Feb. 27, 2022.
Prelude.
Welcome and Announcements
Introit
Liturgy of the Hidden Seed. – 1 Corinthians 2:9 – 11
(Used with permission by Revs. Brian Dixon and Rebecca Craver).
In 1628 Moravian Bishop John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) led a small remnant of the ancient Moravian Church into exile from their homeland. As they began the journey, Comenius is said to have prayed that God would preserve a “Hidden Seed” that would one day grow again. Today we celebrate the 565th anniversary of this Moravian Church on March 1, which grew from the seed that Comenius planted into a worldwide mission to share God’s love. (March 1, 1457 – beginning of the Unitas Fratrum, also known as the Moravian Church).
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are overjoyed.
Hymn 533 (vs. 1 and 2)
Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, NUN DANKET (146 A)
who wondrous things has done, in whom his world rejoices;
who, from our mother’s arms, has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this gracious God through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us,
and keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills in this world and the next.
Holy and loving God, prepare our hearts for the wonders made ready for us.
May the dreams and visions of our souls
be the refrain and reflection of your life-giving Spirit.
Help us seek what no eye has seen. Teach us to listen in stillness.
Let us still hope for things invisible, dare the impossible,
and walk together by faith.
Refresh and restore the dry streams of our hearts.
Bring peace to all that runs wild and wasting and worried within us.
Fill us again with gladness and thanksgiving.
“Let those who plant with tears reap the harvest with joyful shouts.
Let those who go out, crying and carrying their seed,
come home with joyful shouts, carrying bales of grain!”
Hymn 495 (Vs. 2 and 3)
Holy Spirit, ever living as the church’s very life; IN BABILONE
Holy Spirit, ever striving through us in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming in the Church the mind of Christ:
you we praise with endless worship for your gifts and fruits unpriced.
Holy Spirit, ever working through the church’s ministry;
quick’ning, strengthening, and absolving, setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding age to age and soul to soul
in communion never ending, you we worship and extol.
Lord, our God, have mercy upon us.
When, forgetting ourselves, and forgetting the depths of your care,
we allow circumstances to distract us from loving you and serving others.
Leave your peace with us,
When we bear grudges more readily than we bear your likeness.
When we are uncharitable, unconsolable, and in need of your touch.
Bless and comfort us, we humbly pray.
When we miss the mark of glory; when we fall short of your grace; and every time we fail to put to work all the blessings we count and keep for ourselves.
SILENT CONFESSION
Bless the Lord because he has listened to your request for mercy!
The Lord is your strength and shield.
My heart trusts him. I was helped, my heart rejoiced,
and I thank him with my song.
Hymn 779 (vs. 3 and 4)
Pardon, Lord, and are there those who my debtors are, or foes? HERRNHUT (11 A)
I, who by forgiveness live, here their tresspasses forgive.
Much forgiven, may I learn love for hatred to return;
then my heart assured shall be you, my God, have pardoned me.
Prayers of the People
Pastoral Prayer/Lord’s Prayer
Special Music. Sharon Ettinger and Mary Venditta, duet
Offerings our Gifts/Remembering God’s Gifts
Hymn 819. “For the Life that You Have Given”
Scripture Luke 9:28-43 Deana Zosky
Sermon “Bearing the Fruit of a Transfigured Faith”.
Prayers for our Worldwide Church and our Role in it: An introduction to Body Prayer
God of mystery and message, we look trustingly to the hills and horizons for your promised help. Rising each day to the burden of an uncertain future. Resting beneath the weight of unanswered questions.
God of signs and wonders, the challenges we face feel like rising waters: justice travestied, love put to shame, and humility proudly derided. How can we walk like this? Who can love mercy that does not treasure it? And what, then, are we to do?
What if we are the Hidden Seed and also its fruit? What if the prayer hundreds of years ago that you, O God, would preserve the witness of the Unity for ages to come is still being answered today? Your Word calls us to faithfulness in small things. Christ, you show us the power of even a little faith (like mustard seeds, baking leaven, a candle on its stand) to uproot and cast aside that which seems insurmountable: a faith that makes all things possible with you.
That which is hidden, when planted in our hearts,
grows out in love for all the world.
Give us courage to turn from our homelands, our comfort, our privilege, to center on you, O God, and on others. In that disruption, remind us:
That which is hidden, when planted in our hearts,
grows out in love for all the world.
When we face mountains of division, separation, oppression, hatred, greed, and injustice be then our help and our way through together. With joined hands, remind us:
That which is hidden, when planted in our hearts,
grows out in love for all the world.
Stepping into the future, help us to give thanks for the past and carry with us those things that bring life and enable us to proclaim your Good News in all places. In the fullness of hope, remind us:
That which is hidden, when planted in our hearts,
grows out in love for all the world.
Capture our imaginations and show us that “justice is what love looks like in public” through our openness to learn and grow beyond our own expectations, remind us:
That which is hidden, when planted in our hearts,
grows out in love for all the world.
The seed that is hidden in our hearts grows through the power of the Spirit. Let us water and weed the plantings of God’s kin(g)dom and delight as God makes them to grow among and beyond us:
That which is hidden, when planted in our hearts,
grows out in love for all the world.
Hymn 700 (vs. 1, 2, and 3)
Faith is a living power from heav’n SING HEUT UND FREU DICH
that grasps the promise God has giv’n,
a trust that can’t be overthrown fixed heartily on Christ alone.
Faith finds in Christ our ev’ry need to save or strengthen us indeed;
we now receive the grace sent down, which makes us share his cross and crown.
Faith in the conscience works for peace, and bids the mourner’s weeping cease,
by faith the children’s place we claim, and give all honor to one name.
We thank you, then, O God of heav’n, that you to us this faith have giv’n
in Jesus Christ your Son who is our only fount and source of bliss.
To the God of hidden seeds and the Tree of Life,
with faith in the One who finishes every good work.
To the Spirit of hope and promise and peace,
with love in all things, for God and for all.
And, to Christ our Savior and friend,
with praise and thanksgiving, forever and always. Amen.
Calvary Moravian Church 