A Service of Worship for
January 31, 2021
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Adult Education - TODAY, 9AM
This Sunday Rebecca Spears talks about poetry and her newly published poems. Zoom link is available on the Online Gatherings page on our website: https://www.covenanthouston.org/covenant-gatherings.html Full worship service video:
COFFEE TIME Gathering on Zoom
Today, 11AM We will begin as a large group to ordain and commission our 2021 deacons before we transition into “rooms" for coffee time. Details are in your worship email and newsletter. Log in details on the Online Gatherings page. |
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Prelude
"Preludium" from Partita No. 1, by J. S. Bach; Karen Kline, piano. Call to Worship Opening Sentences Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are. Scripture Lesson: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Time for Children A. J. Jacobs TEDTalk: My Year of Living Biblically
https://www.ted.com/talks/a_j_jacobs_my_year_of_living_biblically?language=en#t-803713 Confession Unison Confession
Eternal God, Forgive us when we separate ourselves from you-- when we pay attention to our agenda and overlook someone who is trying to speak to us, when we laud the best examples of your love-- Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jesus the Christ, and we forget that our lives matter. Forgive us, Gracious God, when we, at Covenant, even as we gather together, forget to think, to hope, past ourselves. Encourage us, God to be attentive to your word that is spoken in the lives around us, to dare to involve ourselves in some desire greater than ourselves. Amen. Music "A Gaelic Blessing" by John Rutter; Fran Avera, conducting.
Proclamation |
Hymn
"Wild and Lone the Prophet's Voice" by Carl P. Daw, Jr.; led by Karen Kline, piano and The Covenant Singers.
Prayer Oh god, we come today seeking . . . We seek justice for the oppressed For the jobless For the disenfranchised For the homeless For the uninsured For ourselves We give thanks for those who work for justice In the courts In the clinics In the capitols And on the picket line We proclaim our solidarity with all who are working and struggling for peace and for a just world. We ask for comfort and courage for those who are working to end the global pandemic throughout our country and around the world. We pray for their strength, skill and health, as we pray also for ourselves and our loved ones. We celebrate today the work and words of prophets, both ancient and modern. We pray for discernment as we strive to live in love and light. We pray for wisdom and patience on all sides so that your message of peace may be heard and heeded. In this time of divisiveness and turmoil, we particularly ask for grace to see others as bearers of your light, even as we work to change the systems that they uphold. We acknowledge your presence and your holiness in this struggle. We pray for an end to divisiveness, hatred and disparity. We pray for peace. We pray for ourselves. Amen - Beverly Rodgers Invitation
Prayer of Dedication I know that God acts. But there is no way for God to act if we, And other created beings, Are unwilling or unable to give substance To God's yearnings, God's energies, God's will. We must discern the gifts God gives us, Accept them, employ them, pass them along. Without our active cooperation, God's abundance remains. Forever untapped. Doxology
Affirmation of Faith We have important work. But none of us can do this work alone. As much as we need constructive self-examination and critical dialogue, we need each other. We may never come to think alike or to act alike. I hope not. But by participating in each other’s faith journeys, by reaching out to each other and sharing in the struggles to name and claim our theologies, we can strengthen our public prophetic voice and deepen our sense of community and our commitment to a shared faith tradition. Benediction Postlude "Te deum'" by Marc Antoine Charpentier; Carl McAliley, organ. |
Litany of Commissioning for the 2021 Diaconate
Leader: Today we call this group to be our spiritual leaders in the coming year. Let us say why we have called them.
Community: Our call to each of you – Michelle Bennack, Matt Bennett, Joyce Courtois, Amy Cuellar, Charity Grannis, Jane Cravens, Jay Hooker, Bill Howze, Jane Ann Leeves, Tonya McKinny, John Preston, Sally Ridgway, Ann Stout, and Dale Thomas - is an affirmation of your gifts and an expression of our gratitude and respect for you. We do not call you to be different people. We call you because of who you are - generous with your gifts, aware of our needs.
Leader: What do we ask of these spiritual leaders?
Community: We ask you to guide us on our journey together: to be a step or two ahead; to inspire us to recognize and share our own gifts; to encourage and comfort us when things go wrong and celebrate with us when things are right. While we expect you to do certain tasks, we also ask that you give free rein to your imagination, insight, compassion and your capacity to love. In this spirit, together our community can deepen and grow.
Leader: Do you – Michelle, Matt, Joyce, Amy, Charity, Jane, Jay, Bill, Jane Ann, Tonya, John, Sally, Ann, and Dale - accept the call you have heard here today?
Deacons: We do. We stand before you committed to exercise our gifts with courage and compassion.
Leader: What do you ask of us?
Deacons: We ask you to be courageous and compassionate; to challenge and stretch us. We ask you to join with us on this sacred journey of exploration and discovery.
All: Let us go forth together in love, sharing joys and sorrows, triumphs and tragedy, seeking God’s peace and justice both within and without.
Leader: Today we call this group to be our spiritual leaders in the coming year. Let us say why we have called them.
Community: Our call to each of you – Michelle Bennack, Matt Bennett, Joyce Courtois, Amy Cuellar, Charity Grannis, Jane Cravens, Jay Hooker, Bill Howze, Jane Ann Leeves, Tonya McKinny, John Preston, Sally Ridgway, Ann Stout, and Dale Thomas - is an affirmation of your gifts and an expression of our gratitude and respect for you. We do not call you to be different people. We call you because of who you are - generous with your gifts, aware of our needs.
Leader: What do we ask of these spiritual leaders?
Community: We ask you to guide us on our journey together: to be a step or two ahead; to inspire us to recognize and share our own gifts; to encourage and comfort us when things go wrong and celebrate with us when things are right. While we expect you to do certain tasks, we also ask that you give free rein to your imagination, insight, compassion and your capacity to love. In this spirit, together our community can deepen and grow.
Leader: Do you – Michelle, Matt, Joyce, Amy, Charity, Jane, Jay, Bill, Jane Ann, Tonya, John, Sally, Ann, and Dale - accept the call you have heard here today?
Deacons: We do. We stand before you committed to exercise our gifts with courage and compassion.
Leader: What do you ask of us?
Deacons: We ask you to be courageous and compassionate; to challenge and stretch us. We ask you to join with us on this sacred journey of exploration and discovery.
All: Let us go forth together in love, sharing joys and sorrows, triumphs and tragedy, seeking God’s peace and justice both within and without.
Worship Notes
The worship leader is Beverly Rodgers.
The prelude is played by Karen Kline, piano.
The Call to Worship is by Cornel West.
The Opening Sentences are from St. Augustine.
The Unison Confession is by Jeannie Gambill.
“A Gaelic Blessing” is sung by The Covenant Singers, Fran Avera, directing, from September 24, 2017.
The Prayer of Dedication is from The Active Life by Parker Palmer.
The Affirmation of Faith is adapted from Faith without Certainty: Liberal Theology in the 21st Century by Paul Rasor.
The postlude is played by Carl McAliley, organ.
The worship leader is Beverly Rodgers.
The prelude is played by Karen Kline, piano.
The Call to Worship is by Cornel West.
The Opening Sentences are from St. Augustine.
The Unison Confession is by Jeannie Gambill.
“A Gaelic Blessing” is sung by The Covenant Singers, Fran Avera, directing, from September 24, 2017.
The Prayer of Dedication is from The Active Life by Parker Palmer.
The Affirmation of Faith is adapted from Faith without Certainty: Liberal Theology in the 21st Century by Paul Rasor.
The postlude is played by Carl McAliley, organ.
Sunday schedule for today:
9:00 - Adult Education with Zoom
10:00 - Worship via videos on the Worship Page
11:00 - Transition from worship to coffee time with Zoom
9:00 - Adult Education with Zoom
10:00 - Worship via videos on the Worship Page
11:00 - Transition from worship to coffee time with Zoom
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