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November 13, 2007

Prayer - adapted from Reinhold Niebuhr

God - whose love envelopes each of us, whose passion for justice and kindness challenges us, whose care for all life inspires us - give us grace. May your Spirit dance delightfully through our lives. In grace, give us peace in the face of things that cannot be changed - our genetic make-up, our genealogy, past hurts and mistakes. In grace, give us courage to change what should be changed - our unloving attitudes, our narrow perspectives, our cynical hearts, injustice, our too easy resort to violence. In grace, give us wisdom so that we can distinguish between those things that cannot be changed and those that can and should be so that we don't spend needless energy in the wrong direction. In Christ, who changes lives. Amen.

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Christ the King | Prayer of Illumination

Sovereign God, creator and ruler of time and space. You sent your Word into the world not for judgment, but for redemption. Let us hear your saving words that, by your Spirit, we may be transformed and know the things that make for joyful and holy living; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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November 19, 2005

Call to Worship | Revelation 21-22 | Peace

We dream an ancient dream...
The world at peace. The world made whole.
We pray an old, old prayer...
The world at peace. The world made whole.
We join together to proclaim the vision...
The world at peace. The world made whole.
We act in our community to make it so...
The world at peace. The world made whole.

Lawrence Lee

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Call to Worship | Trinity

Why do we gather?
We gather to praise God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We worship God the Father
creator of heaven and earth.
We worship God the Son
who was made flesh and walked among us.
We worship God the Holy Spirit
who moves in and among us and makes us one.
Holy and blessed Trinity -
God above us, God beside us, God within us, hear our praise.

Lawrence Lee

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"Lord, we have stuff." | Call to Worship | Luke 12:13-21

Lord, we have stuff.
Mountains of stuff.
Stuff with knobs and lights, stuff with wheels and engines, stuff with creases and cracks, stuff with doors and hallways, stuff with cushions and armrests, stuff of wood, stuff of plastic, stuff of paper, space-age stuff, state-of-the-art stuff, old-fashioned stuff, fashionable stuff, stuff that leaks and stuff that holds water, wearable stuff and worn-out stuff, stuff that we possess and stuff that possesses us.
God, we know this stuff does not save.
Give us the stuff of life. That which does not perish or grow rusty or moth-eaten.
For it is in the stuff that we treasure that we find our hearts.
Let us invest in that which is eternal...
That our hearts may be one with God.

Lawrence Lee

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November 15, 2005

Call to Worship | Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 23 | Shepherd

The Lord is our Shepherd.
Which would make us the sheep.
And if that is so, the Lord has his hands full. Sheep, contrary to popular notions, are not stupid. They are quite bright, and social, and gregarious. Sheep actually need to be a part of a herd. They are prone to go with the crowd. When one senses danger and bolts, they all bolt together, whether it is wise or not. And sheep are fearful by nature. Anything out of their daily routine brings stress to sheep.
Lord help us.

Lawrence Lee

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November 14, 2005

"Katie & Martin" | Play | Reformation Day

Katie & Martin

Dramatis Personae

Conrad - chorus and narrator
Martin - reformer, theologian, monk
Katie - an escaped nun
Koppe - a merchant
Wolf - Koppe's nephew
Jerome - a young scholar
Amsdorf - a professor
Voice
Monk
Nun
Various Nuns and Townspeople

Scene 1

Conrad - This is a tale of love and marriage, made more remarkable because the two people in question are a monk and a nun. The monk is none other than Martin Luther. (gestures toward Martin) At the beginning of our story it has been five years since he posted his famous 95 theses on the eve of All Saints' Day in 1517 and almost a full year since he appeared before the Diet at Worms. (pronounced "vorms" with an "o" as in "gore")

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Prayer of Thanksgiving | Genesis 1

Lord God, Spirit of Creation, your presence swept over the waters in the beginning and separated the day from the night and the water from the dry land. You placed the sun and moon and stars in the heavens to govern days and months and seasons. So order our lives that they may be in harmony with your will. Bless these gifts to your service. Amen.

Lawrence Lee

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Call to Worship

We came here today because our mothers made us.
We came here today because we were lonely.
We came here today because we love the people here.
We came here today because we have a spiritual itch that needs scratching.
We came here today out of habit.
We came here today because it is our duty.
We came here today to sing.
We came here today to see what that zany pastor will do next.
We came here today because we are in need of healing.
We came here today to learn something new.
We came here today because this is the latest worship service we could find and we like to sleep in.
We came here today to pray.
Whatever the path that brought you here, we are here now together, so let us praise the God of circumstances beyond our control and revel in the moment of being here.

Lawrence Lee

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Call to Worship | 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

We don't like to look foolish.
We want to project the image that we are in control, we know what's going on, we are informed, confident, unfazed by the twists and turns of life.
But deep inside we fear that our masks of confidence may slip and people will see what we truly are.
We are not always certain. We are not as together as we like to appear. We are not in control.
In this space, in this hour, let us turn our hearts toward the God of all time and space, confessing who we are, and who we aren't.

Lawrence Lee

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"Department of Works" | Play | James 2:14-17

Department of Works

CAST:
JIMMY – a worker
TONY – a worker and a hot head
FAITH – an administrator
READER

(Scene opens on JIMMY in hard hat and work clothes working vigorously. TONY enters, dressed in the same fashion but not as dirty.)

TONY (enters) So, what’s up?

JIMMY Oh, hey Tony... got a busted line. Had to shut the main off. It’s a real mess.

TONY Eh heh. Well we’ll get this working in a jiffy. (pulls out schematics) Where’s this thing go?

JIMMY Orphanage... over there.

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Call to Worship | Genesis 22:1-14

God calls us beyond the life of simple comfort.
God calls us to sacrifice and uncertainty.
What is the cost of discipleship? What is the cost of following God?
Everything we have.
Then what do we stand to gain?
Everything of worth.

Lawrence Lee

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"Exodus Now - Presence" | Play | Exodus 33:12-23

Exodus Now - Presence

Narrator – Long ago in India a Raja and his son were riding around their kingdom on the back of an elephant. The Raja was showing his son all the wonders of the kingdom he would one day inherit, when his son, unexpectedly, spoke up…

Son – Father…

Raja – Yes, what is it, my son?

Son – I have a question…

Raja – Oh, it is only proper and right that you would. Go ahead son, and ask me anything you like!

Son – What is truth?

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"Exodus Now - Betrayal" | Play | Exodus 32:1-14

Exodus Now - Betrayal

Becky – Mom, I can’t find my permission slip.

Gail – Becky, you’re going to be late for the bus.

Jack – I’ll just have a cup of coffee this morning. I need to get to the office early. Gail, why is there a suitcase…

Becky – But I need it for the field trip!

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"Exodus Now - Order" | Play | Exodus 20:1-20

Exodus Now - Order

Narrator – Our scene opens on a typical college dorm room. Laundry is on the floor… actually laundry occupies any available horizontal surface. The air is a pungent mixture of body odor, discarded pizza crusts, and cheap cologne. You can hear the bass beat of music being played somewhere too far away to actually listen to it and too close to ignore it. A young man is busy at a desktop computer as another enters the room.

Max – Toby, what do you think your doing?

Toby – Dude, I’m almost done downloading this really classic instructional freshman orientation video.

Max – Freshman orientation video? What’s it called?

Toby – “Animal House!”

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"Exodus Now - Wanting" | Play | Exodus 17:1-7

Exodus Now - Wanting

Ranger – As we approach the viewing platform, please mind the guard rail as the next step is about a mile straight down! The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s great natural wonders…

Boy – Are we there yet?

Girl – I gotta go to the bathroom!

Woman – Oh, I think I stained my shirt.

Man – I hope this tour is fast. The game starts in 30 minutes.

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"Exodus Now - Freedom" | Play | Exodus 14:19-31

Exodus Now - Freedom

Narrator – Our scene opens in a truck stop restaurant. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead and one flickers in the corner as if it’s about to go out. The glare of the light reflects off the long panes of dark glass. It’s night and there is no hint of dawn in the sky, just the occasional passing headlights.

The restaurant is mostly empty. A man sits at the counter wearing a denim jacket and jeans. His hair and beard are long and gray. A young woman sits in a booth nursing a cup of coffee. The scene begins…

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Call to Worship | Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

We come here to celebrate potential!
Our potential is like seeds that are planted in the ground.
The sower knows that not all seeds grow.
Some seeds do not find good soil.
Some seeds are trampled on the road.
Some seeds are eaten by birds.
But the success of the harvest does not depend on all the seeds, but that some of the seeds find good soil and are allowed to grow.
May we be that soil in which the God's will is allowed to flourish.

Lawrence Lee

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Call to Worship | Thanksgiving | 1 Chronicles 29:12-14

We come to give you our thanks, God of all creation.
Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?
Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

Lawrence Lee

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