Worship Service & Meditations

The Reign of Christ Sunday

A Celebration of the Church Year

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PRELUDE

WELCOME / ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

*INVOCATION

Pastor:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

*PRAYER OF THE DAY

Assisting Minister:  Almighty and ever-living God,

you anointed your beloved Son to be priest and sovereign forever. Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided by the power of sin, may be united by the glorious and gentle rule of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

WORD FOR THE SEASON:  Introduction to the Church Year

 

Pastor:

 

The Church measures time differently than the world. 

The world goes according to the clock, the Church lives around events.

The world has a time line.

The Church lives in a circle of time.  Line / Circle

 

So we spend our time celebrating and remembering events:

Acts of God on our behalf – we follow the life and teachings of Jesus - the events in his life….

 

• Advent – we prepare for his coming
• Christmas – we celebrate Christ’s birth
• Epiphany – we see God’s grace shining in the miracles and teachings of Christ
• Lent – we journey with Christ to the Cross
• Easter – we are awe struck by the new life God brings in Jesus
• Pentecost – the birth of the church sends us on a journey to follow Christ…
• The Sundays after Pentecost – we learn how to follow.

 

So, today we will journey through the Church Year.

 

ADVENT

 

Scripture Reading – Isaiah 40:1-5

 

Assisting Minister: 

A reading from Isaiah:

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid, that she has received

from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries out:
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

 

Reflection – “The Voice”

 

Pastor:  Advent – Latin for ‘coming.’

 

It is a terrible thing to lose one’s voice.  Have you ever lost your voice?  It is so frustrating.  Imagine the people of God losing their voice.  God’s people, Judah, have been in exile.  They are tired, weary of pleading to God.  They have lost their voice.

 

The prophet, Isaiah, gives voice to their inner yearnings, their desire to return to their land.  The prophet re-gains the voice for the people and cries out:

 

“In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord…”

 

We may have lost our voice in weariness.  Our inmost yearnings may remain unspoken.  Advent is a time when the Scripture and the Church gives voice to our deepest yearnings.

 

Advent Hymn – 257 – “O Come! O Come! Emmanuel”

Assembly sings stanza 1.

 

1. O come, O come, Emmanuel,

    and ransom captive Israel,

    that mourns in lonely exile here

    until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:  Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

              shall come to you, O Israel.

 

CHRISTMAS

 

Scripture Reading – St. Luke 2:1-7

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke:

 

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

 

Reflection – “Classical Words and the Word”

 

Pastor:

 

Christmas – comes from the words Christ and mass – it is the Mass of Christ!

 

This story from St. Luke is a classic.  We can mouth the words as they are read to us.  Many of us learned these words in Sunday School and spoke them before a congregation at the Christmas program.  The image of the Nativity Scene on Sunday School brochures is etched in our minds.  We remember these great words at Christmas time.

 

But they are more than classic words for they reveal the Word.  The Word becomes a human being --no longer mere promises floating in the air --no longer waiting for change.  But now in the flesh, in the person of Jesus – God makes a decisive revelation! 

 

God’s promises are no longer wrapped up in words – but now are wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  The promise has come alive in a person!  Imagine the God of the universe choosing to enter into human life. 

 

Christmas Hymn - “I Wonder as I Wander”

         Cantor sings stanzas 1 & 2.

EPIPHANY

 

Scripture Reading – St. Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the Gospel according to St. Matthew:

 

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?... ⁹When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

 

Reflection – “Grounds for Hope”

 

Pastor: 

 

Epiphany comes from Greek and means ‘shining forth.’

 

The star of this story is a star!  The heavens announce a global savior. 

 

Crossing boundaries from East to West the Wisemen journey through the darkness of prejudice and hate to the light of acceptance and love.  The light leads them from despair into hope.  They move into holy ground and have grounds for hope.

 

Gerhardt Frost – Lutheran pastor, professor, and poet writes:

 

Grounds for Hope

 

“The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.”  St. John 1:5

 

If I am asked

what are my grounds for hope?

this is my answer:

Light is lord over darkness,

truth is lord over falsehood,

life is lord over death.

 

 

Of all the facts I live with,

there’s none more comforting

than this:  If I have two rooms,

one dark, the other light,

and I open the door between them,

the dark room becomes lighter,

without the light one

becoming darker.  I know

this is no headline,

but it’s a marvelous footnote;

and God comfort’s me in that.

 

We journey with the Magi, following the light.

 

Epiphany Hymn - 302 – “As With Gladness Men of Old”

         Assembly sings: stanza 1.

 

As with Gladness Men of Old

 

1.      As with gladness men of old

         did the guiding star behold;

         as with joy they hailed its light,

         leading onward, beaming bright;

         so, most gracious Lord, may we

         evermore be led by thee

 

LENT

 

Scripture Reading – Isaiah 53:4-6

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the prophet, Isaiah:

 

⁴Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.

⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
⁶All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

 

Reflection – “Turning and Returning”

 

Pastor:

 

Lent is an old English word and means ‘to lengthen’ – the days lengthen as we move toward Spring….Lent is an ancient word for Spring…

 

For Christians Lent is a journey of turning.  We are on the road walking away from God.  Like the prodigal in Jesus’ famous story we walk away from God. 

 

Lent is that – “Aha!” that reminder that the loving Father waits for us.  That God has set into motion his grace to come and get us and turn us -- like the Prodigal Son in the pig sty who comes to his senses and seeks to become a servant of his father.

 

There is the turning – and then there is the return.  The journey back has its own way of changing us as we reflect and walk the way we encounter the hill of Calvary and see the Son, our brother, who went to the cross for us.

 

We turn and we return during Lent.

 

We want Jesus to walk with us.

 

Lenten Hymn – 325 – “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”

         Assembly sings stanza 1.

I Want Jesus to Walk with Me

 

1. I want Jesus to walk with me;

    I want Jesus to walk with me;

    all along my pilgrim journey,

    Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me

 

HOLY WEEK

 

Scripture Reading – St. John 19:16-18

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the Gospel according to St. John:

 

16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.  So they took Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.

 

Reflection – “Love is written all over this!”

 

Holy Week – it begins with a small parade, continues with a special meal, climaxes in a brutal death and ends with an open tomb.  The drama of Holy Week looks like defeat. 

The power of the Empire, the powers of death seem to have won the day. 

 

But then we re-call the words of Christ:  “Greater love has no one then this, that he lay down his life for his friends, you are mine friends.” 

 

Love is written all over this.  Love:  God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him might not perish, but have eternal life.

 

Were you there when divine love took a stand?

 

Cantor sings:  “Were You There?” Stanzas 1 & 2

 

EASTER

 

Scripture Reading – St. Mark 16:1-8

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the Gospel according to St. Mark:

 

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?"  4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you."  8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

 

Reflection – “Open Ended!”

 

Pastor:

 

They tried to fix it.  Ancient copiers of the text of Mark tried to fix it--this sad and fearful ending.  They wrote other endings to try and wrap it up – to try and wrap their mind around this new life that has come into our world. 

 

No!  Mark ends this way because when the human encounters the divine you will never know the ending…or maybe the end is just a beginning? 

 

The tomb is open and women are running away in awe and fear…what will happen next.

 

New life – when it happens to God’s church, it is open ended and oftentimes we find ourselves running away in fear and awe shouting:  “Jesus Christ is Risen Today!”

 

Easter Hymn – 365 – “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”

         Assembly sings stanza 1.

 

PENTECOST

 

Scripture Reading – Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles:

 

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

 

Reflection – “The wind blows where it wills…”

 

Pastor:

 

St. Mark was right.  The disciples huddle in fear in Jerusalem.  They are stuck – stuck in the tomb of fear - in a womb of fright. 

 

They are stuck until the wind dives into their secluded abode. The Spirit opens up shut windows and mute mouths. 

 

It was that same ancient wind that had moved over the waters of the first creation calling life out of chaos – giving birth to a new world.

 

Now that Spirit is the mid-wife – giving birth to a new being – the body of Christ, the Church – Pentecost is the birthing of the Church and it is at times painful.

 

That wind is the wind that Jesus identified and sent to the disciples.  Remember when he said to Nicodemus on the night when he paid a visit:

“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.  So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” St. John 3:8

 

There is wildness to God’s mercy – it goes where it wills – it calls and pushes the Church to boldly go where no Church has gone before!

 

Pentecost Hymn – 627 – “O Day Full of Grace”

         Assembly sings stanzas 1 & 4

 

ORDINARY TIME – Season after Pentecost

 

Scripture Reading - St. Mark 4:30-32

 

Assisting Minister:

 

A reading from the Gospel according to St. Mark:

 

30 He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

Reflection:  Ordinary Time – “Grow in Christ”

 

Pastor:

 

It is ordinary time – the Sundays after Pentecost – the green season – the season of growth.  The seeds have been planted and now the people gather to be fertilized and watered to grow in their faith and love in Christ.

 

Our faith does not remain static – but grows.  Change is a natural part of growth.  God and our relationship to God is ever changing and ever growing.  Like the mustard seed which is small – faith that looks small has the power to work much good. 

 

It is during this season that God plants new faith in our hearts and it grows and blossoms into works of love and mercy.  It is during this time, during this green season that we renew our call to follow the way of Christ.

 

Hymn Sundays after Pentecost - 720 – “We Are Called”

         Assembly sings stanza 3.

 

 

CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY

Conclusion of the Church Year

 

Scripture Reading – St. John 18:33-37

 

A reading from the Gospel according to Saint John:

 

³³Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" ³⁴Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" ³⁵Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" ³⁶Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." ³⁷Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

 

Reflection for Christ the King – “Not of This World”

 

“Not from this world…”  Jesus boldly tells Pilate that his Kingdom is ‘not of this world.’  We hear that and we might think, ‘O Yes, Jesus is talking about heaven.’ 

 

But that simply is not true.  This is no reference to heaven.  It is a bold contrast to Pilate’s kind of Kingdom.  God’s rule in life is not full of violence and power struggles and armies and who is best or who is on top. 

 

Jesus has just come from a ‘not from this world’ experience in the Upper Room.  John is the one who shares this ‘not of this world’ event.  It is when Jesus, the Lord and Master, takes a towel and washes the disciples feet.  John is the only Gospel to record this event and it is in great contrast to the kings of the world.

 

Not of this world means unlike the world full of princes and power – God’s kingdom is ruled by grace and serving. 

 

This King reigns from a cross.  This king is crowned the Prince of Peace.  The Pilates of our world are long gone.  But the Servant-King Jesus reigns eternally.  Amen.

 

Reign of Christ - 855 – “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

         Assembly sings stanza 1.

 

Crown Him with Many Crowns

 

1. Crown him with many crowns,

    the Lamb upon his throne;

    hark, how the heav'nly anthem drowns

    all music but its own.

    Awake, my soul, and sing

    of him who died for thee,

    and hail him as thy matchless king

    through all eternity.

 

OFFERTORY ANTHEM

 

OFFERING

 

As the offerings are brought forward the Assembly stands.

The Assisting Minister receives the offerings and places them in the Altar.

 

*PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

 

Pastor: 

Gathered with the saints by the river of life and surrounded by the great cloud of their witness, let us pray for the well-being of the church of God, the peace of the whole world, and the welfare of all people.

 

Assisting Minister:

God of justice, you rule far above all dominions. Establish your power over the nations and those who govern them, that all families of the earth would gather under your righteous reign. We pray in hope, make all things new.

 

God of creation, you declare your glory in the heavens and the earth. Sustain your handiwork of space and sea, of sky and soil, of stars and seeds, that all creatures would praise you with one voice.  We pray in hope, make all things new.

 

God of glory, you announce your salvation and forgiveness to all on earth. Empower your church by your Gospel of grace, that its bishops, pastors, and leaders would equip all your people for lives of joyful service and caring compassion. 

We pray in hope, make all things new.

 

God of love, you nourish and sustain us as a shepherd cares for his flock. Enable this congregation to seek the lost, bring back the straying, bind up the injured, and strengthen the weak.  We pray in hope. make all things new.

 

God of peace, you proclaim your presence in all places and conditions of life. Extend your reign of gentle healing to those hospitalized and their caregivers Grant that all who suffer would be enveloped by your comfort.

We pray in hope, make all things new.

 

God of heaven, you promise to prepare a place for us in your eternal home. Encourage us on our earthly journey, that with all the faithful departed, we may reach at last your promised land.  We pray in hope, make all things new.

 

Pastor:

All blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be yours, O God, through Christ the crucified and risen one.  Amen.

 

*LORD’S PRAYER

 

Assisting Minister:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,

thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen

 

*BLESSING

 

Pastor:

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord's face shine on you with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.
Amen.

 

*SENDING HYMN – 661 – “I Love to Tell the Story”

         Assembly sings stanza 1.

I Love to Tell the Story

 

1. I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

    of Jesus and his glory,

    of Jesus and his love.

    I love to tell the story,

    because I know it's true;

    it satisfies my longings

    as nothing else would do.

Refrain

    I love to tell the story;

    'twill be my theme in glory

    to tell the old, old story

    of Jesus and his love.

 

DISMISSAL

 

Assisting Minister:

Go in peace. Serve the Lord. / Thanks be to God.

 

POSTLUDE - “Christ the King” (Paul Benoit)

 

 

“Reign of Christ – Celebrating the Church Year” written Rev. Kenneth R. Storck

@2018 all rights reserved – use only with permission per:  kennstorck@gmail.com