Worship to Celebrate Music

On February 18 I am giving a report on my ConEd time (won't have time to prep a sermon anyway, and I think the congregation deserves to hear about what happened). Since I needed to get the bulletin prepped before leaving, here are some pieces of that liturgy.

CALL TO WORSHIP
The organ plays a Prelude, the choir sings an Introit,
And we come together to worship.
The first hymn is announced and we stand to sing,
And the Spirit of God moves in our hearts and voices.
Here in this place we raise our voices in song together,
Here in this place we worship God in story and song.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Singing God, you invite us to join in the song
But we are afraid that our voices are too thin.
You challenge us to sing of justice and truth
And we prefer to listen to the lovely music.
You fill our hearts with hopeful lyrics and uplifting tunes
But still we are afraid that our singing will not be good enough.
Help us, O God, to sing the Lord’s song no matter what strange land we find ourselves in,
Help us to loose our tongues in joyful praise and sorrowful lament. Help us to sing with vigour, to sing lustily.
…time of silent prayer…
God calls even the most reluctant singers to join the choir. God refreshes us and inspires us to join with many who have gone before and sing:
We shall overcome, we shall overcome
We shall overcome someday
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe.
We shall overcome someday

*COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
The Amens are sung, the organ plays a postlude,
And the people go out from worship into the world.
We go with the Music of God in our hearts, the Rhythm of God in our steps,
We go to sing God’s song in many keys, in many styles, and in many places.
As we take the next steps in the Dance of Life,
We do so knowing that God: the Dancer, the Singer, the Song itself, is with us in each and every note. Amen.