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Preparation for Worship
Songs: Ask yourself and the people who will be worshipping with you (kids included), “What are some of the songs we sing that focus on giving thanks to God and God’s work in the world?” Play them on Spotify, sing them acapella, or create your own instrumental arrangement.
Bible: You will need a Bible to read from the scriptures. You can use this doc or your phone as well…but I’d recommend using an actual Bible.
This week’s liturgy is based on the following texts:
Genesis 18:1-15, Psalm 100, Romans 5:1-8, Matthew 9:35-10:8
You can decide who will lead the different movements of this gathering. It would be great for every person to have a part.
Gathering
Gathering Words
In the Bible, in Matthew 18:20, the scripture says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” We believe that the church is not a building. The church is made up of people. So, we have gathered here in the spaces in which we live to be the church. We will worship God together. We trust that God is here with us.
Call to Worship
Leader: As Abraham welcomed the strangers. So God welcomes us.
All: God greets us with joy and says, “rest here for awhile.”
Leader: God brings out water to wash our dusty feet. God prepares a meal to nourish our weary spirits.
All: So let us receive the gracious hospitality of our God. Let us rest in this holy place where there is shade and water, food and laughter.
Leader: Let us worship our great God!
Reading of the Psalm
Psalm 100 says,
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Singing the Psalm
Song of Praise
Sing one song that focuses on giving thanks to God and God’s work in the world.
Some suggestions:
10,000 Reasons: Bless the Lord
For other song ideas click here.
Prayer of Preparation
Loving God,
We worship you and praise you for you are good. We are gathered together to hear from you today. We ask you to speak through the reading of scripture, through the songs we sing, and through our prayers. Open our ears now as we hear your word. Give us eyes to see and hears to hear what you are saying to your church.
We pray this in the name of Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Listening
(The time of listening is a series of reading the scripture, re-telling the story, and paying attention to where God is stirring your hearts as you listen. Invite everyone to listen to the words of the scriptures and to be ready to re-tell the story.)
Hear the gospel reading from the book of Matthew.
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.
Re-Telling
Let’s re-tell the text that we just heard. Where did we begin? What happened next? (go around the circle and tell the text again)
Paying Attention
What words or phrases grab your attention?
What do you think of Jesus’ instructions when the disciples are sent?
What do you sense God calling you to?
What will we carry into this week from this text?
What can we pray for this week?
Responding
Song of Response
Prayers of the People
Prayer is a conversation with God. We join our hearts and voices to offer our prayers to God.
Holy and Gracious God,
you call us by name,
Beloved One,
and call us to follow you.
help us to do so through your grace.
Like a shepherd taking care of their flock
you tend to our needs.
We pray today that you would be with those who struggle, suffer,
are in pain.
Guide those who are lost, or filled with worry and fear.
Protect those who are in harm’s way
heal those who are sick in body and spirit,
mend those who are broken,
as only you can.
God of peace, watch over those who lead us.
Fill our leaders with wisdom, patience, insight, and mercy.
Help them to lead with kindness and strength.
We thank you, O God, that you call workers into your harvest.
Help us faithfully follow when you call.
May we share the good news of your love to all people we encounter.
And now we pray together the prayer you taught us to pray saying,
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 sins,
as we forgive those who sin 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. Amen.
Sending
Benediction
People of God, hear now this blessing.
May the love of God enfold us.
May the grace of God uphold us.
May the power of God set us free
To love and serve all God’s people.
Now to God, who by the means of the power working in us
Is able to do so much more than we can ask or even think,
To God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all times,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
Closing Song
Living Room Liturgist 
I’d love to share this if I may?
Really welcoming and thoughtful Jenn!
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absolutely! feel free to use.
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