Mission

Let us praise God for the manifestation of the Christ in his mission on earth.Let us praise God for the magi from the East who were sent to Bethlehem to teach us to honor Christ's star and to offer our gifts.We praise you, O God.Let us praise God for the multitudes in Asia and Africa who are today using the resources of their customs and cultures in developing new forms for worshiping Christ.We praise you, O God.Let us praise God for all those who are presenting themselves to be baptized into the name of Christ and for all the parents who are bringing their children to the water of Christ.We praise you, O God.Let us praise God for the manifestation of Christ in our own time when the thirsty are given something to drink and the hungry are fed.We praise you, O God.Let us pray for Christ's continuing epiphany among all who long for his presence.For your manifestationamong all who long for truth and are educated and wise in this world,for those who conduct research and those who teach,for those who study the stars and those who give counsel to kings and rulers,We seek your grace, O wisdom of God.For your epiphany among all who are open to your presence in the water and the wine, and especially among those who have seen your star but not yet heard your name,We seek your grace, O Savior of the nations.For your epiphanyamong all who are suffering for the cause of righteousness,for all who are in prison,for those who are oppressed,and for those who are hungry, thirsty, and homeless,We seek your grace, O Son of God.For your manifestation of your gloryin the course of our daily lives,in our homes, our schools, our work places and our facilities for play and entertainment,Hear Our Prayers, O Lamb of God.Amen. 

Do not ask me about my daughter’s adoption story.I say that only as a warning, because once I get going . . . whoo-eee. It’s a good one. God showed up to perform modern-day miracles that rival that of Elisha and the widow’s oil—blessings just kept coming in unbelievable ways that have unbelievers shaking their heads to this day. I love that story. I will drop everything at any time to tell anyone. I don’t need any time to prepare. It’s part of me and bursts from me. What story do you love to tell?In this issue of Reformed Worship, we finish our exploration of the connection between worship and mission. In the last issue we focused on Christ as the Servant-King and on our mission of following Christ’s example of service. In this issue we focus on our mission of telling the salvation story, which includes our own stories. The worship series “God Is In the Story” offers an opportunity for congregants to tell their stories of how they have seen God at work in their lives. Dr. David Music encourages us to prepare how we tell the story when we are asked to read Scripture in worship (“Reading Scripture in Public Worship” ). Lindsay Wieland Capel also reminds us to consider different ways to tell the story when we share it with people who communicate and learn in a variety of ways (“Worship for All: What Worship Planners Can Learn from Universal Design for Learning”). And because this is the Ascension and Pentecost issue, there also are resources to help you tell that part of the gospel message.God showed up to perform modern-day miracles that rival that of Elisha and the widow’s oil—blessings just kept coming in unbelievable ways that have unbelievers shaking their heads to this day.This year also marks the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed. We have included a few resources to help you commemorate that milestone by using the creed in worship and exploring its meaning. The creed itself is a wonderful summary of the gospel message and an effective tool for discipleship. How would our approach to the creed change if we approached it as a story we get to tell rather than as merely a historic document?What story do you love to tell? I think that’s an important question to ask ourselves and those in our worshiping communities. Where is God in that story? Do you have the same enthusiasm for your personal story as you do for the gospel message itself? I know the story and can tell it, but I imagine that I am like many of you—and like many of those who gather with you in worship. There are times I feel great enthusiasm and times I feel disengaged. There are times in my life when the gospel message has burst forth from my heart and lips and times when I’ve cried, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” There are times when I’m the one testifying, and there are times where my faith has been renewed by the testimony of others. The act of telling our own stories of God’s faithfulness in worship and in other settings is not just missional, but formational and pastoral. Let us not neglect this task.