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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Pamela Jean Davis, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Director of Worship Arts, Fountain of Praise Church, Houston, TX

Worship Planning Notes
These notes are provided by Teresa L. Fry Brown, Professor of Homiletics, Emory University, who also prepared the lectionary commentary for today.

1. Because Mother’s Day and Pentecost coincide, it is an opportunity to ask all to dress in red or wear some measure of red to celebrate life in the church—not just physical birth, but spiritual birth and rebirth.
   
   Print words in bulletins or recite phrases from works such as Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son,” Alice Walker’s “Women,” the traditional hymn “Faith of Our Mothers,” and the Boys to Men song, “Mama.”
   
   
2. Consider the demographics of your congregation in terms of the types of mothers who are present. Consider how many have deceased mothers, incarcerated mothers, military mothers, foster mothers, etc. In order to avoid excluding anyone from the sermon or worship experience. Also remember you may have present women who are unable to have children and women who have lost children.
   
   
3. Have each person bring a photo of their mother or whomever nurtured them, or something that represents the woman’s impact. At altar call or some designated period of worship ask persons to come forward and lay them on tables or altars set up around the front of the church or, depending on the size of the congregation, around the building. Members can pause and say their own prayer of thanksgiving for mothers before returning to their seats. Items can be retrieved at the end of worship. An alternative would be for someone in your media ministry to ask for items two weeks before Mother’s Day and make a video of the items or pictures and show them during the service.
   
   

1. Litany	Black Mothers
Leader	All-knowing God, who sees and helps to bear the pains and disappointments of every black mother, we ask that you extend to our mothers comfort and strength.
Congregation	We pray for black mothers everywhere. They give us life and love and hold our families together. Amid changing family structures we remember mothers young and old, single mothers, homeless mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and surrogate mothers.
Leader	We pray for black mothers who suffer due to unemployment, insufficient housing, and poor healthcare. Heal black mothers, Lord, as they have often experienced mistreatment and witnessed the harsh abuse of their children, husbands, siblings, and parents.
Congregation	Divine Nurturer, fortify our mothers. Continue to make them a refuge in the time of trouble.
Leader	We pray for mothers and their children, as violent crimes and drug abuse conspire to tear the fiber of black families.
Congregation	We pray for black mothers of old who have bent their backs cleaning homes, picking cotton, and working by the sweat of their brow. We thank them for their determination and their belief that education is a door to liberation and success.
Leader	God, empower black mothers to enrich the lives of their families. Aid them as they teach sons and daughters determination and the value of investing in the future.
Congregation	Mothers have always been activists and leaders, teaching us how to live and making our communities better. We remember poet and writer Frances E. W. Harper, who birthed a crusade against lynching during Reconstruction.
Leader	We remember Rosa Parks, who birthed a bus boycott, and Shirley Chisholm, who blazed the trail to high-profile public office for black women.
Congregation	We cherish mothers who teach, write, or preach the truth and who open the minds of children to limitless possibility. We celebrate mothers who are homemakers, educators, authors, and pastors, who formulate ideas, expend creative energy, and inspire young people to become leaders.
Leader	They have been a loving presence in business and play, in the arts and in all of life.
All	Because our mothers taught us that “the Lord will make a way out of no way,” we have the inheritance of a powerful spiritual legacy. We give black mothers bouquets of gratitude and honor. Kind and Gentle Savior, ever bless them.

2. Congregational Songs
(a) Dwell in Unity. By Pamela Jean Davis

(b) Faith of Our Mothers. By A. B. Patten. Tune, (ST. CATHERINE), by Henri Frederick Hemy

(c) Great Is Thy Faithfulness. By Thomas O. Chisholm. Tune, (FAITHFULNESS), with refrain by William M. Runyan

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Even Me. Arr. By Doris Jones Wilson for SATB. Tune, (EVEN ME).

(b) Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit. Spiritual. Arr. By Moses Hogan for SATB

(c) Keep Me, Every Day. By F. L. Eiland. Tune by Emmet S. Dean

4.Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Change. By Patrick Love and Myron Williams

(b) Come Holy Spirit Medley. By Israel Houghton and Keith Staten

(c) Lord I Thank You. By Rudolph Stanfield

(d) One God. By Darlene Dennis

(e) Thou Art a Shield for Me. By Freda Tapp

5. Liturgical Dance Music
Assemble a multi-generational liturgical dance team that includes daughters, mothers, and grandmothers.

(a) Let It Be to Me. By Stormie and Michael Omaritian

(b) Lord, You’re Holy. By Eddie James

(c) Mama’s Kitchen. By H. Headley, D. Ramsey, S. Sanders, and T. Sims

(d) The Prayer. By David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager

6. Anthems
(a) A Virtuous Woman. By Guy Robinson. For SATB and solo

(b) Bless the Lord O My Soul. By Willis Barnett

(c) I Will Give Thanks Unto Thee. By G. Rossini. Arr. By Fitzhugh for SATB

(d) Praise Ye the Name of the Lord. By Gordon Young

7. Modern Songs
(a) Is My Living in Vain? By Twinkie Clark

(b) Oh Thou Most High. By Cedric Caldwell, Victor Caldwell, and CeCe Winans

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) For Every Generation. Adaptation by Thomas Ken. Arr. By Monya Davis Logan

(b) Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (Doxology). By Thomas Ken. Tune, (OLD 100), attributed to Louis Bourgeois

(c) Running Over. By Joe Pace II

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Come Holy Spirit Come. By Mary Alessi

(b) Holy Spirit Fill This Room. By Mary Alessi

(c) I Need You to Survive. By David Frazier. Arr. By Mark A. Miller

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) In the Midst of It All. By Kevin Bond

(b) Only if God Says Yes. By Kevin Bond

(c) We Need a Word from the Lord. By Thomas Whitfield

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
Do You Know Jesus? By David Frazier

12. Benediction Song
Alpha and Omega. By Erasmus Mutanbira. Tune, Traditional African

13. Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank you for all of the mothers who came before us, and those who are here with us now to protect us and love us. Thank you for allowing us to feel the love from our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers so that we may pass on the will, the strength, and the courage and faith they had, to do your will to raise a holy family that will follow you, Lord. Cleanse us daily with new mercy to follow your directions, which we should take until you come again and receive us faithful and just. Amen.

14. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a) Show pictures of strong, loving mothers on screens, and place such images on bulletin covers.

(b) Display quotes and poems on screens about mothers.

15. Other Recommendations
Blomgren, David, Dean Smith, and Douglas Christoffel, Ed. An Anthology of Articles on Restoring Praise & Worship to the Church. Shippensburg, PA: Revival Press, 1989.

This book can be a wonderful resource for women who, with the challenges of being wives, mothers, daughters, co-workers, ministry leaders, etc., wish to re-establish praise and worship in their hearts and lives. Music has the ability to communicate and influence. Music has purpose and power. With music, thoughts and emotions are the freight and music is the carrier. This channel allows us to recognize and bless God, who created music, as we bless ourselves and others. A mother will always have a song in her heart to encourage herself or find strength to make it through.


1. Litany - Black Mothers, used with permission.
Location:

2. Congregational Songs
(a) Dwell in Unity. By Pamela Jean Davis
Location:

(b) Faith of Our Mothers. By A. B. Patten. Tune, (ST. CATHERINE), by Henri Frederick Hemy
Location:

(c) Great Is Thy Faithfulness. By Thomas O. Chisholm. Tune, (FAITHFULNESS), with refrain by William M. Runyan
Location:

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Even Me. Arr. By Doris Jones Wilson for SATB. Tune, (EVEN ME).
Location:

(b) Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit. Arr. By Moses Hogan for SATB
Location:

(c) Keep Me, Every Day. By F. L. Eiland. Tune by Emmet S. Dean
Location:

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Change. By Patrick Love and Myron Williams
Location:

(b) Come Holy Spirit Medley. By Israel Houghton and Keith Staten
Location:

(c) Lord I Thank You. By Rudolph Stanfield
Location:

(d) One God. By Darlene Dennis
Location:

(e) Thou Art a Shield for Me. By Freda Tapp
Location:

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Let It Be to Me. By Stormie and Michael Omaritian
Location:

(b) Lord, You’re Holy. By Eddie James
Location:

(c) Mama’s Kitchen. By H. Headley, D. Ramsey, S. Sanders, and T. Sims
Location:

(d) The Prayer. By David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager
Location:

6. Anthems
(a) A Virtuous Woman. By Guy Robinson. For SATB and solo
Location:

(b) Bless the Lord O My Soul. By Willis Barnett
Location:

(c) I Will Give Thanks Unto Thee. By G. Rossini. Arr. By Fitzhugh for SATB
Location:

(d) Praise Ye the Name of the Lord. By Gordon Young
Location:

7. Modern Songs
(a) Is My Living in Vain? By Twinkie Clark
Location:

(b) Oh Thou Most High. By Cedric Caldwell, Victor Caldwell, and CeCe Winans
Location:

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) For Every Generation. Adaptation by Thomas Ken. Arr. By Monya Davis Logan
Location:

(b) Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (Doxology). By Thomas Ken. Tune, (OLD 100), attributed to Louis Bourgeois
Location:

(c) Running Over. By Joe Pace II
Location:

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Come Holy Spirit Come. By Mary Alessi
Location:

(b) Holy Spirit Fill This Room. By Mary Alessi
Location:

(c) I Need You to Survive. By David Frazier. Arr. By Mark A. Miller
Location:

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) In the Midst of It All. By Kevin Bond
Location:

(b) Only if God Says Yes. By Kevin Bond
Location:

(c) We Need a Word from the Lord. By Thomas Whitfield
Location:

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
Do You Know Jesus? By David Frazier
Location:

12. Benediction Song
Alpha and Omega. By Erasmus Mutanbira. Tune, Traditional African
Location:

13. Closing Prayer written by Pamela Jean Davis.

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