different colors are symbolic of our diverse gifts; our diverse backgrounds and life-styles; the variety of our lives and our sharing. ALL: Take this ribbon and bind up your gifts that contain the love of Jesus Christ. Bestow them as would he. We are bound to God's infinite grace through the love of Jesus. SERVICE OF WORSHIP WORLD November COMMUNITY 1988 DAY (Give your ribbon to another person, affirming her gifts of ministry.) Let our faith in God’s manifold wisdom open our hearts to accept the call to minister to all people. LEADER: God of life be with us. PEOPLE: We pray for clarity of vision that we may see our call and the call of our sisters and brothers. We pray for the courage to share our stories without apology. We pray for commitment to make the journey of faith our home. “HYMN “Bound By Love” Lula Creed Tune: Hymn To Joy (Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee) 4. Bound by love to share our stories, Bound by love to celebrate. Let us show how God has called us In the lives we consecrate. Raise your voice in joy and sorrow, Raise your voice in ease and strife. God has called us; God will guide us; God is present in all life. 2. As we reach out to each other, As we claim our ministry, Let us pray for one another Serving in diversity. Gifts of teaching, Gifts of listening, Gifts of love and peace and joy. God has given each a calling; Let us each our gifts employ. 3. Thanks to God for ties that bind us To Divine Love's mystery. Thanks to God for calls that guide us To the claims of liberty. We are freed to serve all people. We are freed to work for peace. May our spirits grow in mercy In our lives may love increase. ©4988. Lula Creed. Used with permission This Celebration was written by seven women in ministry in Lynchburg, Virginia, including lay and ordained, Black and Caucasian, Catholic and Protestant and a variety of ages. The writers were Ms. Marie Agen, Roman Catholic; The Rev. Lula Creed, Presbyterian Church in USA; The Rev. Linda Parker, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Ms. Laura Stanko, Roman Catholic; The Rev. Barbara B. Williams, United Methodist; The Rev. Isabella G. Williams, National Baptist and Ms. Susan Shank Mix, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Convenor of the group. It was edited by the Celebrations Planning Group of Church Women United with gratitude to the writers and hope for a World Community Day which affirms all women in ministry, both lay and ordained. Copyright 1988 by Church Women United Room 8412, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10445 sponsored by church Women united WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS CALL TO WORSHIP LEADER: On this World Community Day, listen to the stories of women in ministry— three stories from the Bible which also touch our own. Read the words of Ruth, a strong woman, a hard worker, a shrewd strategist, from whom descended Jesus, the Christ. Let us silently read the Scripture Meditation. PRELUDE SCRIPTURE FOR MEDITATION AND REFLECTION “In the days of the Judges famine came to the land and a certain man from Bethlehem of Judah went—he, his wife and his two sons—to live in the country of Moab. The man was called Elimelech, his wife Naomi and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. They came to the country of Moab and settled there. Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she and her two sons were left. These married Moabite women: one was named Orpah and the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died and the woman was bereft of her two sons and her husband. So she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard that Yahweh had visited the people and given them food. So, with her daughters-in-law, she came away from the place where she was living and they took the road back to the land of Judah. “Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back, each of you to her mother’s house. May Yahweh be kind to you as you have been to those who have died and to me. Yahweh grant that you find rest, each of you, in the house of a husband.’ And she kissed them. But they wept aloud and said to her, ‘No, we will go back with you to your people.’ And Naomi said, ‘You must return, my daughters; why come with me? Have | any more sons in my womb to make husbands for you? Return my daughters, go, for | am too old now to marry again. Even if | said there is still hope for me, even if | were to have a husband this very night and bear sons, would you be prepared to wait until they were grown up? Would you refuse to marry for this? No, my daughters, | should then be deeply grieved for you, for the hand of Yahweh has been raised against me. And once more they started to weep aloud. Then Orpah kissed her motherin-law and went back to her people. But Ruth clung to her. “Naomi said to her, ‘Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. You must return too; follow your sister-in-law.’ “But Ruth said, ‘Do not press me to leave you and to turn back from your company, for ‘wherever you go, | will go, wherever you live, | will live. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Wherever you die, | will die and there | will be buried. May Yahweh do this thing to me and more also, if even death should come between us!’ “Seeing that she was determined to go with her, Naomi said no more. The two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem.” Ruth 1:1-19, adapted. Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Bantam, Doubleday, Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Reprinted and adapted by permission. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE OFFERINGS LEADER: Let us now read the story of the Women at the Tomb, ordinary women—in the midst of life and death, going about their work and their lives. Women—the first to proclaim the good news of the resurrection—the first to proclaim the gospel in the midst of their ministry. Let us silently read together. SCRIPTURE FOR MEDITATION AND REFLECTION (To be read silently.) “Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the entrance to the tomb, so they went in; but they did not find the body of Jesus. They stood there puzzled about this, when suddenly two men in bright shining clothes stood by them, ‘Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here; he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was in Galilee: “The Son of Humanity must be handed over to sinful people, be crucified and three days later rise to life.’ ”’ “Then the women remembered his words, returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven disciples and all the rest. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; they and the other women with them told these things to the apostles. But the apostles thought that what the women said was nonsense, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; he bent down and saw the grave cloths but nothing else. Then he went back home amazed at what had happened.” Scripture text, Luke 24:1-11, is adapted from the Good News Bible, the Bible in Today’s English Version. Copyright © American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976. WOMEN AT THE TOMB TELL THEIR STORY THE RESPONSE VOICE: We pray for strengthened belief in the unbelievable. RESPONSE: God of the first witnesses to the resurrection, be with us. VOICE: We pray for discernment that our call has its source in God and not in transient opinions and institutions. RESPONSE: God of the first witnesses to the resurrection, be with us. ALL: We pray with lively gratitude for the great power of God which makes the impossible possible. RESPONSE: God of the first witnesses to the resurrection, be with us. WE AFFIRM OUR STORIES LEADER: We too are witnesses to the too-good-to-be-true news! We are witnesses to Everywoman’s story as we have listened, shared and now affirm our stories and gifts of ministry. You have in your hand a piece of ribbon. You may have wondered if it had a meaning in the service. It may have been a mystery to you. The ribbons are symbolic of our gifts of ministry. Sometimes those gifts are a mystery. How do we offer them with meaning? The 7 RUTH TELLS HER STORY RIGHT: LEFT: ALL: Christ is Messiah. Emmanuel. God with us! LEADER: PEOPLE: Hear the Good News. The too-good-to-be-true news. VOICE IN THE CONGREGATION LEFT: RIGHT: God with us. RESPONSE: God of Ruth and Naomi be with us. LEADER: God in me. God through me to the world. VOICE IN THE CONGREGATION: We pray for a deepening of faith and commitment to our God who created us for community. LEADER: My story. Your story. They aren't very different. All of us have known emptiness. Within us is the strength of our story. All of us can share this good news. Turn now to your neighbors in groups of three or four. Tell of the gifts of ministry you bring to the world. Everyone tells of at least one gift. Everyone listens to the story. Everyone hears the good news. RESPONSE: God of Ruth and Naomi be with us. VOICE IN THE CONGREGATION: We pray for the faithfulness to journey through life as one who ministers to those in need. THE RESPONSES God with me. ALL: CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLESHIP Move into groups of three or four. Share your gifts with each other for two to three minutes each. (Pause for 8-40 minutes) LEADER: You have heard the good news. You have spoken a word of ministry. Let us join in an act of commitment during the Offering, as we respond to God’s question, ‘Whom shall | send?’ “Here | Am, God” Dan Schutte, S.J. Congregation will join the soloist on the Refrain. —1—3 1if 4 T +—} t — 4 SS Is it SSS Here | am, God. rt { . @ —o \ t S Tt 1 ry t = . T iz Y ——— T T ———T 4 l, ee 4 — © , } J < cal-ling. ————— +J A A in + nd 1 T T oe { oz T ee ore eae God 4 | t- hold if You 4 a oe Baas Your | | I I peo- | Se a in lead rl { + ——— —t oc —— my —_ ae i B t heart. Copyright 1981 by Daniel L. Schutte, $.J., and NALR, 10802 N. 23rd. Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85029. Used with permission. 6 —} will - a ainatite | — amanes | ( will t <_ EE - a rz + me. ait a sa ple } aASeT=i ete = 7 & night 7 a We celebrate today the call to ministry that each of us has been given. | Wecelebrate that God claims us as beloved children and as ministers of the Word. LEADER: PEOPLE: | We have found our home with You, O God. Your people have become our people. LEADER: PEOPLE: | We celebrated the ministry of women in the past. | Weclaim and celebrate our gifts for ministry today. +~—— “=F —+—— ——+}} Creator God, You have given us gifts and talents, understanding and courage. Give us a clearer vision of the ministry we may do in Your name and by Your grace. LEADER: PEOPLE: We have found our home with You, O God. Your people have become our people. LEADER: PEOPLE: Let us bless God, as we work, worship and share in ministry. Thanks be to God! *HYMN God? =— the — a | aTTF 4SAPO. 0. go, —e_ You oe } SSS | have + —— heard LEADER: PEOPLE: RECEIVING THE OFFERINGS +>) { God is with you. And also with you. LEADER: PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND WRITING a| t LEADER: PEOPLE: PEOPLE: Offerings given on World Community Day make possible the mission and ministry of Church Women United. Today, along with your offering of money, also offer your own personal gifts of ministry to the world. Write one or two of your gifts on the paper provided. Include it in the offering plate, symbolic of all that you are and all that you give. *HYMN We pray that we may be committed to each other, our _ family and friends, and that we will care for each other. “All Servants of God” St. Denio 44. 14. 44. 14 All servants of God, filled with love that is true, Will seek in obedience God's bidding to do, Not waiting till need comes to knock at the door, But going in search of the lonely, the poor. Obedient servants their Sov’reign proclaim Whenever they minister in their God’s name, To feed, clothe, and visit and show their concern Not asking that good things be theirs in return. We know that God’s Word is e’er one with God's deed, For it was implanted with Christ as the seed; 3 So those who would live and die in Christ’s name Must show in their actions the Word they proclaim. that is the kind of worshiper that God wants. God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.’ Christ's hope is the message we give to the world, With arms far outstretched and our banners unfurled, Good news fo the poor, to the ill, the oppressed. All races, all classes join hands in the quest. “The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah—that is, Christ—is coming; and when he comes he will tell us everything.’ ‘| who am speaking to you,’ said Jesus, ‘| am he.’ Words by James E. Johnson, Everflowing Streams, Edited by Ruth V. Duck and Michael G. Bausch. Pilgrim Press, New York © 1981. Used by permission. LEADER: We have heard the story of Ruth and her ministry. Let us silently read together the biblical account of another woman in ministry— the woman at the well. SCRIPTURE FOR MEDITATION AND REFLECTION (To be read silently) “When Jesus heard that the Pharisees had found out that he was making and baptizing more disciples than John—though in fact it was his disciples who baptized, not Jesus himself—he left Judaea and went back to Galilee. This meant that he had to cross Samaria. “On the way he came fo the Samaritan town called Sychar, near the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well is there and Jesus, tired by the journey, sat straight down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘What? You are a Jew and you ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?’ — Jews, in fact do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus replied: ‘If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you: Give me a drink, you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you living water.’ You have no bucket sir, she answered, ‘and the well is deep: how could you get this living water? Are you a greater man than our father Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it himself with his sons and his cattle?’ Jesus replied: ‘Whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again; but anyone who drinks the water that | shall give will never be thirsty again: the water that | shall give will turn into a spring inside her, welling up to eternal life.’ Sir, said the woman, ‘give me some of that water, so that | may never get thirsty and never have to come here again to draw water.’ ‘Go and call your husband,’ said Jesus to her, ‘and come back here.’ The woman answered, ‘| have no husband.’ He said to her, ‘You are right to say, “| have no husband”’; for although you have had five, the one you have now is not your husband. You spoke the truth there.’ ‘l see you are a prophet, sir,’ said the woman. ‘Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, while you say that Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’ Jesus said: ‘Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship God neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation comes from the Jews. But the hour will come—in fact it is here already— when true worshipers will worship God in spirit and truth: 4 “At this point his disciples returned, and were surprised to find him speaking to a woman, though none of them asked, ‘What do you want from her?’ or, ‘Why are you talking to her?’ The woman put down her water jar and hurried back to the town fo tell the people, ‘Come and see a man who has told me everything | ever did; | wonder if he is the Christ?’ This brought people out of the town and they started walking toward him. “Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, do have something to eat’; but he said, ‘| have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples asked one another, ‘Has someone been bringing him food?’ But Jesus said: ‘My food is to do the will of fhe one who sent me, and to complete God's work. Have you not got a saying: Four months and then the harvest? Well, | tell you: Look around you, look at the fields; already they are white, ready for harvest! Already the reaper is being paid wages, and thus sower and reaper rejoice together. For here the proverb holds good: one sows, another reaps; | sent you to reap a harvest you had not worked for. Others worked for if; and you have come into the rewards of their trouble.’ “Many Samaritans of that town had believed in him on the strength of the woman's testimony when she said, ‘He told me all | have ever done,’ so when the Samaritans came up to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed for two days, and when he spoke to them many more came to believe; and they said to the woman, ‘Now we no longer believe because of what you told us; we have heard him ourselves and we know that he really is the savior of the world.’ ” John 4:1-42, adapted with permission from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE. THE WOMAN AT THE WELL TELLS HER STORY RESPONSE VOICE: We pray for growth in discovering our gifts and talents and the gifts of sisters and brothers. May we also discover more ways to encourage each other to use our gifts. RESPONSE: God of the woman VOICE: We pray for the healing of our memories of being held back from sharing our gifts. RESPONSE: God of the woman VOICE: We pray for an abiding openness to others. May our only certain knowledge of anyone be that they are loved children of God. at the well be with us. at the well be with us. WE TELL OUR STORIES LEADER: PEOPLE: ~— Hear the Good News. The too-good-to-be-true news. 9