Order of Worship for Sunday, November 1, 2009
Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, NYC www.janhus.org
Written and freely offered for use by Ray Bagnuolo (c)2009
Second Reading (Ordinary 31) : Hebrews 9:11-14
Gospel (Ordinary 31) : Mark 12:28-34
Opening Hymn: PH #436 "We Are Your People"
Communion Hymn: PH #505 "Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread"
Closing Hymn: PH #326 "Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart"
Call to Worship:
One: Hear O Israel the Lord God is One
Many: Creator of many paths, with many names.
One: Love God of Many Names with all your heart.
Many: Giving God let us know you know, as always and never before.
One: Love one another, as God loves you.
Many: Such is the greatest of commandments and the greatest form of worship.
All: Come, let us love and worship this wildly inclusive God together!
Call to Confession
Let us breathe, stilling ourselves in the presence of God and one another, seeped in love, divinity, and the gifts of forgiveness and assurance...
Prayer of Confession (in unison)
Today, Jesus calls our attention to the Sh'ma, the most sacred, perhaps, of all prayers in Judaism. He reminds us that we need to listen, to know, and to gain courage and strength in the truth that God is One and with us always. Always. There is no need for perfection to be loved by God, no requirements, and no prerequisites. It is simply so. And, in gratitude for such love and grace, we are called only to love our neighbors as ourselves. That, it turns out, is not always so easy. We too often manage to miss loving others, getting pulled in directions of self, power, retribution, and worse. God forgive us, please, in those times of harshness and absence. Repeat in our hearts and our actions the Sh'ma, guiding us in the ways of Jesus, Justice, and Love. Always. Amen.
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