Service of Affirmation and Inclusivity

Below are some worship resources which you are welcome to use at no charge. Please just use a copyright acknowledgment "Copyright Lisa Frenz. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission."

Below is the order of worship for this service. Please feel free to use its liturgy, litanies and prayers as best suits your worshiping community. The anthems, hymns and scripture texts are suggested only, please feel free to use others as appropriate. The direction (spoken over music) means that I would like to have your musician play softly under the spoken words.

If you do use this I just ask that you acknowledge the source as follows:

From Reconciling in Christ Service of Affirmation and Inclusivity, conceived and written by Lisa Frenz Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.

Order of Worship

Prelude & Lighting of the Candles

Call to Worship: Choir Anthem All Are Welcome Here (W. Michael Aguilar © Shandy Music Industries. All rights reserved.,

Music by W. Michael Aguilar III available through Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

Affirmation of Welcome:

P: As Christ welcomed all who came to him,

A: Regardless of social status, wealth, family,

P: Ethnicity, race, gender,

A: Holiness, righteousness, purity,

P: Illness, disabilities, limitations,

A: Intelligence, mental health, abilities,

P: Religion, faith, or commitment,

C: So do we welcome all who come, all who are sent, all who join us. For God has called us all to be one family in Christ. Amen.

GATHERING SONG: All Are Welcome vs. 4, 2, 5, (Marty Haugen, Gather Comprehensive 753, GIA Music)

4. Let us build a house where hands will reach . . .

2. Let us build a house where prophets speak . . .

5. Let us build a house where all are named . . .

Gathering Prayer/Prayer of the Day

Scripture Readings (the following may be used or other appropriate texts):

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

Psalm 19:7-14

James 5:13-20

SCRIPTURE SONG: I Didn’t Ask Why

Text & Music by Mike Stern

First they came for the communists, . . . and I wasn't a Jew.

Refrain: So I didn't stand up . . . they came for me there was no one left to ask why.

Then they came for the unionist, . . . and I wasn't a priest. Refrain

Then they came for the pacifists, . . . and I wasn't gay. Refrain

Then they came for the outcasts, . . . and I am not poor.

Now I'm gonna stand up, . . . And we're gonna ask why!

There'll be lots of people standing hand in hand.

There'll be lots of people asking why!

Based on Pastor Martin Niemöller's poem:

In Germany they came first for the Communists and I didn't speak up

because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't

speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists

and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for

the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they

came for me--and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Martin Niemöller c.1945

Holy Gospel: Mark 9:38-50 (or other appropriate text)

Music for Meditation

Message

.THEME SONG: Open the Door (Ray Makeever, Dancing At The Harvest 75, Augsberg Fortress Press) or other appropriate song or verse

Refrain: Here is the church...Open the door See the people.

We are the children and we are the old. . . and we are the sight. Refrain

We are the women and we are the men . . and we are the same. Refrain

We are the straight and we are the gay. . .and we are the bread. Refrain

We are the altar and we are the street. . . and we are the door. Final refrain

Testimony of faith:

We believe in one God, who is Creator, maker of all we see and all we don't see. Who is Ruler of the universe: Source of all creation!

We believe in one God, who is Jesus Christ, God from God, Light from Light, true God and true human. He is one with the Creator; the Word made flesh, our Messiah: Savior of all creation!

We believe in one God, who is Holy Spirit, Breath of God moving among us. Who is one with the Creator; one with the Christ; our Comforter and our Guide: Mentor of all creation!

Litany for Reconciliation

The people described below are real. I either know them personally,

or learned of their stories from family and friends. LF

Song: People of the Word vs. 1, 2 (Ray Makeever, Dancing At The Harvest 1, AugsbergFortress Press) or other appropriate song or verse

People of the word: Open up your door.... Here ev'rybody is welcome all the time.

People of the truth: Open up your mouth... Not ev'rybody is welcome all the time.

(Spoken over music)

P: Hear the words of a receptionist in Portland:

A: My heart aches even as I smile; my parents kicked me out of my home at age 16 when I told them I was gay.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, a healing place, a place blessed to say

All: All are welcome here.

P: Hear the words of a girl from Alexander:

A: My face is calm even as my stomach tightens; my classmates shun me and make fun of me every day.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, a sustaining place, a place blessed to convey

All: All are welcome here.

P: Hear the words of a woman in Nashville:

A: I will never forget it. The day they burned a cross on my front yard.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, a comforting place, a place blessed to demonstrate

All: All are welcome here.

P: Hear the words of a man in Rockford:

A: My eyes flinch even as I walk tall; my church asked me to leave when they found out I was a transvestite.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, an accepting place, a place blessed to advertise

All: All are welcome here.

Song: People of the Word vs. 3 (Ray Makeever, Dancing At The Harvest 1, AugsbergFortress Press) or other appropriate song or verse

People of the heart: Open up your love... So ev'rybody is welcome all the time.

P: Hear the words of a woman from Long Island:

A: I don't ever want to go to Germany. I'm afraid of what I'll feel; many of my relatives died in concentration camps.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, a loving place, a place blessed to proclaim

All: All are welcome here.

P: Hear the words of a woman in Chicago:

A: My lips harden even as I breath deeply; my friends of 30 years ordered me from their house when they found out my sons were gay.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, a consoling place, a place blessed to assert

All: All are welcome here.

P: Hear the words of a sex offender from Columbia County:

A: I messed up big time. I know God has forgiven me, but I also know society never will.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, a supporting place, a place blessed to impart

All: All are welcome here.

P: Hear the words of a woman from Los Angeles:

A: I can't return to worship. My church excommunicated me because I divorced my abusive husband and I feel unworthy.

C: O Lord, may we always be a safe place, an affirming place, a place blessed to express

All: All are welcome here.

Song: People of the Word vs. 4 (Ray Makeever, Dancing At The Harvest 1, AugsbergFortress Press) or other appropriate song or verse

People of the cross: Open up your arms... Now ev'rybody is welcome all the time.

P: In a world where hurts are easily dealt to others by individuals and groups,

C: We seek to heal.

P: In a world where oppression hides behind social acceptance,

C: We do our best to uncover our blindness.

P: In a world where injustice is common,

C: We work to be advocates for those wronged.

P: In a world filled with prejudice and hate, fill us with love, O Lord,

C: That we may be a people who love the loveless, touch the outcast and welcome the stranger. Let us speak the words of acceptance.

P: Amen.

C: So be it, Lord.

Greeting of peace:

P: May the peace of the Christ Jesus be with you,

C: And also with you.

P: Let us share the peace of God, the peace which knows no bounds.

Offering

Offering Prayer:

A: Let us pray,

C: God of all, thank you for the life you give me, the goods which you supplied to me, the power to make a difference in this world. Be with me in my daily tasks, my daily joys, my daily sorrows, so that every day, every minute belongs to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Prayers of the Community followed by The Lord's Prayer

P: Let us pray,

C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

PRAYER SONG: Lord, Listen to your children praying (Worship and Praise 92, Augsberg Fortress Press)

Lord, listen to your children... send us pow'r, send us grace.

Holy Communion: (if Communion is not served continue with the Closing Prayer)

Eucharistic Prayer

Distribution of Communion

Dismissal from Communion

THANKSGIVING SONG: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus vs. 1, 4 (Lutheran Book of Worship158, Augsberg Fortress Press)

.Closing Prayer:

A: Lord of all life and light, you sustain us with your very self, giving us food for our journey. Grace us with your continuing presence that we may be an active part of your work in our world, sharing the message of Christ Jesus that all may come to know The Way, The Truth and The Life.

C: Amen.

Blessing:

P: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be caring towards you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

C: Amen.

Announcements

SENDING SONG: A Dazzling Bouquet (Bret Hesla, Global Songs 2, 28 Augsberg Fortress Press)

Refrain: Mine is the church where ev'rybody's welcome. . . 'cause we got space for more.

Come here, all you six-foot gladiolas;. . . carnival of fragrance and delight. Refrain

We don't simply tolerate each other. . . Let ev'ry face come grace the grand bouquet. Refrain

Our demons keep trying to divide us. . . Just look around, enjoy the lovely view. Refrain

A: Go in Peace serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God!

Postlude