6 November 2011 – All Saints’ Sunday

Cover Art: Altar of the Mystical Lamb – The Arrival of the Mystical Lamb

Prelude

Greeting

Preparation for Worship

Choral Introit

* Call to Worship (based on Psalm 34:1-8)

Let us bless the Lord always. Let God’s praises be always in our mouths.
May our deepest selves shout out loud that God is the Lord, and may the humble and poor be made glad.
Look to God and your faces will glow. You will never be put to shame.
The Lord heard the cry of our soul and saved us from every fear.
Taste and see that God is good; happy are all who take refuge in the Eternal One.
Come, let us praise God’s name together.

* Gathering Hymn: # 477 Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim

* Prayer of the Church: Book of Common Worship p. 386 #2 (Almighty God…)

* Words of Grace

Hear the good news! Before we gathered to be part of this congregation, before this sanctuary was founded, the Church of God was at worship. Before we were here to know and celebrate God’s love, the Church was passing it down to us – and we can pass it along to the future church. So the whole church – yesterday, today, forever – here and in every place – can proclaim God’s love poured out in Christ, to God’s glory. Amen.

* Gloria: Glory Be to the Father…

Gathering of the Church Triumphant

We praise God that we can follow those who went before us, that by grace we’re bound to all God’s people in every time and every place.

They are with us – present in Spirit as we are in body – worshiping with us. We’re surrounded by their names on memorial plaques; we brought their pictures and names with us; and now we seat them as honored guests. They belong at this Communion Table, so we set up pictures, write names, and light candles. We affirm their presence among us in Christ’s Spirit.

You are invited to write a name, or place a photo or other memento, on the Communion Table.

May God’s love bear us to them and keep us all in eternal life

Scripture Reading: Revelation 7:9-17

Choir Anthem

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

Time With Young People

Meditation

Affirmation of Faith: The Nicene Creed

* Invitation Hymn: # 302 I Danced In the Morning (one of Hope’s favorites)

Prayers of the Community

Silent prayer

Pastoral Prayer

God of all the ages – the mystery of your loving plan stretches into eternity, yet you work out your purposes here and now among us. Give your blessing to those who are poor, hungry, mourning, or weak. Fill them with your goodness and accompany them with your presence. Speak kindly to those who seek mercy, kindness, peace, and purity. Make good your promises that all will be well. Lift up all those we pray for – those we know, those we don’t, and those we don’t know how to pray for by ourselves – and sustain all your people in love.

Bind all your world up in heaven’s grace, revealed to us when heaven came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together…

Lord’s prayer

Choral Response

Invitation to Sharing: Deacons Food Shelf Month

Offertory

* Doxology: Praise God from whom…

Invitation to the Table

Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God!
They will come from east and west,
from north and south,
from eons ago and years to come,
and gather at table in the household of God.

This is the Lord’s table, which we share with so many.
By the grace of God, I am honored to share it with everyone here.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

We praise you and thank you, O Lord, giver of life,
for the word of love you spoke into the void
that called forth light, life, and all that is.
Since the beginning of what we know as time,
you have been faithful,
giving yourself to be in this creation.
In every land, to every people, you spoke your word,
enjoining us to love one another and put our trust in your grace.
We praise you for all your faithful people who have answered your call,
stood fast in the face of persecution, violence, and fear,
and testified to your glory.

We bless you most of all, God of hosts,
for the gift of your very self
shared with us in the life of Jesus the Christ,
who laid out the Way of holiness.
We praise you for his teaching, his healing, his feeding,
and for his final testimony in death.
We rejoice that you testified on his behalf as well,
lifting him from the depths and vindicating his truth.
In Christ’s victory, death is destroyed forever!

Therefore we call forth your presence,
the Holy Spirit that filled your Christ and all the saints,
to be in us through these gifts of bread and cup.
Unite us with our risen Lord,
with all those who are in our memories:
name particular names here
…and with all who worship eternally in your presence.

Guide us to the same ever-springing water of life,
purify us by faithful service and steadfast love,
and at the last wipe every tear from our eyes.
So we pray for ourselves and for all your people, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sharing of Bread and Cup

Prayer of Dedication: from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers(God of unfailing light,)

* Sending Hymn: # 526 For All the Saints

* Charge and Blessing (based on 1 John 3:1-2)

Friends, you know how great is God’s love for us – so great that we have become what we are called: God’s own children.

We don’t know what precisely we will become, but God knows.
God chooses us.
God chooses the world for God’s own.

Go forth with that great good news,
bearing the love of God to all people;
extending the gracious welcome of Christ wherever you go;
and bound with each other and all the saints by the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Go in peace. Amen.

* Postlude