Sunday, September 15, 2019 – Third Sunday in Creation

Approach

Gathering Song – MV #37 “Each Blade of Grass”

Welcome, lighting the candle and announcements

Call to Worship

One: We invite all of creation to worship with us,
All:   All the animals living on this planet, from the busiest bee to the tallest giraffe.
One: We remember our ancient relatives who became extinct,
All:   Dinosaurs, dodos, giant marsupials, and the woolly mammoths.
One: We join our brothers and sisters in praising God,
All:   Gliding eagles and watchful meerkats, gorillas in the mist, and polar bears in the snow.
One: We summon our animal families we have come to love,
All:   The stray cat and the backyard dog, the pony, and the little lamb.
One: All of our animal family in the wild,
All:    Raise your voices to the skies in a family festival of praise.
One:  Worship and sing, family, worship and sing!
All:   All of creation singing songs of worship and praise.

Opening Hymn – VU #244 “Sing Your Praise to God Eternal”

Prayer of Approach and Confession

God, our Creator, we celebrate with all living creatures today. Help us to see your presence, not only in human history but also in the stories of our animal kin in all of creation. Teach us to hear the good news of God’s loving care ringing through the creatures of the wild. Rejoice with us as we behold the mysteries of your Wisdom implanted in all life. Help us to remember birds and animals you have given us as examples in our sacred stories. Help us to remember too those in the animal kingdom who are endangered, those who have had their homes destroyed and those who have become extinct, through human greed and exploitation. We hear creation groaning. We hear fellow creatures crying out in pain. And we hear members of the animal family weeping. Help us to hear, respect, and help the healing of all creation. We pray in the name of the creator of everything that is, the Loving God of Creation. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Passing the Peace

Time for All Ages

Hymn – “God in His Love for Us”

The Word

Scripture Reading:

Job 39:1-12, 26-39
Luke 12:22-31

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God!

Meditation – “All Creation Groans!”

Anthem – “With Respect in Creation”

The Response

Offering / Response: “For the Gift of Creation” (VU #538)

For the gift of creation, the gift of your love,
And the gift of the Spirit by which we live,
We thank you and give you the fruit of our hands.
May your grace be proclaimed by the gifts that we give.

Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn – VU #295 “The Earth and All Who Breathe”

Commissioning / Benediction Response (VU #117)  

Holy Spirit, teach us how to read the signs,     
How to meet the challenge of our troubled times.
Love us into action, stir us into prayer,
Till we choose God’s life, and find our future there.