CELEBRATION OF VOCATIONS (LABOR DAY)

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, September 6, 2009

A. Marquis Williams, Sr., Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Musician and instructor in Glen Burnie, Maryland

Worship Planning Notes

• Encourage your congregation to realize that their behavior and attitudes in the workplace reflect upon their discipleship. They should take God with them as they go about their daily work routines.
  
  
• Worship planners should work to ensure that this is a celebration of work. Screens should display work Scriptures. The bulletin/order of worship should contain information to help persons who need work.

• Consider planning a job fair either on this day after worship or on Saturday, September 5. Do not do it alone. Work with other churches, city entities, unions, and schools. Make it big. Your community needs it.

1. Responsive Reading or Invocation
(a) Responsive Reading

(b) Invocation
We are your people and the sheep of your pasture. We come to this celebration with thanksgiving and praise. On this day when we celebrate work, we pray for those who would like to work and cannot. We pray for employers that they would remember the poor more than the bottom line. Grant us the wisdom to understand our choice to serve you. Teach us to use our gifts and our good fortune to glorify your name. Assist us in our endeavor to be more like you. As we continue to labor in this vineyard grant us more love. We honor you, we worship you, and we adore you. Let all that we do enhance your purposes. Amen.

2. Hymns or Congregational Songs
(a) Come, Christians, Join to Sing. By Christian H. Bateman. Arr. By Stan Pethel

(b) How Firm a Foundation. Text: 2 Peter 1:4; “K” in Rippon’s A Selection of Hymns. Tune, Foundation

(c) To Worship Work and Witness. By Henry L. Lambdin. Tune, (Stand Up for Jesus) by George W. Webb

(d) Use Me, O Lord. By Virgie C. DeWitty

(e) Work, for the Night Is Coming. By Annie L. Coghill. Tune, (Work Song) by Lowell Mason

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Ain’t Got Time to Die. By Hall Johnson. For SATB

(b) Don’t You Let Nobody Turn You ‘Round. Arr. By Phillip McIntyre

(c) Hold On. Arr. By Jester Hairston

(d) Lord I’m out Here on Your Word. By John W. Work. For SAATB with tenor solo

(e) Lord I’m Trusting. By Chester D. T. Baldwin

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) I Will Bless the Lord. By Shirley Berkeley

(b) Say the Name. By Martha Munizzi and Clint Brown

(c) You Deserve the Glory. By Terry MacAlmon

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Music
How Great Thou Art. Arr. By Omar Dickenson

6. Anthems
(a) A Jubilant Song. By Allen Pote

(b) Wait on the Lord. By Willis Barnett

(c) We Sing with Joy. By Marvin Curtis

7. Modern Songs
(a) God Is a Good God. By Paul S. Morton

(b) My Help (Cometh from the Lord). By Jackie G. Farris. Arr. By Carol Cymbala

(c) Sanctify Me. By V. Michael McKay

8. Offering Song or Instrumental
(a) Lord, Here Am I. By John Ness Beck

(b) Only What You Do for Christ. By Raymond Rasberry. Arr. By Glen Woodward

(c) My Offering. By James Bignon

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) He’s Working It Out for Your Good. By Kevon Carter

(b) Acceptable to You. By Eli Wilson, Jr.

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Is There a Word from the Lord? By Glenn Burleigh

(b) Lord I Thirst for You. By Gary E. Sadler

(c) We Need to Hear from You. By Sandra Crouch

11. Invitation Song or Instrumental
(a) The Decision. By V. Michael McKay

(b) Down at the Altar. By Joe Pace II

(c) His Yoke Is Easy. By Glenn Burleigh

(d) Only Jesus Can Save Your Soul. By Tony Wilkins and Donald Taylor

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) All Day Long. By Carlton L. Fellows

(b) God Gets the Glory. By David Curry and Steve Harrison

(c) My Peace I Leave with You. By Wendell C. Woods

13. Other Recommendations
(a) Develop a skit centered on how Christians can positively impact the workplace experience. This could be a good project to use to incorporate younger participants in the worship experience.

(b) Include the following poem(s) in church bulletins or play on screens:

The Night Cometh

Work! For the night is coming;
Work! Through the morning hours;
Work! While the dew is sparkling;
Work! ‘mid the springing flowers;
Work! While the day grows brighter,
Under the glowing sun;
Work! For the night is coming,--
Night, when man’s work is done.

Work! For the night is coming;
Work! Through the sunny noon;
Fill the bright hours with labour,
Rest cometh sure and soon.
Give to each flying minute
Something to keep in store;
Work! For the night is coming,--
Night, when man works no more.

Work! For the night is coming;
Under the sunset skies,
While their bright tints are glowing,
Work! For the daylight flies;
Work! Till the last beam fadeth,
Fadeth to shine no more;
Work! While the night is darkening,--
Night, when man’s work is o’er.

God’s At Work
Be still, be quiet and you shall see, the hand of the God of eternity.
Just be still and know He is God, shepherding all with staff and rod.
He’s at work throughout your life; He’s the comfort in pain and strife.
And when a problem won’t relent, God is there with encouragement.
He’s at work in the darkest night; for God is for you that guiding light.

He guides you with a loving nod, protecting you on this earthly sod.
God’s at work in all of His own, as He guides us to an eternal home.
Even if you do not see God’s hand, simply be still then understand,
God doesn’t move like you or me, He moves throughout all eternity.
Starting before the beginning friend, and His presence will not end.

He doesn’t work on earthly time; God’s timely measures are divine.
God’s been working in lives of men, since that pair was condemned.
God has been working to rectify, the problem created by Satan’s lie.
Friend it isn’t that God is slow, He’s just patient so that all can know,
the problem of Satan was rectified, on the cross, when Jesus died.

Now, He’s at work in believers friends helping others to comprehend,
the saving Truth of Jesus Christ, so that they can gain Eternal Life.
With a new life in Christ you’ll see, how He’s at work in you and me.
Let Christ Jesus in your heart, and a new work in you God will start.
God’s work will be done in ways that fill your heart with eternal praise.

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Responsive Reading or Invocation
(a) Responsive Reading based on 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

13. Other Recommendations
(b) Poems
The Night Cometh. By Annie Louisa Walker
Online location: www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-night-cometh-2

God’s At Work. By Bob Gotti
Online location:www.poemhunter.com