Worship at Home for May 10, 2020
Happy Mothering Day
to all the Women of
Westminster Presbyterian Church!
Due to the spread of Covid-19, we are taking a sabbatical from our normal Sunday morning gathering, but unity and community are more important than ever before in this season of uncertainty. To help facilitate this, we are providing a liturgy, complete with embedded songs and a sermon by Rev. Patti Daley, so that, one in heart, we can worship together even as we maintain distance out of love for our neighbors. This is designed to be used on your own or together as a family or community. We hope this resource is a blessing to you. Remember to check in on friends and neighbors with calls or text, especially the elderly among us and others who are particularly vulnerable. You can also check out the services from 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, and 5/3.
This Sunday, once again we are connecting as a church body using Zoom video chat. Here’s the schedule and instructions for joining in!
9:30-10:30 - Connect and informal checking in
10:30-11:45 - Prayers of the People & The Lord’s Prayer: Joys and Concerns
[**If you’re newer to Zoom or know that technology can be challenging, try signing on closer to 9:30 am so that we can have plenty of time to help you figure it out before Prayers of the People starts. Paula, who helped organize this, will help you!]
To join in the Zoom event on your computer,
THE EASIEST WAY
1. Go to www.zoom.com
2. Click on "Join a Meeting"
3. Enter meeting ID#: 972 5227 3715 and Click "Join"
4. Follow prompts, including entering your name.
5. Here is a video tutorial that will take you through the steps, if you want to view this first: https://youtu.be/L5zzE-HGQko
NOT AS EASY, UNLESS YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE
1. Click on http://princeton.zoom.us/j/97252273715
2. Follow prompts, these can be a bit tricky if you've never used Zoom before.
To join in the Zoom event using your Smartphone/Iphone:
1. Download the Zoom Cloud Meeting app
2. Open the app.
2. Enter meeting ID#: 972 5227 3715 and Click "Join"
3. Follow prompts, including entering your name
4. Here is a video tutorial that will take you through the steps, if you want to view this first: https://youtu.be/lO206_NezaY
To dial in by phone:
+1 (646) 558 8656 (New York--please note this may be a long-distance call if you are using a landline)
Then at the prompt, enter meeting ID#: 972 5227 3715
NOTE: You do not need to create a Zoom account to sign into a meeting.
Opening Songs
Opening Prayer
Loving God,
Our hearts are heavy
When we think of all who suffer
We pray for those who can’t breathe
Suffering from Covid-19
Or the smothering oppression of white supremacy
We lift up the family and community of Ahmaud Arbery
Words fail us.
How long, O Lord?
Through tears, we pray even for his murderers
As you prayed for yours.
O Lord,
Heal
Convict
Comfort
Forgive
Transform
Without your love, we are lost.
Amen
Centering Song
Call to Worship
We gather to worship the One
who crafted creation out of chaos,
our cries of joy join the anthems of the universe.
We gather to lift our praise
to the God who gives us voice,
we bring the songs which have echoed
in our hearts all week long.
We gather as the children of God,
our joy unbroken in God's love.
young and old, tone deaf and perfect-pitched
lift the new, new songs of faith.
Hymns of Adoration
Seeking the Shalom of the City
First, we pray that God continue to bless the efforts of the Westminster/Capital Area YMCA partnership as we help distribute breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday to now over 300 youth 18 years and younger. Last week they also distributed 100’s of masks. In partnership with Arm in Arm 75 bags filled with food and toiletries were distributed too!
Also during this time, we encourage you to pray for friends and family, neighbors, our city, our country, and the world. Particularly keep in mind those who are most vulnerable during this time: the elderly and immuno-compromised who are particularly vulnerable to infection, the poor who are particularly vulnerable economically as daycares and businesses close, and those without healthcare coverage.
Pray also for all our healthcare workers who face a daunting task ahead and who place themselves in harm’s way in love and service to their community.
Prayers for Westminster nurses Rachel and Chiquera, and corrections officer Latipha; all three are caring for people with COVID 19.
Finally, take a moment to listen for the voice of God. How is God inviting you to seek the shalom of the city in light of the spreading corona virus? Perhaps there is someone who God is calling you to check in on, perhaps a text or call with encouragement for someone who is suffering, perhaps a donation to an organization on the front lines. Listen for God’s invitation and make plans to respond in love and obedience.
Call to Confession and Reconciliation
Beautiful music, every note perfect, joining together in graceful harmony - this is what we imagine our lives to be. Yet our love is flat, our anger often sharp. Let us confess how we struggle to keep the measured beat of God's life-giving melody in our lives, even as we pray together saying,
Joy-giving God, we know who we are: people who hear the harmony of your grace and love in our souls, but sing off-key so often. We want to learn new songs, but those haunting tunes of our past mistakes run through our heads. We long to make a joyful noise to you, but the hurts inflicted on us, and the pain we have caused others, silence our voices.
Sing to us, Conductor of Grace: sing of your forgiveness, your hope, your love for us. Strike a chord of humility in our hearts so our eyes could see all you have done for us; and in seeing, we might believe how much you love us; and in believing, we would echo that new song of hope and life composed through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen
Assurance of Pardon
Listen to the melody of the good news:
Christ is risen, bringing joy into the world.
The One who was dead now lives,
and wraps us in the delight of life forever with our God.
Now, our dirges have turned to joy;
our requiem has been rearranged as a hymn of hope;
our laments are lost in a cantata of praise.
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Amen.
Prayer for Illumination
Speak it to me Lord Jesus me need to hear from you
If you don't speak Lord Jesus me don't know what to do
Speak it to me Lord Jesus me need to hear from you
If you don't speak Lord Jesus me don't know what to do
Me wake up in the mornin and I see the bright sunshine
Living without you jesus I could have no peace of mine
Your name I keep on callin like a melody so sweet
If I could touch the hymm of his garment my life would be complete
Speak it to me Lord Jesus me need to hear from you
If you don't speak Lord Jesus me don't know what to do
Me wake up in the mornin and I see the bright sunshine
Living without you Jesus I could have no peace of mine
Your name I keep on callin like a melody so sweet
If I could touch the hymm of his garment my life would be complete
Speak it to me Lord Jesus me need to hear from you
If you don't speak Lord Jesus me don't know what to do
Speak to me, ohh speak to me
Speak to me, ohh speak to me
Talk to me, ohh talk to me
Talk to me, ohh talk to me
Walk with me, ohh walk with me
Walk with me, ohh walk with me
Shout with me, ohh shout with me
Shout with me, ohh shout with me
Halelluah, ohh halelluah
Halelluah, ohh halelluah
(Special) Speak to me, talk to me, walk with me
Shout with me, Halelluah
Shout with me, Halelluah
Shout with me, Halelluah
Scripture and Sermon
by
Rev. Patti Daley
Hymn of Response
Prayers of the People
Prayers of the People
This prayer is from the website of United States Council of Catholic Bishops.
A Prayer of solidarity
For all who have contracted coronavirus,
We pray for care and healing.
For those who are particularly vulnerable,
We pray for safety and protection.
For all who experience fear or anxiety,
We pray for peace of mind and spirit.
For affected families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety,
We pray for policies that recognize their plight.
For those who do not have adequate health insurance,
We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone.
For those who are afraid to access care due to immigration status,
We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all.
For our brothers and sisters around the world,
We pray for shared solidarity.
For public officials and decision makers,
We pray for wisdom and guidance.
Father, during this time may your Church be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all.
Grant peace.
Grant comfort.
Grant healing.
Be with us, Lord.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be your name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
And Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever
Amen
Offering
Even as we are unable to gather for our Sunday morning worship services, many of the church’s expenses remain the same, and now more than ever we want to have the resources to bless the community around us. Your gracious donation will ensure that Westminster continues to Seek the Shalom of the Capital City of Trenton and beyond.
Westminster can receive donations via a simple text:
Text to 609-438-8828 the word “Give”
Westminster’s online giving number will respond asking how much you’d like to give, and steps to follow
Westminster can receive donations online:
Westminster can receive donations by check:
Westminster Presbyterian Church
PO Box 3719
Trenton, NJ 08629
Prayer of Dedication
Jesus, we are your hands and feet.
With these gifts and with our whole lives, we offer ourselves
To do your will
To love as you love
To go where you would have us go
To serve whom you would have us serve
Because you loved us first and loved us best.
May our love reflect your love.
Amen.
Closing Song
Benediction
The Lord be with you
And also with you
La paz de Dios sea con-ti-go
Y tam-bien con-ti-go
Sa-wa-bona
Si-ko-na
Pyeong-hwa
Pyeong-hwa