These worship elements are an early draft being shared as a preview for the upcoming service. The final version used in worship may be adapted or revised. Pastors and worship leaders are welcome to use and adapt these for your own context.
Welcome
Welcome to worship at McPherson First United Methodist Church. Whether you have been part of this church for decades or you are here for the first time, in person or online, you belong here.
Today is All Saints Sunday, when we name the people whose faith carried us and who now rest in God. We come to the Lord’s table together. All are welcome, and if you’re worshiping online, you may want bread and juice ready. And we sit with a young king who was offered anything and asked for a discerning mind. The promise we lean on is gifts.
If you’re looking for your next step, visit mcphersonfirst.org/next or open the Church Center app.
(8:30 only, transition to the Call to Worship) I invite you to join in our responsive call to worship as you see the words on display.
Call to Worship (8:30 only)
Leader: God asks what we want, and waits for an honest answer.
People: Give your servants a discerning mind.
Leader: We could ask for comfort, for safety, for the upper hand.
People: Teach us to want what you want.
Leader: The saints before us asked, and God answered.
People: We join our voices with theirs this morning.
Leader: Come and worship the God who gives wisdom freely.
People: We come ready to listen.
Welcome Your Neighbor
Solomon asked for a discerning mind, and a nation felt it. That is witness, a private prayer that changes how someone treats people.
Someone taught you the faith you carry. Say their name out loud this week to someone who never met them.
Online with us from a hospital room, a care home, or a hard week, you are held in this greeting. Please stand and welcome your neighbor, then remain standing as we sing.
Opening Prayer
We’ve sung with the saints who came before us. Now settle your heart and pray with me, using the words on screen.
All: God of every generation, you have given more than we knew to ask for. Quiet the noise in us. Give us listening hearts, and the courage to want what you want. We thank you for those who showed us the way. Amen.
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 3:4-15 (CEB)
(Read by a lay reader. The reader introduces themselves and offers one brief sentence of personal connection to the congregation before reading.)
Today we hear from First Kings, which opens on a palace fight. David has died, and Solomon has taken the throne after a struggle with his older brother. The temple does not exist yet, so Israel still worships at open-air sites like the one in our reading.
Listen for the three things Solomon could have asked for, and pay attention to what he asks for instead.
Hear now First Kings, chapter 3, verses 4 through 15.
The king went to the great shrine at Gibeon in order to sacrifice there. He used to offer a thousand entirely burned offerings on that altar. The Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I’ll give it to you.”
Solomon responded, “You showed so much kindness to your servant my father David when he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and with a heart true to you. You’ve kept this great loyalty and kindness for him and have now given him a son to sit on his throne. And now, Lord my God, you have made me, your servant, king in my father David’s place. But I’m young and inexperienced. I know next to nothing. But I’m here, your servant, in the middle of the people you have chosen, a large population that can’t be numbered or counted due to its vast size. Please give your servant a discerning mind in order to govern your people and to distinguish good from evil, because no one is able to govern this important people of yours without your help.”
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request. God said to him, “Because you have asked for this instead of requesting long life, wealth, or victory over your enemies—asking for discernment so as to acquire good judgment— I will now do just what you said. Look, I hereby give you a wise and understanding mind. There has been no one like you before now, nor will there be anyone like you afterward. I now also give you what you didn’t ask for: wealth and fame. There won’t be a king like you as long as you live. And if you walk in my ways and obey my laws and commands, just as your father David did, then I will give you a very long life.”
Solomon awoke and realized it was a dream. He went to Jerusalem and stood before the chest containing the Lord’s covenant. Then he offered entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices, and held a celebration for all his servants.
Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God.
People: Thanks be to God!
Pastoral Prayer
We’re about to pray together. Whether you’re here or joining online, God hears every prayer, spoken aloud or held quietly in your heart. I’ll leave a couple of moments of silence along the way, so use them however you need, to listen, to pray, or simply to rest in God’s presence.
Prayers is one of the promises we make here. To share a prayer request, use the Church Center app anytime, or fill out a prayer request card from the pew back and drop it in the offering plate.
Will you pray with me?
God of Solomon and of every generation since, we come this morning asking for the right things.
(pause)
We praise you for giving more than we know to request. You have carried this church through generations of decisions, some wise and some not, and you have never let go of us.
We confess that we often ask you for the wrong things. We want outcomes more than we want discernment. We want to be proven right more than we want to see clearly. We ask you to bless plans we have already finished making.
Bring to God now the thing you have been asking for, and ask whether it is what you most need.
(pause)
We pray for this congregation as we choose leaders and make plans, that we would ask for listening hearts before we ask for results. We pray for those who grieve today, especially anyone naming a loss that is still fresh. We pray for the sick, the anxious, and anyone facing a decision they cannot see around. We pray for our community, and for people in authority everywhere, that they would govern as servants.
We give you thanks for the saints who asked well, and who now rest in you.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, wisdom of God and host of this table. Amen.
(On a Communion Sunday the Lord’s Prayer is prayed within the Great Thanksgiving below, per the UMC communion order, and is not repeated here.)
Invitation to Give and Check-In
Solomon could have asked for wealth, and received it anyway after asking for something better. All that we have flows from God’s open hand, and our gifts are how we keep our own hands open.
Thank you to those who give month after month, steady and unannounced. That steadiness is what lets this church plan past next Sunday. If today is your first time giving, thank you.
You can give through the offering plate, online at mcphersonfirst.org/give, or through the Church Center app, the easiest way to give from your phone.
As the offering is received, check in through the Church Center app or by signing the attendance pad next to the center aisle and passing it down the row. Checking in is how we live out presence, telling the church, in person or online, that you were here.
Ushers, please come forward to receive this morning’s offering.
Holy Communion
(On a Communion Sunday this replaces the Prayer of Thanksgiving.)
Invitation, Confession, and Pardon
We come now to the Lord’s table, in person and online. If you’re worshiping at home, please have bread and juice ready. Together we’ll share Christ’s invitation, confess our sins, and receive God’s grace.
Solomon asked for wisdom, and God gave him what he asked for and more besides. At this table God does the same thing, giving more than we know to ask. You do not need to have anything figured out to come. Christ makes room. Join in the words on screen.
This is God’s table, and all are invited. Whether you come certain or full of questions, whether your faith is steady or worn thin this morning, you belong here. Prepare your heart to receive by confessing with me.
Pray with me the words before you:
All: Merciful God, we have asked you for the wrong things. We have wanted to be right more than we have wanted to be wise. We have made our plans and then asked you to approve them. We have not listened to you, and we have not listened to each other. Forgive us. Give us listening hearts, and free us to follow where you lead, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Take a moment for your own silent prayer.
(All pray in silence)
Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
All: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving for All Saints
Forgiven and made new, we come to the table with the saints of every generation.
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere, to thank you, almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.
God of Abraham and Sarah, Miriam and Moses, Joshua and Deborah, Ruth and David, the priests and prophets, Mary and Joseph, the apostles and martyrs, our mothers and fathers, and our children to all generations.
And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
People: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. Through his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, set us free from sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
And so, remembering all you have done for us in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves to you, our praise, our thanks, our lives. United with Christ, we proclaim the mystery of faith:
People: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and juice. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.
Renew our communion with all your saints, especially those whom we name before you, from our congregation and in our hearts.
(Here the pastors read aloud the names of the saints of our congregation who died this past year. After each name a chime sounds and a candle is lit.)
Since such a great cloud of witnesses surrounds us, strengthen us to run with perseverance in the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.
By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
With the confidence of children of God, we pray together:
All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Receiving Holy Communion
Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, for we all share in the one loaf. The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ. These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
Communion servers, please come forward to receive first, then serve our congregation.
Friends, God welcomes you to this table of grace. You don’t have to be a member of this church or even a United Methodist. Come with an open heart to receive God’s love.
I invite you to come forward by the center aisle. There are serving stations on each side of the sanctuary, one for each section of pews. When you arrive, you’ll receive a piece of bread. Hold it carefully and reverently; it represents the body of Christ. Then dip just the bottom third of the bread into the cup of grape juice, and eat. If you would like to kneel and pray at the rail, you are welcome to. When you’re ready, return to your seat by the outside aisle.
Gluten-free bread is on a plate at both stations. If you would rather not dip, or if you need a cup of your own, ask the server and they’ll hand you one, and leave the empty cup at the altar rail. If you need communion brought to you, raise your hand or let an usher know, and we’ll bring it to you.
If you’re worshiping online, receive the bread and cup now, knowing you are part of this body.
This table is open to all. Come forward now to receive, and the ushers will guide you.
Prayer After Holy Communion
Will you pray with me?
Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Will you please stand as we sing together?
Benediction
Go now, asking for what matters. Love boldly, serve joyfully, lead courageously.
God gives you wisdom, Christ goes before you, the Spirit steadies you. And all God’s people said, Amen.