Woship Resources 2008-2009 — Year B: Be a Sanctuary of Christ's Peace

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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). 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.

  1. 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.
     
  2. 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.
     
  3. Bring them to a nursing home or hospital along with instructions for folding the cranes; it’s a wonderful activity to share with others.
     
  4. 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.
     
  5. 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.com

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
  1. 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.
     
  2. There are real conflicts and disputes in our congregations that take us away from planting peace.
     
  3. We are called to repent and return to God with wisdom from above and, thus, plant peace.

Questions for the Speaker
  1. How are peace and wisdom related?
     
  2. How can passions and emotions inhibit drawing near to God?
     
  3. What conversion experiences can you share from your life? Have many conversions taken place?
     
  4. What experiences can you share where disputes were resolved and peace was planted in congregations?
     
  5. How does culture and self-centeredness get in the way of integrating wisdom from above in your life?
     
  6. How does heritage influence your spiritual practices in drawing close to God?

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