Sunday, June 26, 2011

Roberto L. Burton, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Band Director, Oakwood University, Huntsville, AL and Minister of Music, New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, Harvest, AL

Worship Planning Notes

Youth Sunday is a time when we celebrate our youth and encourage their growth in Christ. On this Sunday, we are focusing on an issue of special importance to youth and adults, especially African Americans—youth violence. The Church is still a special teaching venue for youth. The African American Lectionary joins with churches in addressing the issue of youth violence. Whether you address the issue in a service on this Sunday or on another day in the liturgical life of your church, the important thing is that you give it serious attention this year and in the years ahead.

Suggestions for this Worship Service:
Make sure that all efforts are made to reinforce the message of non-violence/anti-violence.

• Focus the sermon to address anti-youth violence measures
  
  
• Have a youth choir sing
  
  
• Allow a youth to design an anti-violence cover for the morning bulletin
  
  
• Have a step team perform
  
  
• Have a liturgical dance team perform
  
  
• Have a spoken word artist do a presentation

Suggestions to Make the Worship Moment More Memorable:

• Hold an “Answers to Violence” essay contest for the youth of your church. Encourage youth to include video and music in preparing their essays. Have the best essay presented during morning worship. Develop a sacred space for all essays that allows them to be viewed by the congregation and visitors.
  
  
• Invite persons from your community who are working to lessen youth violence. Introduce them as your special guests and have their names printed in your order of worship.

1. Litany

Black Children

Children are precious gifts from God and we love them. Let us remind ourselves that is takes a whole village to raise a child to compassion, competence, and character.

We celebrate their gifts and strengths. We pray for them. Lord, help us to hear the dreams and concerns of children, and never to give up on them.

We thank you for David, who found favor with you and was anointed king in his youth. We also thank you for Josiah, who became king and eight years of age, and whose reign was pleasing to you.

We thank you for the young maiden who instructed Naaman to seek the prophet. We also thank you Miriam who led with her brother Moses, for Jeremiah who was called from his mother’s womb, and for Jesus who confounded the chief priests and scribes at the age of twelve.

We remember Emmit Till whose murder in Money, Mississippi shed light on the atrocities of racism. We remember the Little Rock Arkansas Nine, who risked their lives so that black children could receive an equal education. We remember the four young ladies who lost their lives in a Birmingham church during Sunday School.

In the twentieth century, many black children were still in desperate need. Every day seven hundred of them were born in poverty, seven were killed by guns, twenty eight never reached their first birthday, and others died daily from HIV infection and drugs.

Some children are suspended from school, arrested, and incarcerated. Some are unmarried mothers. O Lord, rescue and deliver them all. Help them to become beacons of hope and agents of change in America and in the world.

As the lives of children and youth are channeled to schooling and career preparation, help them find the time to read and understand your commandments, to know and to love Jesus Christ, and to be a witness of your saving grace to their own generation.

O Lord, position significant and caring adults in their lives to guide them to discover the unique potential which you have placed within them.

Shield them from all hurt, harm, and danger. Shelter them from abuse, low self-esteem, drugs, pornography, prostitution, and poverty.

May you help them to stay in school, to obey their parents, and to resist negative peer pressure. Give them important roles to play in the home, church, school, and community. Give every family and community assets that ensure the positive development of black children.

Our hope for the future resides in our children. We pray that they thrive according to your purpose.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) A Child of the King. By Harriett E. Buell. Tune, (BINGHAMPTON), arr. by Valeria A. Foster

(b) This Little Light of Mine. Spiritual

(c) Down by the Riverside (I Ain’t Gonna Study War No More). Anonymous

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. Arr. by Hezekiah Brinson

(b) We Shall Walk through the Valley in Peace. By A.L. Hatter. Tune, (PEACEFUL VALLEY), arr. by Joseph Joubert

(c) Walk Together Children. Traditional. Arr. by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) What about the Children. By Marvin Sapp

(b) What about the Children. By Yolanda Adams

(c) Sing for the Children By Ben Tankard

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Ministry Music
(a) First Love. By Kirk Franklin

(b) I Will Find a Way. By Fred Hammond

(c) Your Love Divine. By Richard Smallwood

6. Anthems
(a) God So Loved the World. By John Stainer

(b) Does Jesus Care. By Frank E. Graeff

(c) O Perfect Love. By Joseph Barnby

7. Modern Songs
(a) Love’s in Need of Love Today. By Cedric Dent and Stevie Wonder

(b) We Need Love. By Milton Brunson

(c) I Really Love You Lord. By Milton Brunson

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) He Proved His Love. By Ron Winans

(b) When You Love. By Donnie McClurkin

(c) Love Paid the Price. By Edwin Hawkins

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) I Love the Lord. By Richard Smallwood

(b) More about Jesus. By Eliza E. Hewitt

(c) I Love to Tell the Story. By A. Katherine Hankey

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Marvelous. By Walter Hawkins

(b) No Greater Love. By Ricky Dillard

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Love Can Make the Difference. By Ralph Carmichael

(b) Family of Love. By Cedric Dent

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) Always Remember. By Andraé Crouch

(b) God Be with You. By Thomas A. Dorsey

(c) Till We Gather Again. Text and Tune by Stephen Key

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Litany. Black Children
African American Heritage Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. #76

• Click Here Cultural Resources
• Click Here Lectionary Commentaries