Trinity Sunday, June 4, 2023
Matthew 28:16-20 
“Authority”

“The richness, beauty and depths of love can only be fully experienced in a climate of complete openness, honesty and vulnerability.” – Anthony Venn Brown

Note:  Jesus is calling us to go to people and love them, touch them, build community with them and introduce them to the Divine.  Christ is with us when we use our voice and our testimony.  We have the authority to use our authentic self, voice, story and bodies to go— minister and teach and we have the assurance of knowing that Jesus is with us.  

Call to Worship 

Leader:  After Jesus’ death and resurrection He called the eleven to a mountaintop in Galilee and they went.

People:  Let us be attentive to the voice of Jesus and bravely go when called.  

Leader:  Once the eleven saw Jesus they doubted but still worshipped Him.  

People:  Let us forgive ourselves when we doubt, and remain open to understanding as we encounter Jesus.

Leader: As they worshiped, Jesus declared his authority and charged the eleven to GO to ALL people.  He instructed them to build community with ALL people, be willing to touch ALL people, and be willing to minister to ALL people.

People:  Let us bravely Go to All people especially those society often tries to ignore.  

Leader:  Jesus instructed the eleven to use their voice, their stories, and their authentic truth as a witness to those whom they ministered to.  

People:  Let us stand in authenticity empowered by the Holy Spirit as we bravely share our story to help others find the love of Jesus.  

Leader:  Jesus assured the eleven to remember that He would always be with them. 

All:  Let us bravely live, work, and GO in authenticity as we do the work of connecting people with the Love of Jesus.  Let us remember that His love, peace, and hope is always with us.  Amen

Prayer for Transformation and New Life (Confession)
Loving God, often in our quest to do the work that we are called to do we miss the mark.  At times we doubt even as we worship.  Sometimes in the same day that we offer gratitude for answered prayers and blessings received we think thoughts of apprehension and utter words of uncertainty concerning those same blessings. Occasionally we forget that the peace, love, hope, and joy of the Divine extends beyond the walls of our churches and the hearts of those who identify as Christians.  Frequently we forget how the Divine and Jesus have moved in our own lives. Help us to push through our doubt.  Help us to move past our selfishness and fear of “other people.”  Help us to truly love our neighbors as ourselves—all of our neighbors.  Please change our hearts God.  Please help us to muster the bravery to put into practice the light and love of Jesus.  Help us to love boldly without hesitation.  All humans are worthy of experiencing the Love of Christ. Please change our hearts and minds.  Please show us how to love all.  We confess that we get it wrong all the time and we pray that you help us too do better.  

Assurance of Pardon

Assuredly God forgives us of all of our wrongdoings— those committed consciously and unconsciously.  Thank you God for your forgiveness.  Let us forgive others as God continuously forgives us as we work to do better starting now.  Amen

Invitation to Generosity (Call to Offering)

God has blessed us beyond measure and our own generosity is an opportunity to use a portion of our blessings to minister to others.  As Jesus gathered the eleven and sent them into the world to share their witness and wisdom— Christ is calling us to gather our gifts and offer them to God in worship.  Let us gather our gifts and worship through our generosity.  

Offering Dedication Prayer

We offer these gifts to the God of all people.  We cheerfully give our treasure to bring love, peace,  hope, joy, justice, and healing to those who are hurting.  May these gifts be blessed and used to provide ministry for those who are too often forgotten in our society.  Let the generosity represented here be magnified and amplified to stretch beyond our mortal thought and imagination.  

Benediction

Lord dismiss us in your light and in your love.  Let us leave this worship experience stronger and wiser than we entered it.  Let us leave with a renewed sense of hope and healing.  Let us leave this space walking and serving in authenticity understanding that our greatest witness is our truth.  The truth that you offer love and peace to every person as they are no matter who they are.  Thank you God.  Amen

Communion Prayer: 

God we gather at this table representing all people in all places in our world.  We bless and pass the bread and cup as Christ passed it to his friends.  Please allow these elements to remind us of the good that you have done and inspire us to do the good that Christ calls us to do.  May we leave this table revived and refreshed having sipped from the cup of bold courage so that we may challenge all forms of injustice and pain.  In Christ name we pray.  Amen

Authority: Service Prayers for Trinity Sunday Year A was written by Rev. Derek Terry is the current pastor of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Cincinnati, OH and is on the leadership team of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ.