Be Servants of All

A couple of worship resources appropriate for September 23, both adapted from the Book of Mosiah. Scroll down to find:

• A Repentance Reading
• Disciples' Generous Response

Note: The Repentance Reading pairs up passages with similar themes from the Epistle of James and the Book of Mosiah. This dual reading is loosely modeled after the way Christian Science worship moves back and forth between readings from the Bible and Science and Health. I posted another worship resource in the same dual-reading format a few weeks back; I haven't received feedback from anyone who used that resource in a congregation, so I still think of this format as purely experimental. Anyone out there game to run the experiment? The reading looks longer than it really is because I formatted it in such short lines.

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A REPENTANCE READING

Adapted from James 3-4 and Mosiah 1-2 (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 Letter of James.

2nd Reader:    [holding up the Book of Mormon]

A reading from the Book of Mosiah.

1st Reader:    [James 3:13]

If you are truly wise,

you will show it with a life of gentle deeds;

for true wisdom gives birth to gentleness.

   

2nd Reader:    [Mosiah 1:49]

This is wisdom—

that when you serve your fellow beings,

you are serving your God.   

1st Reader:    [James 3:14-16]

If in your heart

there is bitterness, jealousy, or selfishness—

this is not the wisdom that comes from God.

These things belong to the devil.

2nd Reader:    [Mosiah 1:73]

O my people—

be careful not to let contentions rise up among you.

Be careful not to give ear to the evil spirit.

1st Reader:    [James 3:17]

The wisdom that comes from God

is peaceable and gentle,

willing to give way,

full of compassion and good fruits,

free of any prejudice or hypocrisy.

2nd Reader:    [Mosiah 1:120]

Give way to the coaxing of the Holy Spirit

and become like a child—

accepting, mild, humble, patient,

full of love,

trusting in God’s will

the way children trust their parents.

1st Reader:    [James 4:1-2]

These conflicts and quarrels among you—

are these not born from your selfish desires?

You covet things you do not have:

that is why you fight with each other.

2nd Reader:    [Mosiah 2:23-24]

If you always remember

how good, and how forgiving, God has been to you,

you will not have a mind to hurt one another.

You will live peaceably

and give everyone their due.

1st Reader:   

In the mouth of two or three witnesses—

2nd Reader:        

—shall every word be established.

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DISCIPLES’ GENEROUS RESPONSE

Adapted from Mosiah 1:49-59

Leader:    God, our creator—

                 You preserve us from day to day.

All:           You support us from moment to moment.

Leader:    You lend us breath, so that we can live and move.

All:           You give us power to act according to our own wills.

Leader:    You have given us reasons to rejoice.

All:           You have granted us the blessing of living in peace.

Leader:    Even if we thanked you, and praised you, with all the power we possess—

All:           Even if we served you with our whole souls—

Leader:    We would still be in your debt for all you have given us.

All:           We would still be unprofitable servants.

The leader gives a prayer of thanksgiving and for the blessing of the mission tithes that are about to be received. After the prayer, the leader reads:

Leader:    My sisters and brothers—

                 When we serve our fellow beings,

All:           we are serving our God.

Leader:    Should we not labor, then, to serve one another?

All:           Let us labor to serve one another.

Mission tithes are now received.