The Joyful Feast

Liturgical Elements for Reformed Worship, Year C

Timothy Matthew Slemmons

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9781620320020
  9781498222013
• eBook ISBN:
  9781630876845
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

Liturgical Elements for Reformed Worship is a series of four liturgical resources: three consisting of liturgical elements for Years A, B, and C, and a fourth, the first such resource to support the implementation of Year D: A Quadrennial Supplement to the Revised Common Lectionary (Cascade, 2012). Each volume consists of a Call to Worship, Opening Prayer, Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession, and Words of Assurance, with Years A-C including additional elements (A Prayer in Preparation for Worship, The Offering, Prayer of Dedication, and a Blessing) suitable for Presbyterian, Reformed, and other Protestant worship. Each of these practical volumes is intended for use by pastors, liturgists, and other planners and leaders of worship.

Part I

The Christmas Cycle

Advent—Christmas—Epiphany

First Sunday of Advent

Jeremiah 33:14–16

Psalm 25:1–10

1 Thessalonians 3:9–13

Luke 21:25–36

In Preparation for Worship

God of Creation, who established the sun, the moon and the stars,

when these are darkened, help us to stand by your grace.

Spirit of revelation, who set the limits of the earth and the seas,

when these are shaken, help us to stand with your grace.

Son of Man, who comes with the clouds, when the worries of this life

threaten to entrap us, help us to stand in your grace.

Call to Worship

Lift up your souls to the Lord, O people!

Place all your trust in God!

The Lord is our righteousness!

Our God instructs sinners in the way to obey.

O Lord, do not remember the sins of your people!

May those who call on you never be put to shame!

The Lord is our righteousness!

Our God leads the humble in faithfulness.

Keep the commands of the Lord, O people!

Remember your people in your mercy, O Lord!

The Lord is our righteousness!

Praise God, who is our truth and salvation!

Opening Prayer

God of truth and righteousness, we turn to you in anticipation of your coming to bring justice and peace into our world. Strengthen our hearts in holiness, unite us with our neighbors in love, direct our way along your righteous paths and among your righteous people of every time and place, that we may be found blameless at your return.

Call to Confession

Do not let yourselves be weighed down by the waste and the worries of this world. Such are not the will of God, but the ways of a world that is perishing in sin. The will of God is that we hope in Jesus Christ to strengthen us to resist and escape the snares of this world, and to speak a word of grace in response to our sin, giving us confidence to stand in the Day of Judgment. Let us confess our sin.

Prayer of Confession

God of hope, we confess that we are often lacking in faith, quickly seizing upon what seem to be reasons for despair. We are constantly coming up short on faith, hope, and love, and we blame others for it. When will we remember that no one desires our freedom and our joy more than you? Forgive us, O God, and strengthen our hearts in holiness, that we might remember all the reasons we have for hoping in your coming to us once again.

Declaration of Forgiveness

When the powers of the heavens are shaken, those who wait for God are to lift up their heads and know that redemption is drawing near. Do not be weighed down by guilt any longer, but enjoy the lightness of your new freedom from sin. Know the simple joy of being taught the ways of obedience, in the full assurance that you are forgiven in Christ Jesus.

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Our giving to God is an act of hope, a public proclamation of our trust that the future and the church both belong to Jesus Christ. When heaven and earth have passed away, only the words of the living Word will remain. God has given us everything in Jesus Christ, the living Word. What shall we offer in return?

Prayer of Dedication

Eternal God, let us be counted among the givers.

Catch us in the act of giving.

Accept these gifts of our devotion,

move with them hard, craggy hearts, and stir the mighty ocean

with your faith and hope and love, in the light of which we give them.

The Charge

Be awake and ever on the lookout

for signs of our creating and re-creating God.

Be awake and ever open to signs of hope

in the coming of Chr...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Series Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Part 1: The Christmas Cycle
• Part 2: The Paschal Cycle
• Part 3: Ordinary Time (Propers 4–29)