Kathleen Hart Brumm

While this liturgy was written to commemorate 9-11, it can be adapted for other contexts by changing the introductory paragraph in blue font and adapting the liturgy where needed. On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked on its own soil, which had not happened since 1942, and the likes of which were not seen before. Worldwide, around three billion, two hundred eighty-three million people have been born since then; a whole generation who did not experience the event that shaped so much of our present. They will remember only what they see and hear about it. “Never forget.” we have told ourselves. We will not, cannot forget the injury or the insult. There is no secular guidance    that tells us how to deal with our anger and loss.Let us, then, return to the roots of our faithto remember first that "our help is in the name of the Lordwho made heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:8 NRSVUE)This help took the form of a human named Jesuswho was God incarnate,who taught us the way to live in peace,and who died faithful to his teaching.God also taught us to pray,to call God   our Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9)This God is the only God,the Shepherd of Israel in the Hebrew scriptures,the One seen in the person of Jesus,and received as the Holy Spirit by believers.This God is the only God, A God called by many names,worshipped in many tongues,revealed to Moses as “I AM". (Exodus 3:14)Our God is holy,and demands that we acknowledge God's holiness; so we pray,    “Hallowed be your name”. (Matthew 6:9 NIV)We pray as Jesus commanded us:“Your Kingdom come,Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NIV)What do we mean when we say this?How are we to treat those who have wronged us?“Forgive us our debts, trespasses and sinsas we forgive our debtors, trespassers,and those who have sinned against us.” (Matthew 6:12)What are we willing to do as faithful discipleswho are engaged to do God’s work here on earth?We are to “do justice, love mercy,   and walk humbly with God.”(Micah 6:8)Proverbs 20:22 cautions all people of the Book:Do not say “I will repay evil.”;Wait for the Lord, who will help you. (Proverbs 20:22 NRSVUE)Temptation is strong to do otherwise;we want immediate and long-lasting vengeance,but Jesus tells us to pray“Lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13)To what degree do we pray that, but in fact hopeit will not happen just yet,that we get our satisfaction before it does?The kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to God,who is our Father in heaven.The kingdom, the power, and the glory do not belong to us.What courage will it demand,what faithfulness will it requirefor us to act on the wisdom we have been given,   to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us?We need not forget in order to forgive. Let us pray.Lord Jesus, even from the cross you asked your father to forgive those who executed you.Father, forgive them.They do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)Inspire us to be faithful disciples:   to have compassion for those who are injured,   to seek mercy and justice for those who are guilty.All humanity are your children.let your will be done on earth as in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)Amen.

This call to worship and greeting from God originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee—Easter 6: Living the Guarantee of Ultimate Victory."Gathering Sentences Alleluia! The Lord is risen!Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!God, mark us with grace and blessing! Smile on us! The whole country will see how you work, all the godless nations will see how you save.Let people thank and enjoy you, O God! Let all people thank and enjoy you!Let all far-flung people become happy and shout their happiness because you judge them fair and square.Let people thank and enjoy you, O God! Let all people thank and enjoy you!Earth, display your exuberance! You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.Let people thank and enjoy you, O God! Let all people thank and enjoy you!May all the best from God and Christ be yours.Grace be with you.—adapted from Psalm 67:1-6 MSGRevised Common LectionaryYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 15 (20)Year C: Easter—Sixth Sunday of Easter

This call to worship and greeting from God originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee—Easter 5: Living the Guarantee of Plenty for All."Gathering Sentences Alleluia! The Lord is risen!Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!Hallelujah!Hallelujah from heaven, praise God from the mountaintops.Hallelujah from all God's angels and all God's warriors.Praise God, sun and moon and morning stars.Praise God, high heaven and heavenly rain clouds.Praise, O let them praise the name of Yahweh—God spoke the word, and there they were!Let them praise the name of Yahweh—it's the only name worth praising.God's radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky.God has built a monument—God's very own people!May all the best from God and Christ be yours.Grace be with you.—adapted from Psalm 148:1-5, 13-14 MSGRevised Common LectionaryYear C: Easter—Fifth Sunday of Easter

This call to worship and greeting from God originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee—Easter 4: Living the Guarantee of Everlasting Nurture."Gathering Sentences Alleluia! The Lord is risen!Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!The Lord is my shepherd. I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows. You find me quiet pools to drink from.True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.Even when the way goes through a valley dark as death, I'm not afraid when you walk by my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.I'm back home in the house of my LORD forever.May all the best from God and Christ be yours.Grace be with you.—adapted from Psalm 23 MSGRevised Common LectionaryYear A: Easter—Fourth Sunday of EasterYear B: Easter—Fourth Sunday of EasterYear C: Easter—Fourth Sunday of Easter

This call to worship and greeting from God originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee—Easter 3: Living the Guarantee of a Better Vision."Gathering Sentences Alleluia! The Lord is risen!Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!All you saints, sing your hearts out to Yahweh!Thank God face to face!God gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.When things were going great, I crowed, "I've got it made. I'm Yahweh's favorite. God made me king of the mountain."Then you looked the other way and I fell to pieces.I called out to you, O Lord; I laid my case before you.You did it: you changed my wild lament into a whirling dance; you ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.I'm about to burst into song; I cannot keep quiet about you.Jehovah, my God, I cannot thank you enough.May all the best from God and Christ be yours.Grace be with you.—adapted from Psalm 30:4–8, 11–12 MSGRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 8 (13)Year C: Easter—Third Sunday of EasterYear C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 5 (10)Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 9 (14)

This call to worship and greeting from God originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee—Easter 2: Living the Guarantee of a Firm Foundation."Gathering Sentences Alleluia! The Lord is risen!Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!Yahweh's my strength and also my song, and now God is my salvation. Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs in the camp of the saved?"The hand of Jehovah is raised in victory! The hand of Jehovah has turned the tide!"Thank you for responding to me; you've truly become my salvation! The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now the capstone.This is the Lord's work. We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it! This is the very day the LORD acted—let's celebrate and be festive.Salvation now, Yahweh. Salvation now!Oh yes, Yahweh—a free and full life!May all the best from God and Christ be yours.Grace be with you.—adapted from Psalm 118:14–16, 22–25 MSGRevised Common LectionaryYears A, B, C: Easter—Resurrection of the LordYear C: Easter—Second Sunday of Easter

This declaration of Faith originally appeared in "Living Guarantee—Easter Sunday: Living the Guarantee of Beginning New."Declaration of Faith What, then, shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through the One who loves us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.—adapted from Romans 8:31, 35, 37–39 NRSVRevised Common LectionaryYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 12 (17)

This assurance of pardon originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee: A Six Week Series for Easter (Year C)."Assurance of PardonWho is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us.Anyone in Christ is a new creation: the past is gone; the new has come.Friends, believe the good news of the gospel.In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!—Based on Romans 8:34 Phillips & 2 Corinthians 5:17Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 12 (17)Year B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 6 (11)Year C: Lent—Fourth Sunday in Lent

This prayer of confession originally appeared in "Our Living Guarantee: A Six Week Series for Easter (Year C)."Prayer of ConfessionNote: This prayer of confession based on Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 45 was originally a part of a six-week series in which the sentence in italics was changed each week to reflect the scripture theme. For use apart from that series, consider using whichever of the sentences in italics is most fitting to your context. Almighty God, who raised up your Son, Jesus, overcoming death that we might also share in his righteousness, we confess that we have not lived as people already raised to new life. We have forgotten the guarantee of our own glorious resurrection. We have been so caught up in the shadows of old, corrupt creation around us, that we fail to see the light of your glorious New Creation in our midst.We have been timid in proclaiming your new creation, more ready to believe the bad news of the world than the good news of your Word.We have been so focused on the world's path, the path to what we think we should do, that we cannot see your better path, the path to what we might become.We too easily forget that you are always caring for us, and so, in our fear, we too often put our own interests over the good of all.We lose sight of the abundance of your love for us, and we hoard the gifts you give us, and cut ourselves off from receiving anything else.We have forgotten that, no matter what happens, the final victory is yours, and we resign ourselves too easily to the powers of this world.Merciful God, forgive our sins and make us bolder disciples. Help us to be courageous and daring, rather than compromising and shallow. Help us to live as people anticipating life and victory, rather than shrinking from death and despair. Resurrect us to your new life once again, dear God, in the name of Jesus Christ, living by your side and in our hearts. Amen.

This call to worship and greeting from God originally appeared in "Living Guarantee—Easter Sunday: Living the Guarantee of Beginning New."Gathering Sentences Alleluia! The Lord is risen!Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ.Grace to you and peace from the One who is and who was and who is to come, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, and ruler of the rulers of earth.To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom—priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever!—adapted from 1 Corinthians 15:19–26 MSG Revised Common LectionaryYear C: Easter—Resurrection of the Lord