Season of Creation 1B: Earth Sunday

Psalm 33

1-3
Good people, cheer God!
    Right-living people sound best when praising.
Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs!
    Play his praise on a grand piano!
Invent your own new song to him;
    give him a trumpet fanfare.

4-5
For God's Word is solid to the core;
    everything he makes is sound inside and out.
He loves it when everything fits,
    when his world is in plumb-line true.
Earth is drenched
    in God's affectionate satisfaction.

6-7
The skies were made by God's command;
    he breathed the word and the stars popped out.
He scooped Sea into his jug,
    put Ocean in his keg.

8-9
Earth-creatures, bow before God;
    world-dwellers―down on your knees!
Here's why: he spoke and there it was,
    in place the moment he said so.

The Message

River Sunday 2014

God of all creation, at the dawn of time rivers flowed over mountains and through valleys; we ask that in the Spirit of life we may live faithfully to our baptism with water and the word, that the rivers of the new creation would flow freely and provide healing to all the nations. In the name of Jesus the Christ, Amen!

Here's the Eucharistic Prayer I wrote for Season of Creation Year A in 2011:

Eucharistic Prayer Creation A – © leah chang 2011

Outback/Wilderness Sunday 2014

God of the covenanted faith-filled journey homeward, in the exodus desert you formed a people after your own heart as you led them toward the land of promise. We ask that you would lead us to trust you in our moment by moment wanderings, that we might freely serve as your gracious presence in the world. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Here's the Eucharistic Prayer I wrote for Season of Creation Year A in 2011:

Eucharistic Prayer Creation A – © leah chang 2011

Land Sunday 2014

Holy God, you chose to live among us in a body formed from the soil of the earth and you promised to lead your people into an inalienable land you would show them; in your Spirit may we live faithfully to your call to steward the land, that it would become safe living space and produce life-sustaining food for all creation. In the name of Jesus the Christ, your son and our brother, Amen!

Here's the Eucharistic Prayer I wrote for Season of Creation Year A in 2011:

Eucharistic Prayer Creation A – © leah chang 2011

Forest Sunday 2014

God of all creation, God of all seasons, you made rivers and streams and planted a garden; trees grew out of the ground and the earth breathed. May we receive and retain your life-giving Spirit that we would faithfully care for the rivers, the gardens and the forests, so that everything in creation would continue to breathe in wholeness and health, to the glory of your name, amen!

Here's the Eucharistic Prayer I wrote for Season of Creation Year A in 2011:

Eucharistic Prayer Creation A – © leah chang, 2011

faith, order & witness opening prayer

Opening Prayer for today's meeting of the Faith, Order & Witness committee.

God of Creation, Lord of the Church, your Holy Spirit calls us together here to unity, to conversation, to agreement, to disagreement. As individuals and in our diverse theological graduations, we differ on interpretation of scripture, yet agree Jesus Christ is the ultimate interpreter, the Living Word of God.

How timely that the lectionary has been bringing us the gospel of John with Jesus' command to obedience and his pleas that the church might be one. As we soon celebrate and rejoice in the festival of the Spirit of Unity on the Day of Pentecost, may be one in your Spirit of Unity. We thank you for the healing in N's life, and ask your healing presence with all those who cannot be with us today.

We pray in Jesus' name―Amen!

Picture of the parking lot; you can see the building where we meet on the third floor reflected on the glass in the middle of the background building.

Eucharistic Prayer: Resurrection 2013

A Glorious Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord 2013 to all! I'm reposting this from Easter 2009, when I explained:

Although I'd intended to make this Great Thanksgiving more generic for the Sundays of Easter, it focuses on the Easter Day texts plus a couple of hints from Holy Week. I like the drama of positioning the verba after the Sanctus; the triple epiclesis parallels the one in the canon I wrote for Nativity 2007; the doxology is Revelation 7:12. You are welcome to rearrange the elements of the prayer for your preferences, as well as adding or subtracting to your taste; if you print it, please credit this blog.

• The Lord be with you.
• And also with you.
• Lift up your hearts.
• We lift them to the Lord.
• Let us give thanks to God.
• We rejoice to offer thanks and praise!

This is the feast of victory for our God, alleluia!
This is the feast of victory for all creation, alleluia!

Lord God, you created the heavens and stretched them out,
you spread out the earth and all that grows from it,
you gave a portion of your Spirit to all creation, alleluia!

You have parted the waters and saved us, confirming the covenant made in your blood.

Now you have brought former things to pass
and you have made all things new, alleluia!

Jesus Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has died for our sins; Christ has been buried and has been raised from the grave, alleluia!

Christ has ransomed us with his blood and has washed away our guilt; he has annihilated the powers of darkness and death and opened the gates of heaven, alleluia!

You have made for us a feast of fat things and well-aged wines, alleluia!

You have given us water and bread and fruit of the vine as signs of your presence among us, alleluia!

And so with the hosts of heaven and with all creation in every time and every place we sing:

Holy are you, God of mercy, glory and love, and blessed is Jesus, your Son. He came to earth and lived among us as one of us, he died for all on Calvary Hill, and was raised from death for the life of the world; he ascended to reign in justice and righteousness.

With the Church in all the ages we proclaim the mystery of faith:

• Dying you destroyed our death;

• Rising you restored our life;

• Lord Jesus, come in glory!

On the night of betrayal and desertion, our Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

In the same way after supper, he also took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again in glory.

Come, Spirit of Holiness; come upon all creation everywhere and upon this assembly;

Come, Holy Spirit; sanctify these gifts of grain and fruit of the vine uniting us with all creation;

Come, Spirit of Life and bless our feasting at this table of reconciliation

that baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Spirit we may live as the just and righteous presence of the Crucified and Risen One...

Praise and glory,
wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor and power and
strength to our God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
endlessly throughout eternity,
Alleluia, Amen, Alleluia!!!

© leah chang 2009-2013

Feast of the Nativity • Eucharistic Prayer

I wrote this for Christmas 2007, and ideally would have made some revisions, yet I still like this one a lot...Blessed Christmas/Epiphany Seasons to all!

• The Lord be with you.
• And also with you.
• Lift up your hearts.
• We lift them to the Lord.
• Let us give thanks to God.
• We rejoice to offer thanks and praise!

Root of Jesse, Son of Heaven, Mary's Child,

Cradle of Joy, Word in the Manger, Astonishing Grace and Lord of Creation, in jubilation heaven and earth adore you!

Abundant Promise and Dayspring of Peace,

At the dawn of time you spoke a Word of light into the darkness, taming the primeval disorder;

From the mountain you offered a Word of Covenant and Freedom;

Prophets spoke your Word of Justice and Hope, and in Jesus, born of Mary, you came to earth as God-with-us, a Ransom for all.

With the angels, the stars, the Bethlehem hills and people in every time and every place we sing:

Holy are you, God of mercy and love, and blessed is Jesus, your Son;
He left the realms of heaven, was born, served and taught as one of us, died for all on Calvary Hill, rose from death for the life of the world and ascended to reign over all creation.

And with the saints we confess the mystery of faith:

• Christ has died;
• Christ is risen;
• Christ will come again!

On the night of betrayal and desertion, our Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way after supper, he also took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again in glory.

Come, Spirit of Holiness—come upon the prairies, the hills, the deserts, the seas, this city and upon this assembly;

Come, Holy Spirit—sanctify these gifts of grain and fruit of the vine uniting us with all creation;

Come, Spirit of Life—bless our feasting at this table and open our eyes to recognize the risen Christ in each other, in all for whom Jesus died, and especially our enemies...

Make us bearers of your peace and shepherds of your grace,

That washed in the waters of rebirth and reborn in the image of the Bethlehem Baby, we may live as people purified for your own purpose,

So in that day, when all creation dwells in heaven's reign, as we gather around heaven's Welcome Table, we will celebrate you as Emmanuel, God-among-us, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, endlessly throughout eternity,

Amen!

© leah chang 2007, 2012

season of creation 2012

Although I'd hoped to write a eucharistic prayer that would fit all 4 Sundays of this year's Season of Creation, I haven't yet done so; in the meantime, here's my illustration—the original version of the photograph I edited is by Kevin Connors from morguefile:

faith, order & witness opening prayer

God of all creation, you have journeyed with the church through seasons of Lent and Easter; we have experienced the glory of the cross, the surprise of resurrection morning, and celebrated the Lordship of the Ascended Christ.

Today as we again gather gather from with own diverse individual histories and varied ecclesiastical traditions, we long to understand each others perspectives and we yearn for essential unity in Christ.

During this green and growing season of ordinary time, may our conversations continue to bear fruit in ways that extend far beyond this place and this time.

In the name of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the life of all creation—Amen!

Lent 4 / Laetare

God of the Covenants, you gather us from south and north, from west and east – from all corners of creation – and in your son Jesus you embrace us with merciful lovingkindness. May our lives show your steadfast love to all we encounter; may our actions announce your gracious redemption with joy, that all creation would dwell in justice, freedom, and light. In the name of the crucified and risen one, Amen!

Lent B Eucharistic Prayer

• The Lord be with you.
• And also with you.
• Lift up your hearts.
• We lift them to the Lord.
• Let us give thanks to God.
• We rejoice to bring our thanks and praise!

Holy God, Mighty Lord, Boundless Spirit,
Giver of the Law, and Fountain of Grace!
In the wilderness desert you formed a people after your own heart.
Prophets spoke your words of judgment and hope
kings and rulers worshiped before your throne.
In Jesus, born of Mary, you showed us your face;
in righteous obedience he was baptized.
Jesus spoke truth to power, dined with sinners and outcasts, and called us friends.
During the week we now call holy, Jesus was tried and convicted, bore his own cross,
disarmed the powers and principalities,
took the sin and brokenness of the world upon himself,
was executed between thieves, and fulfilled all the law.
Jesus rose from the grave for the life of the world
and ascended to reign in grace.

You baptized us into the righteousness of Jesus Christ
and you baptized us in Spirit and Fire, reclaiming a people after your own heart.
You call us to righteous obedience
to speak truth to power
to resist the principalities and powers
to be the voice of the silent
to silence the voices of greed and oppression
to befriend the lonely and forgotten
to be the living presence of Jesus Christ.

With all the company of heaven and earth we proclaim:

Holy Holy Holy, God of power and might
Heaven and Earth are full of your glory
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of Heaven
Hosanna in the Highest!

And with all the company of earth and heaven we confess the mystery of faith:

• Dying you destroyed our death;
• Rising you restored our life;
• Lord Jesus, come in glory!

On the night of betrayal and desertion, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
After supper, he also took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again in glory.

Send your Spirit of Life upon these gifts of grain and grape, that they would be for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Pour out your Spirit of Life upon this assembly, that we would be the incarnate presence of Jesus Christ in the world.

Endless thanksgiving, glory and dominion
Be to God, Father, Son and Spirit
Amen!

Lent 2 / Reminiscere

God of the Covenants, your word calls forth life from death, and you call us to take up the cross and follow Jesus. We ask that in the Spirit we will resist deadly powers of violence, greed and exploitation, that as we bear the name of Jesus Christ, our acts of love and words of care will trace the pattern of the cross. In the name of the Crucified and Risen One, Amen!

Inspired by "Make Our Church One Joyful Choir" by Thomas H. Troeger, a hymn I heard and blogged on Reformation 2004.

Lent 1 / Invocabit

26 February 2012

God of the Covenants, from the waters of Noah's flood, to the rivers of Jesus' baptism, to the font of our baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ, you have shown us your mercy and your steadfast love. As we trek mindfully through the desert of this season of Lent, may we trust your Spirit's leading as you continue forming us into your people who show steadfast love and mercy to all. In the name of the One crucified and risen for the life of the world, Amen!

Reign of Christ: Eucharistic Prayer

disclaimer: I wrote this over four years ago and I've posted it with no changes or revisions.

• The Lord be with you.
• And also with you.
• Lift up your hearts.
• We lift them to the Lord.
• Let us give thanks to God.
• It is right to give both thanks and praise!

Holy God, Mighty Lord, Renewer of Creation and Bringer of Joy,
endless are your mercies and unending your grace!
Maker of stars and Giver of dreams,
it is privilege indeed to acclaim and adore you!

At the dawn of time your Word spoke order out of chaos and disorder, and brought beauty into your glorious light;

You formed humanity in your image and drew us into covenant with you; you called us to be your reconciling Presence in the world.

When we strayed from your path and fled from your presence, choosing idols and intellect rather than Spirit and Freedom, you led us through the wilderness into a country flowing with your extravagant supply.

When rebellion against your righteous law broke us once again, you would not let this world remain shattered, and in Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary, born under the law, you lived among us.

You baptized us with water, with fire and with your Spirit;
and sent Bread from Heaven to keep us wholly alive.

Therefore, in celebration with the people of God in all the ages, with all creation and with the angelic hosts of heaven, we sing:

Holy are you, God of Majesty and Awe,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Redeemer and Lord.

Leaving the boundlessness of heaven,
he came to earth, experiencing doubt, betrayal and abandonment
yet bearing the weight of sin and separation,
he carried us into the liberty of your grace.

Bound to the tree of shame on Calvary's Hill,
shedding his innocent blood, he sealed the covenant between heaven and earth.

Broken and dying for all creation's sake
rising to new life from the bondage of the tomb
he delivered us from sin and death,
forming the new creation promised by your prophets.

Remembering Jesus Christ's birth, life, death and resurrection,
with the Church in every place and every time, we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come again!

On the night of betrayal and desertion, our Lord Jesus took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

In the same way after supper, he also took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again in glory.

Giver of the journey and Bestower of the gifts,

Send down your Spirit of holiness and transformation,
and sanctify these gifts of bread and cup uniting us to all creation in every place and in every time.

Send down upon this assembly of your creation and redemption – and upon the world – your Spirit of life and renewal;

Calm our anxieties and quiet our fears.

Make us bearers of your grace
that we may be your reconciling embrace for the world, reclaiming, restoring and transforming all creation into the reign of heaven on earth.

Then, at last, when endless morning comes,
when all brokenness is whole and holy,
when all creation once again redeemed,
with all the saints of every time and place
as the family of God in Jesus Christ we will gather around heaven's Welcome Table,

we will sing alleluias to you,
through Jesus Christ, crucified and Risen
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
endlessly into eternity, amen!
forever and ever,

Amen!


© Leah Chang