The Christian Calendar on Creation

liturgy

Do not lose heart in your waiting

Author

Keywords

Do not lose heart in your waiting. We do not wait in vain. God is in our midst through Jesus Christ, our Messiah. God is at work. And God is restoring all creation. And may the love of God, the grace...

liturgy

Loving God, you are the author of all

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:31-39, Ephesians 2:10, John 10:10, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Loving God, you are the author of all life. You created the heavens through the words of your mouth. You also are constantly creating new life. However, we don’t accept the new life you give us. We ch...

liturgy

Adapted from Genesis 1

Author

Chip Hardwick

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 1:null

Leader: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, Darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. People: Centuries before Jesus walked among us, Th...

liturgy

Adapted from John 1:10-11; Isaiah 52:7-10

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:10-11, Isaiah 52:7-10

Father in Heaven, we confess that we never knew you had come down. We confess that we were in the dark as to your light among us. Though the world was created through your Word, we could not grasp the...

liturgy

God of majesty and power, Who spoke and

Author

John Birch

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 1:1-3, Genesis 2:7, Matthew 10:30, Psalm 139:1-4, Romans 5:8, Luke 19:1-10, Hebrews 13:15

God of majesty and power, Who spoke and this world was, Who breathed and this world lived, Who counts the hairs upon our head, Who sees our thoughts and reads our hearts, Who loves us more than we des...

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A Dual Identity

Author

Mark D. Roberts

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:7

Some of my favorite heroes have a dual identity: Clark Kent is Superman; Bruce Wayne is Batman; Peter Parker is Spider-Man. The list goes on and on. You and I also have a dual identity, though, unlike...

liturgy

Heavenly Father – because we are Your creation, You have chosen

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 12:

Pastor: Heavenly Father – because we are Your creation, You have chosen not to abandon us to sin and death but to rescue us– and it cost the life of Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might live wit...

liturgy

Litany of Penitence

Scripture

2 Chronicles 7:14, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:11-32, Isaiah 1:18, James 5:16

The Celebrant and People together, all kneeling Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinne...

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A Life Re-Defined by The Spirit of God

Author

Mark Labberton

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 8:36-38, Acts 8:29-31, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 10:3-6, Acts 10:1-48, Acts 9:17-18, Acts 9:3-6

In his excellent book on worship, The Dangerous Act of Worship , pastor and president of Fuller Seminary Mark Labberton shares a story of the transformation of one of his former congregants: Ben ...

Quote

Author

Athanasius of Alexandria

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6, Philippians 2:6-7, Luke 2:10-12, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-2, 11, John 1:14

For this purpose, then, the incorporeal and incorruptible and immaterial Word of God entered our world. In one sense, indeed, He was not far from it before, for no part of creation had ever been witho...

liturgy

Based on Psalm 57 and Wisdom 11

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 57:1-3

Pastor: Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, People: for in you my soul takes refuge; Pastor: in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, People: till the storms...

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The Holy Spirit Births Faith

Author

Tim Chester and Christopher de la Hoyde

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 1:23, Titus 3:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:15-16, 1 John 5:6-8, John 14:15-17, John 7:37-39

Hannah was one of my wife’s work colleagues. She used to love spending time with our congregation, but she found the gospel message just plain weird. We did some Bible studies with her over the summer...

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We Are Dust

Author

Luke A. Powery

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 3:19, Psalm 103:14, Job 42:5-6, Joel 2:12-13, Hebrews 12:1-3, Romans 3:20-26, Ecclesiastes 3:20

At the beginning of this season of Lent, on this Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that we are dust and to dust we will return. We are reminded of human fragility and failure. We are reminded that we are...

blog

Making Room in Advent: A Guest post by Bette Dickinson

Author

Bette Dickinson

Keywords

Advent

Scripture

Isaiah 43:null, Luke 1:null, Luke 1:38

“God is doing a new thing.” —Isaiah 43 I have heard this scripture passage quoted multiple times in the last three years and it still stirs something within me. Do you feel it too? God is doing ...

lectionary

New Year's Day

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 21:1-6a, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Preaching Commentary A New Heaven and a New Earth In this well-known passage from Revelation, John receives a vision of the New Heavens and New Earth that will come with the return of Jesus (The Se...

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Anticipation Lifts the Heart

Author

Luci Shaw

Keywords

Anticipation lifts the heart. Desire is created to be fulfilled – perhaps not all at once, more likely in slow stages. Isaiah uttered his prophetic words about the renewal of the natural Creation into...

liturgy

Reign and Rain Down

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Reign and Rain down, Glorious One Salvation flows from your side Living water to our desert to our frail clay to our dust Creation flows from you New life springing up Hope and wholeness Budding and ...

illustration

The Humanity of Jesus’ Birth

Author

Eugene H. Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 4:4-5, Matthew 1:23, Colossians 1:15-17, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-8

By stating that Jesus is “born of woman”—this Mary (as both St. Matthew and St. Luke attest)—St. Paul insists that Jesus is most emphatically human, the “firstborn of all creation. That this Mary is a...

liturgy

Modern Ash Wednesday Service

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Ash Wednesday

Scripture

Psalm 51:, Genesis 3:19, Psalm 103:8-14, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, Joel 2:1-2, Joel 2:12-17

A contemporary Ash Wednesday service integrating music and scripture with the imposition of ashes. Service Order Prelude People are encouraged to enter in silence. Lights are dim. As people ...

liturgy

In this season of Advent, we celebrate

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 103:17, Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20

Pastor: In this season of Advent, we celebrate that Jesus has come, and that He promises to come again! When He comes, He will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the ...

blog

On Aging, Ash Wednesday, and Death

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Do you remember the first time you started to feel your mortality? Or perhaps, the first time you realized their was something wrong with your body? Your mind? At some point (for me it was my twenties...

liturgy

Celebrating the Lord's Resurrection Joyfully

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Hosea 13:14, Isaiah 25:8, Romans 6:4-5, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Psalm 16:9-11

Pastor: Having been sent through our Baptism by the risen Christ to proclaim good news to the world, let us pray for the whole Church and for all people. Almighty God the Father, through Your onl...

liturgy

Father of all mercies, the visitation of Your Son

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 1:46-55, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, John 14:1-3, Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 61:1-3

Pastor: Father of all mercies, the visitation of Your Son has enlightened the darkness of our hearts and every corner of creation. Hear us as we pray in His name and according to His will. O Mos...

liturgy

Traditional Ash Wednesday Service

Keywords

Ash Wednesday

Scripture

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Isaiah 58:1-12, Psalm 103:, Psalm 51:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

This is a traditional Ash Wednesday service focused on a penitent and reflective beginning of Lent. It features traditional collects, an invitation to a holy Lent, and a confession structured as a lit...

liturgy

Dear Heavenly Father, We confess that

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Christmas

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-14, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:46-56, Luke 2:1-21

Dear Heavenly Father, We confess that we have not sat quietly with You and listened for Your voice Through the hustle of Christmastime and navigating our world, we have given up the quiet space alloca...

liturgy

Lord Jesus Christ, you are loving and

Author

Chip Hardwick

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 1:15-16, Luke 9:23-24, Romans 7:18-19, 1 John 1:9, Hebrews 4:16, Psalm 51:10

Lord Jesus Christ, you are loving and merciful. Forgive us for being so captivated by Christmas that we forget that you, the little baby in the manger, grew up as the Lord over all creation. It is som...

liturgy

Jesus – You rose before we did today.

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 11:25-26, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Jesus – You rose before we did today. You met us at the door to lift burdens, sins and hurts from our shoulders and replace them with Your strength, forgiveness and healing. The word seems so small c...

liturgy

Loving God: Abba—our Father; Jesus—our

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, Hebrews 10:24-25, John 14:27, James 1:5

Loving God: Abba—our Father; Jesus—our Savior; Spirit—our Comforter. As Advent begins ... we take a deep breath, we grit our teeth and steel our nerves anticipating the fast pace of the next few week...

liturgy

Receive our Rejoicing, an Opening Prayer for Christ the King Sunday

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 11:15, Psalm 145:13, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Matthew 6:10, Psalm 96:10

Lord God, King of all Creation Ruler of planets and peoples Receive our rejoicing For your abiding presence and redemptive return Receive our shouts of gladness For your justice, your fairness, your...

blog

Praying for Israel and Gaza

Author

William Rowley

Keywords

World Communion Sunday

The Need to Pray In light of the shocking Hamas attack on October 7 and the Israeli response, urgent prayer is needed by Christians for the people of Israel and Palestine. In numbers, 1,400 people we...

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