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Woship Resources 2007-2008 — Year A: Passionate for Peace
Return to Year A: 2007-2008
Resource Index
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Take Heart, Have Faith
Ordinary Time (Proper 14)
Scriptures:
Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28; Psalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45b;
Romans 10:5–15;
Matthew 14:22–33/14:19-28
IV; II Nephi 11:44–51;
Doctrine and Covenants 28:2b–c
Sharing Christ’s Peace
God yearns to draw you close so that wounds may be healed,
emptiness filled, and hope strengthened. —Doctrine
and Covenants 163:10a
Prelude
Gathering Hymn
“Come, Holy Spirit, Come”
NS
6
OR “Awesome God” NS
4
Welcome
Invitation to Worship: II Nephi 11:48
*Hymn
“Called by Christ to Love Each Other”
SP
36
OR “Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather”
SP
29
*Opening Prayer
*Response
Focus Moment
Have children or youth dramatize the story of Jesus walking on the water
from Matthew 14:22–33, while it is being read. Consider reading from a
children’s Bible.
Hymn
“Tell Me the Story of Jesus”
HS
215
OR “Lord, Help Me to Know Your Presence”
NS
31
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. Offertory 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/offertory
to print a copy, or
contact your pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship
coordinator for a copy.
Challenge Possibility
Have you thought about partnering with another Community of Christ
congregation somewhere else around the world? You can support each other
through prayer and/or communication via e-mail or regular mail (sharing
ideas, thoughts, cultural insights, and diversity).
Blessing and Receiving of Mission Tithes
Sermon
Based on Romans 10:5–15 and/or Matthew 14:22–23/14:19–28 IV
Words for Meditation
“It’s the Spirit’s
Faithful Presence,”
Wave Offerings by
Danny A. Belrose (Herald Publishing House, 2005), 88–89.
Part or all of this
can be read or printed in the bulletin. Or it can be sung by the
congregation or a soloist.
*Hymn
“Go, My Children”
SP 44
OR “Jesus, Name above All Names”
NS
25
*Closing Prayer
*Sending Forth
Now is the moment when we leave the sanctuary to live as Christians
throughout the coming week, sharing the good news of Jesus with our family,
friends, neighbors, and others who are seeking and asking questions.
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures:
Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28;
Psalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45b;
Romans 10:5–15;
Matthew
14:22–33/14:19–28 IV;
II Nephi 11:44–51; Doctrine and Covenants 28:2b–c
Exploring the Scriptures
This passage from Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome is often difficult
for the preacher to interpret and use. Many different approaches could be taken.
One that seems timely for the church today is to address the questions found in
verses 14 and 15. Adapted for contemporary use, they are:
• How are we to call on One in whom we have not believed?
• How are we to believe in One of whom we have not heard?
• How are we to hear of One without someone to proclaim him?
• How are we to proclaim the One unless we are sent?
This pattern of “calling, believing, hearing, proclaiming, and being sent”
describes how Christian discipleship can be lived out. We take heart and have
faith through the centering of our beings on the life, death, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. We begin to call out—to seek if you will—a connection with the
Divine. We search for meaning and purpose in life and begin to believe that God
has given us Jesus to show us that meaning and purpose. Our belief deepens as we
continue to hear the proclamation and understand how we can live abundantly by
following the example of Jesus. Finally, we begin to understand that we take our
place among the saints of all ages as we are sent to proclaim the good news to
others.
This wonderful cycle continues not only for others as they begin the
Christian journey, but also for ourselves as we go deeper and wider in our
calling out, our belief and hearing, and our being sent forth to proclaim.
Central Ideas
1. Christian discipleship is grounded in faith—
a faith that comes not only from the mind but also from the heart. Christian
faith is the centering of our entire lives around the revelation of God in
Jesus.
2. As we seek God through Jesus Christ, we will become deeper in our
belief and wiser in our understanding of the Word that was made flesh in
Jesus. We find ourselves not only listening to this good news, but also
proclaiming it to others.
Questions for the Speaker
1. How have you sought God? What happened to you as a seeker?
2. What causes you to be a believer?
3. How is God’s word to be proclaimed in today’s society?
4. How would a first-time visitor to your congregation describe what it
is that you proclaim? What would they hear? What would they see? How would
they feel?
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