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HOMECOMING (FAMILY AND FRIENDS DAY)

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Nolan Williams, Jr., Lectionary Team Liturgist; Kenneth Mosley, Assistant Liturgist; and Richard Smallwood, Contributor, Gospel Recording Artist/Artist-in-residence, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Largo, MD

Worship Planning Notes

And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family.—Leviticus 25:10, NRSV

In this worship service, find ways to highlight the work and achievements of some returning parishioners. Also, add to the service a Candle Lighting Ceremony and moment of silence to honor the deceased members and friends of the church (see below).

1. Call to Worship, Centering Prayer, Litany, and Candle Lighting Ceremony

Call to Worship
Proverbs 22:28 declares, “Do not remove the ancient landmark that your ancestors set up.”

It’s a blessing to be able to return home! Today’s celebration is one for the living, but it also honors those who have gone before us. Our ancestors longed for a place to call HOME. As strangers in this land, they struggled to establish a sense of belonging here. In many ways, the church house became a central place for establishing community. And, through the years, the church is still an essential part of our lives. No matter where we go, or how far we venture, it’s always good to know that we can come back home! Let’s give God praise for this Homecoming Sunday!

Centering Prayer
O God, we are so honored that your divine plan would include the crossing of our paths in community. It is our prayer that we learn from, cherish, and continue the family ties that bind us together in you. Others have come and gone, and we’re thankful for their presence and impact in our lives as well. Bless us with safe travel from this place as we treasure the time we’ve spent together over the years. In your blessed name we do pray. Amen.

Litany

Reader:	When distance separates us, love cannot.
People:	Near or far, we are a family, united by God’s love.
Reader:	When time lapses and space seems to be great, God’s peace and our precious memories are unfailing.
People:	Cherished times, sounds, and scents of home are forever etched in our hearts.
Reader:	We’re grateful for a place to call HOME, and people we call FAMILY.
All:	Our unending love for one another leaves a legacy for generations to come!

Candle Lighting Ceremony
Worship Leader: As we gather on this Homecoming Sunday, we pause to remember those who have gone on before us. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Hebrews 12 of the great cloud of witnesses who have run this race and finished their course. Our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, pastors, deacons, trustees, members, and friends have left an indelible mark upon each of us and upon this church. We light this candle, and we speak their names, remembering their lives and celebrating their contributions.

(Light candle… allow names to be called, pause for a moment of silence.)

Worship Leader: Thank you for these souls who have gone on before us. Amen.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) What a Fellowship. By Elisha Hoffman. Tune, (SHOWALTER), by Anthony Showalter

(c) (Come and Go with Me) To My Father’s House. By Edwin Hawkins

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Walk Together Children. Traditional

(b) Siyahamaba. South African folksong

(c) Plenty Good Room. Traditional

(d) Oh Lord, Stand by Me. By James Cleveland. Arr. by Richard Smallwood

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) In This House. By Richard Smallwood

(b) Together. By Patrick Lundy

(c) He Brought Us. By Charles Pikes