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Woship Resources 2008-2009 — Year B: Be a Sanctuary of Christ's Peace
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
Resource Index
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Plant Peace
Heritage Day
Ordinary Time (Proper 20)
Scriptures: Proverbs 31:10–31; Psalm 1; James
3:13—4:3, 7–8a;
Mark 9:30–37/9:27–35 IV; Alma 16:198–200; Doctrine and Covenants 163:2–4a
Have enough paper cranes folded to distribute to each
member of the congregation. Paper cranes may also be used in the worship center
along with pictures of the Japanese garden in the Temple complex or other peace
gardens arranged with plants or a Japanese arrangement.
Call to Worship: James 3:17; 4:8, 10
Time of Blessing
Turn to your neighbor and greet them with “Peace be with you.”
Respond to your neighbor with “And also with you.”
*Hymn: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” HS 187
OR “We Are People of God’s Peace” SP 6
*Invocation
*Response
Responsive Reading
Leader: A faithful disciple, who can find?
Women: They are far more precious than jewels.
Men: They do God good, and not harm, all the days of their life.
Leader: The heart of God trusts in them.
Women: They seek peace and work with willing hands.
Men: They rise while it is still night and pray for God’s children and
for all God’s servants.
Leader: They are like the ships of the merchant; they seek the gospel in
places far away.
Women: They consider a field, and with the fruit of their hands they
plant peace and salvation.
Men: They gird themselves with the strength of the gospel and make their
arms strong.
Leader: They perceive that God’s merchandise is profitable. Their lamp
does not go out at night.
Women: They open their hands to the poor and reach out their hands to the
needy.
Men: They are not afraid for God’s household when it snows, for all God’s
household are clothed in crimson.
Leader: God is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders
of the land.
Women: Strength and dignity are their clothing.
Men: They open their mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of peace is on
their tongue.
Leader: God praises them: “Many have done excellently, but you surpass
them all.”
Women: They look well to the ways of God’s kingdom and do not eat the
bread of idleness.
Men: God’s children rise up in the joy of the Lord.
Leader: Success is deceitful, and wealth is vain, but a disciple who
fears the Lord is to be praised. Give to all a share in the fruit of your
hands, and let your works praise God in the city gates.
—Proverbs 31:10–31 adapted
Disciples’ Generous Response
Each Sunday, as part of the Disciples’ Generous Response, we ask you to
integrate the message of “share equally” between Local and World Ministries
Mission Tithes. Generosity stories are provided to keep the church in touch
with how contributions to Mission Tithes spread the peace of Jesus Christ.
Please use the stories, testimonies, and up-to-date contribution information
as part of your offertory ministry. Visit
www.CofChrist.org/generositystories to print a copy, or contact your
pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship coordinator for a copy.
Blessing and Receiving of Mission Tithes
The Sadako Story
Begin the story by distributing paper cranes and sharing with the
congregation the following: “Folding a paper crane is like making peace—some
of the steps are awkward. At first it may seem impossible. There is
definitely more than one route. Patience and consultation are helpful. And
the result, big or small, is a thing of beauty” (from
http://www.sadako.com/howtofold.html). Then share the story of Sadako.
At the end of the story, invite the congregation to participate in folding
paper cranes to be collected and shared to bring peace to others. (The
actual folding activity may be done at a later gathering—returning them to
church to be collected. Have paper and instructions available.) There are
several Web sites available on the Internet giving information about the
story of Sadako and how to fold paper cranes.
Prayer for Peace see
page 27
Ministry of Music: “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” NS 34
OR “We Are Your People” SP 34
Proclamation of the Gospel of Peace
Based on James 3:13—4:3, 7–8a
Hymn: “Instruments of Your Peace” NS 21
OR “Let Us Pray for One Another” HS 312
Responsive Reading
Leader: Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God’s shalom, invites all people
to come and receive divine peace in the midst of the difficult questions and
struggles of life. Follow Christ in the way that leads to God’s peace, and
discover the blessings of all the dimensions of salvation.
People: God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the poor.
Leader: Jesus Christ invites all people to come and receive divine peace.
People: God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the displaced.
Leader: Jesus Christ invites all people to come and receive divine peace.
People: God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the mistreated.
Leader: Jesus Christ invites all people to come and receive divine peace.
People: God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the diseased.
Leader: Jesus Christ invites all people to come and receive divine peace.
People: Unnecessary suffering is not God’s will.
Leader: Open your ears to hear the pleading of mothers and fathers in all
nations who desperately seek a future of hope for their children. Do not
turn away from them. For in their welfare resides your welfare.
—Doctrine and Covenants 163:2a, 4a adapted
*Hymn: “O How Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit” HS 322
OR “This We Can Do” SP 32
Sending Forth: Alma 16:198–200
*Benediction
*Response
How to Share Your Paper Cranes
To string the cranes, attach a string to a long needle, push it through the
hole in the bottom of each crane, and bring it out through the point in the
center of the crane’s back. Be sure to tie a knot at the end of the string. To
separate the cranes on the string, add a 1/4" piece of a plastic straw or coffee
stirrer between each crane.
It would be good to finish this project and have the cranes displayed on
October 25,marking the anniversary of Sadako’s death.
- To send a thousand cranes to the Children’s Monument in Hiroshima’s Peace
Park, string them on garlands of 100 cranes each. Mail them to: Office of the
Mayor, City of Hiroshima, 6-34 Kokutaiji-Machi, 1 Chome Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730
Japan.
- Hang them in the Community of Christ Temple, a school, or a public
library. Ask the librarian to make a display of books related to Sadako, Japan,
World War II, leukemia, and peace.
- Bring them to a nursing home or hospital along with instructions for
folding the cranes; it’s a wonderful activity to share with others.
- Ask your local newspaper or the Herald to publish a story about why
you folded the cranes. Include a picture of all the people who participated.
- Look for someone traveling to Japan who would be willing to go to
Hiroshima to personally place your cranes at the base of the statue. It could be
a church appointee, a business person, a student, or someone visiting a
relative.
Animated instructions for folding paper cranes are available at
www.sadako.org/.
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Proverbs 31:10–31; Psalm 1;
James 3:13—4:3, 7–8a; Mark 9:30–37/9:27–35 IV
Exploring the Scriptures
In this scripture text the author speaks of wisdom and understanding. He
challenges his listeners to show by their good life and works that they live by
wisdom. He contrasts “earthly wisdom” with “wisdom from above.” Earthly wisdom
causes bitter envy, selfish ambition, boasting, and disorder of all sorts.
Wisdom from above, which is a gift from God, is “full of mercy and good fruits”
and, like God, is “without a trace of partiality.”
With wisdom from above, peace will be sown and righteousness can be extended
throughout the earth. The purpose of James’s concern for a personal religion
with a disciplined tongue (not boasting, cursing, using deceit, or slandering)
and for a social religion that in community relations works as well as shows
forth “the righteousness of God,” is namely to bring peace and order to
congregations. When this takes place, peace is planted. He counsels to “submit
yourselves therefore to God” (v. 7).
Central Ideas
- Conversion is never complete, for earthly wisdom is not easy to
abandon or avoid. It is inscribed not only in the language and literature of
our surrounding culture but also in our very hearts. Many conversions are
required.
- There are real conflicts and disputes in our congregations that take
us away from planting peace.
- We are called to repent and return to God with wisdom from above and,
thus, plant peace.
Questions for the Speaker
- How are peace and wisdom related?
- How can passions and emotions inhibit drawing near to God?
- What conversion experiences can you share from your life? Have many
conversions taken place?
- What experiences can you share where disputes were resolved and peace
was planted in congregations?
- How does culture and self-centeredness get in the way of integrating
wisdom from above in your life?
- How does heritage influence your spiritual practices in drawing close
to God?
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
Resource Index
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