July 30, 2023
“For Righteousness”

Call to Worship:
One: O Creator of the Cosmos, who knows what the kin-dom of God is like, but also remembers what it was like before. 
All: Before creation and kin-doms, before mustard seeds and fine pearls, before yeast and bakers to make bread. 
One: So, you know what it is like to long for them, to imagine them into being, 
All: And it is from this longing for your kin-dom and for you that we enter our worship. 
One: Yes, come, let us praise and pray to our God of promise. 
All: Let us rejoice in the Good News together—how nothing can separate us from the presence of God. Amen. 
	
Invocation: 
O Spirit, who helps us in our struggles, and teaches us how to pray when we don’t know what to say or how to feel, we call on you from a sigh too deep for words. Within that sigh, we wonder, we question, and we hope that all things do, indeed, work together for your good. And in this experience of being here together, in this time set apart to be side by side in community, we are reminded how connected we already are. Let us open ourselves to your presence here. Let us seek first, the kin-dom of God, and in our searching, may we be found by you, Beloved, the One who searches for us first. Amen. 

Prayer for Transformation and New Life:
We call upon our ancestor, Solomon, who knew to ask God for the wisdom to discern between what is in the spirit of God, and what is not. Like Solomon, we admit that we don’t always know how to make our way through life—in its nuances, violence, chaos, and unexpected burdens. We also admit that in our struggles, we’ve made the wrong choice, hurt others, and clung to our shame. Forgive us, O God of Wisdom, and teach us your ways of repair. Amen. 

Words of Grace:
If God is for us, then who could be against us? Even in all that we’ve done, and all that we’ve left undone, nothing can separate us from the love of God. May we let this sink in, all the way to our marrow. And may such faith hold us up to move in the world with accountability, love, tenderness, and forgiveness. Amen. 
Meditation on the Fish of Every Kind:
Materials needed: a bowl, a pitcher with water, a candle, and a lighter. 
One: God casts a line into the sea of you, the sea of us, the sea of me. Yet before reeling anything in, God pauses to hear and feel the wind blowing over the water. Would you join me in making the sound of wind? 
{The leader rubs their hands together to make a soft, friction sound and invites the congregation to do the same. The leader puts their hands down before reading the next line.}
God finds fish of every kind above the water: sea mullets and African butterfly fish jumping out of the waves to find safety in the air up high; salmon swimming upstream, showing the power of struggle and what it means to find fresh water again. 
All: “Now the sea is in me: I am the fish, the fish glitters in me…we are nourished by the mystery.”
One: God casts a line into the sea of you, the sea of us, the sea of me. Yet before reeling anything in, God pauses to hear and feel the waves of the water. 
{The leader pours water into an empty bowl.}
God finds fish of every kind beneath the water: parrot fish, rainbow trout, and the rose-veiled fairy wrasse swim in the pride parade under the waves; the true co-parents of the ocean, male seahorses and sea dragons give birth to their babies while their female partners regain their energy to make another egg. 
All: “Now the sea is in me: I am the fish, the fish glitters in me…we are nourished by the mystery.”
One: God casts a line into the sea of you, the sea of us, the sea of me. Yet before reeling anything in, God pauses to see and sense the light in the deepest waters. 
{The leader lights a candle.}
God finds fish of every kind at the depths of the water: lantern fish and fireworms make their own light in the dark with the magic of bioluminescence; while angler fish partner with bacteria to create a glow in a never-ending night, illuminating what it means to be seen in an otherwise invisible world. 
All: “Now the sea is in me: I am the fish, the fish glitters in me…we are nourished by the mystery.”
One: God reels us all in—our diverse multiplicity. Those who soar high above and those who find calm at the depths below. The predator and prey within each of us, too. God takes us in our wholeness and the ways we’ve navigated the waves of change. And then, we are released, put back in the ocean once again.
All: Because life is a catch and release, in this sea of the Spirit. May we be open to this mystery. Amen.  

Invitation to Generosity:
Our scripture today says that the kin-dom of heaven is like a treasure. Jesus’ parable describes it as hidden, and it does feel like that sometimes. But it can also feel like earth is “crammed” with it too. May we take a moment to remember the ways in which this church has made the kin-dom come alive for us. Let us take this time to give thanks by considering how we can give of our time, money, skills, and unique gifts to this beloved community. Amen. 

Prayer of Dedication and Thanksgiving:
Like the net that was thrown into the sea and brought in fish of every kind, we celebrate the multitude and diversity of gifts that have been shared here today. May God bless these treasures with the abundance of Christ’s love and passion to embody justice in our world. Amen. 

Benediction: 
May the Kin-dom of Abundance and Multiplicity be with you. May it be among you. May it live and move and have its dwelling within you. And may we take the love we’ve found, our inseparable bond with the Creator, and bring it into fullness out in our world. Amen. 

“For Righteousness: Service Prayers for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost was written by The Rev. Dr. Elyse Berry serves as the Associate for Advocacy and Leadership Development for the Council of Health and Human Service Ministries of the United Church of Christ. Learn more at chhsm.org.