“WHO SO EVER WILL” SUNDAY

MUSIC & WORSHP RESOURCES

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Michelle Riley Jones, Lectionary Team Liturgist

But even as we challenge all of our people to these biblical standards, we do so with grace-filled spirits, knowing the confusion and brokenness that is rampant in our fallen world. And at Willow we honor the journey of everyone who is sincerely attempting to follow Christ. . . . Jesus taught, and modeled, a better way: to treat everybody with respect, to believe the best about others, to seek to understand those with whom we might disagree, and if we must disagree, then attempt to do so respectfully.

Worship Planning Notes

The purpose of our worship experience is to focus our attention on the fact that Christ, unlike many churchgoers, welcomes all to come to him, regardless of sexual orientation, or ethnicity, or social status, et al. The Lord admonished Samuel (regarding David) in this way: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature . . . for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:6-7, NRSV).

Jesus welcomes us all because within each of us is a person worthy of loving and saving. That worth comes to us because he gave his life for us. His behavior is the same towards every one of us—loving, open, welcoming.

As followers of Christ, we have been called to love others as Christ loves us. We need not be fearful of or hateful towards those who may be different than us, whether due to sexual orientation or any other difference. What we should do is demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit—love being one of them—in our relationships.

As worship leaders, our efforts must be grounded in the fact that all are invited into full relationship with Jesus Christ. Select music that ministers of God’s love and grace.

(1) Focus on love. The Bible has a whole lot to say about love. Love is more important than any amount of spirituality we can muster (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Love is the primary indicator of our faith (John 13:35). Whether you are loving nonbelievers or believers, “by this all people will know that you are [Jesus’] disciples, if you have love for one another.” Love each other, then love others.

(2) Live a context of grace. The church is a community of believers saved by grace, growing by grace, and living in recognition of the grace of God. Extend this grace context to those who may not share your views. Many people view Christians as a judgmental and hypocritical crowd. Allow homosexual persons to realize first that you are people saved by grace, and second, that you extend and apply the grace of God in your reception of people.

(3) Lectionary Liturgist Nolan Williams, Jr. shared the following ideas in the 2011 worship unit (http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupWorshipAid.asp?LRID=225):

     Even if you perceive yourself to be a welcoming congregation, don’t assume you are. Do a hospitality assessment:

• Have a stranger visit your congregation and tell you what he/she sees, hears, feels.
• Take a hospitality assessment of your congregation at:
  http://archive.elca.org/evangelizingChurch/congregations

     Identify everyone in the congregation as members of the “Welcoming Team”:

• Provide intentional training for congregational members throughout the year on anti-racism, interacting with persons with disabilities, inter-cultural training, women, gay and lesbian people.
• Periodically include a short public “Affirmation of Welcome” in worship.
• Graciously ask that no one have a “reserved” pew or seat except persons with disabilities for whom certain seating may be necessary.

1. Litany, Responsive Reading, or Invocation

Songs for Gathering
(a) You Are Welcome Here. By Trent Cory

(b) Open the Eyes of My Heart. By Paul Baloche

Responsive Reading
(c) Walk Together in the Spirit (from Galatians 5:5-6, 13b-16a, 22-23, 25; Romans 10:12-13). By Michelle Riley Jones

Walk Together in the Spirit

Today, we are called together to serve one another humbly in love.

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

So I say walk in the Spirit; for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let us walk together in the Spirit.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Make Me a Channel of Your Peace. By Sebastian Temple. Tune by Mark Bernard. For SATB choir and congregation

(b) Think of His Goodness to You. Text and Tune, (GOODNESS), by R. C. Ward

(c) Savior, More Than Life to Me. By Fanny J. Crosby. Tune, (MORE THAN LIFE), by William H. Doane

3. Spirituals and Traditional Songs
(a) Give Me Jesus. African American Spiritual

(b) He Knows. By Pamela Jean Davis

(c) I Been Praying. By Mervyn Warren

(d) No Matter What I’m Gonna Keep on Praising the Lord. By Raymond Wise

(e) Lord I Ain’t No Stranger Now. By Clayton White

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs and Praise Teams
(a) This Love Won’t Fail. By Raina Bundy and Skip Skarborough

(b) I Am the One. By Kurt Carr

(c) Lord I Thank You/I’m So Glad the Lord Saved Me. Traditional

(d) Think of His Goodness. By Debra L. Perry

(e) Jesus Lover of My Soul. By John Ezzy, Daniel Grul, and Stephen McPherson

(f) Jesus Can Work It Out. By George Jordan and Dianne Williams

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) You Pulled Me Through. By Diane Warren

(b) Here I Am to Worship. By Tim Hughes

(c) Even Me. By Glenn E. Burleigh

6. Anthems
(a) All Creatures of Our God and King. By William H. Draper. Arr. by John Stoddart

(b) Ho! Everyone That Thirsteth. By William McFarlane

(c) The Word Was God. By Rosephanye Powell. For SATB with divisi, a cappella

7. Modern Songs
(a) Oh How He Loves You and Me/Love Lifted Me (Live). By Kurt Kaiser and Trent Cory

(b) Pray for Me. By Anson Dawkins and Eric Dawkins

(c) All Creatures, No. 2. By St. Francis of Assisi

(d) Falling in Love with Jesus. By Jonathan Butler

(e) My Name Is Victory. By Jonathan Nelson and Justin Savage

(f) Always Welcome. By Mary Alessi and Cindy Cruise-Ratcliff

(g) Let Your Glory Fill This House (Live). By Tonya Baker

(h) I Receive Your Love. By Israel Houghton

(i) Saved By Grace. By Israel Houghton, Daniel Johnson, and Aaron Lindsey

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Count Your Blessings. By Timothy Wright

(b) There’s a River. By Robert J. Hill, Lucinda Moore, and Kevin Williams

(c) Medley—Pt. 1: I Love You Lord; Pt. 2: We Exalt Thee. By Laurie Klein and Pete Sanchez

(d) We Love You Jesus. By Judith Christie McAllister and T.C. Bereal, Jr.

(e) Spiritual Makeover Extreme. By Kurt Carr

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) More Than Anything. By Rick Robinson

(b) Something Happens. By Kurt Carr

(c) Draw Me Nearer. By Fannie J. Crosby. Tune by William H. Doane. Arr. by Judith Christie McAllister

(d) More of Thee. By Tammi Haddon

(e) A Touch. By Steven Ford

(f) Mighty Wind. By Andraé Crouch

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) You Are Great. By Eva Lena Hellmark

(b) He’s Been Just That Good. By Kirk Whalum

(c) Because He Lives. By Gloria Gaither and William Gaither. Tune, (RESURRECTION), by William Gaither

(d) Hiding Out in the Pews. By Nolan Williams, Jr.

(e) The Prayer. By David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Love. By John Stoddart. Instrumental

(b) God’s Love. By Amos Saint Jean. Instrumental

(c) Make Me New. By Britney Bloom and Praeshea Hilliard

(d) Come Unto Me. By Noah Chepparo, William McDowell, and Austin Moore

(e) Called to Be. By Jonathan Nelson

(f) Jesus Saves(We Have Heard the Joyful Sound). By Priscilla J. Owens. Tune, (JOYFUL SOUND), by William J. Kirkpatrick

(g) Give Me a Clean Heart. By Margaret Pleasant Douroux

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) Blest Be the Tie That Binds. By John Fawcett. Tune, (DENNIS), by Hans G. Nageli

(b) Let the Church Say Amen. By Andraé Crouch

Sending Song
(c) This Love Won’t Fail. By Raina Bundy and Skip Scarborough

(d) Right Now Praise. By Jonathan Nelson and Justin Savage

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

Bill Hybels shared these comments at The Global Leadership Summit during his announcement that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz had withdrawn as a Summit speaker (due to a boycott petition that claimed that Willow Creek was anti-gay). Online location: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFhSfr13Y6o (accessed 17 March 2012)