
—shall every word be established.
1st Reader: [holding up the Bible]
These words are from the Letter to the Hebrews.
2nd Reader: [holding
up the Book of Mormon]
These words are from
the Book of Mormon.
1st Reader: [Hebrews 4:12]
God speaks with a word that is living and powerful,
sharper than any two-edged sword—
sharp enough to separate body from spirit;
sharp enough to cut clean through the bone.
2nd Reader: [Helaman
2:26]
Whoever is willing may lay hold on
the word of God,
which is living and powerful—
which will cut clean through
all the plots, and traps, and
deceptions of the evil one!
1st Reader: [Hebrews 4:12-13]
God can see into your heart—
all your thoughts, all your intentions.
There is nothing God cannot see.
Everyone is naked to the eyes of our great judge.
2nd Reader: [2
Nephi 6:34, 36]
We must all appear before the
judgment-seat of the Holy One.
We will have a perfect knowledge
of all our guilt, and our impurity,
and our nakedness.
1st Reader: [Hebrews 4:14]
But we have a great high priest,
Jesus, the Son of God,
who has passed into heaven to plead on our behalf.
Therefore, let us not lose faith.
2nd Reader: [2
Nephi 1:73, 76]
How important it is to make known
to everyone on earth
that no one can live in the
presence of God
except through the merits, and
mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah,
who pleads on behalf of all.
1st Reader: [Hebrews 4:15-16]
Even though he is free of sin,
Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses
because he was tempted like we are, in every way.
Therefore, let us approach God’s throne with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and grace
to help us in our times of need.
2nd Reader: [Alma
5:20-22]
The Son of God will experience
pain, and suffering,
and temptations of every kind.
He will take on himself the pains
and sicknesses of his people.
He will take on himself death,
so that he will be filled with
mercy
and will know how to help his
people in their weakness.
1st Reader:
In the mouth of two or three witnesses—
2nd Reader:
—shall every word be established.
****************************************
DISCIPLES’ GENEROUS RESPONSE
Adapted from Mosiah 2:28, 32-36
This responsive
reading could come immediately after someone reads D&C 163:9.
Leader: Lord, you have taught us to help those in
need of our help.
All: You have taught us
to share what we have with those in need.
Leader: Lord, we know that all of us are beggars.
All: We depend on you for
everything we have.
Leader: Even now, we have been begging you to forgive
our sins,
All: and you have not
left us begging in vain.
Leader: You have poured your Spirit out onto us!
All: You have filled our
hearts with joy!
Leader: If you, O God, who created us—
All: on whom we depend
for our lives and all we have—
Leader: If you
give us what we ask,
All: how
can we not give to others?
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