Evening Worship

Prelude Come to the Water

Call to Worship from “A Desert Faith in a Desert Time,” Ghost Ranch 2013 One: We gather to worship God, the Lord and Giver of Life Many: God, give us the waters of new life One: In the deserts of our lives, in the wilderness within, Many: God, give us the waters of new life

One: To give us hope when our lives run dry, to give us strength when our world seems barren Many: God, give us the waters of new life One: To let peace flow like a river and love spring forth like a fountain Many: God, give us the waters of new life

One: To make justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a living stream Many: God, give us the waters of new life One: to give us—and our world—a second chance and a new beginning. Many: God, give us the waters of new life One: Come, people of God, open your lives to receive God’s new life. Open your hearts to sing God’s praise.

Opening Song All who are thirsty for justice, All who are thirsty for peace, All who are thirsty for peace, for justice, come, Come to the waters of life. Words by Ray McKeever, CCLI license No

All who are thirsty for mercy, All who are thirsty for love, All who are thirsty for love, for mercy, come, Come to the waters of life. All who are thirsty for healing, All who are thirsty for touch, All who are thirsty for touch, for healing, come, Come to the waters of life.

All who are thirsty for beauty, All who are thirsty for truth, All who are thirsty for truth, for beauty, come, Come to the waters of life. All who are thirsty for freedom, All who are thirsty for hope, All who are thirsty for hope, for freedom, come, Come to the waters of life.

All who are thirsty for laughter, All who are thirsty for joy, All who are thirsty for joy, for laughter, come, Come to the waters of life.

Prayer of Invocation (in unison) from “A Desert Faith in a Desert Time” O Fount of every blessing, We give you thanks for drawing creation from the well of your goodness and for pouring out love on all who thirst for good news. We confess that we are thirsty too, and we long to drink deeply.

Wash over us with your living water. If our lives have become shallow, deepen them. If our ideals have dried up, revive them. If our priorities have become confused, clarify them. If our horizons have become too narrow, widen them.

Soak us in your presence. Drench us with your love. Release us from all that burdens us, and Refresh us with your life-changing mercy, In the name of our baptized Savior, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings Isaiah 43:16-21 Revelation 22:1-6, 21

Reflections on Good News from Water from Larry’s book, pages 274-5

“Earth” is a serious misnomer. “Planet Water” is more accurate. Water not dry ground is the planet’s basic structure. Its surface is 74.4 percent water and 97.2 percent of that is ocean. From these waters the wonder of life itself likely emerged three billions years ago.

Those three billion years are carried in our blood. The salt in our veins and tears matches the ocean’s, just as our body’s water mass matches the planet’s – 70 percent and change.

And don’t forget that the most dramatic and formative nine months of every human life find us, without exception, growing in salt water, the warm waters of a mother’s womb. Dry ground appeared only when your mother had had quite enough and her waters “broke”…

It is quite mystical: We emerged from the ocean and we still carry the ocean within us, rivers of living waters gently coursing through our bodies. The next time you shed tears of joy and sorrow or bleed a bit, remember that. What is blood but glorified water?

We breathe the ocean as well…. Plantations of ocean phytoplankton (usually too small to see with the unaided eye except as a watery green tinge), create much of the air we inhale, whether we live near an ocean or not… They also extract lots of CO2 from the air.

It is a little mystical. What we breath out – carbon dioxide – the oceans breath in. What the oceans breath out – oxygen – we breathe in.

We breath and so does Planet Water. Disable the oceans and we disappear. No blue, no green, no green, no us.

Prayers of Intercession and Renewal of Baptism One: water is the singular medium of life… We pray for those who do not have access to safe water. Many: Lord, bless your people with your healing presence.

One: During your life on earth, Jesus Christ, you broke down the walls that divide us… We pray for those who are thirsty. Many: Lord, bless your people with your healing presence. One: O God, our Sustainer, you renew and your people… We pray for people affected by water pollution. Many: Lord, bless your people with your healing presence.

One: We pray for this community. God of all peoples, you have brought us together to fellowship in this place. Make great your name among us. Lead us to justice! What you do is always well done. Many: Lord, bless your people with your healing presence. Amen.

The Peace One: The peace of the Lord be with you all. Many: And also with you. One: Let us share the peace with each other.

Sending Forth and Benediction from Ecumenical Water Network One: Go now from this service of worship to the service of God’s people near and far, marked by the water of your baptism and refreshed by the living water that Jesus offers us… And as you go, may the blessings of the God of life, the Christ of love, and then Spirit of grace be upon you this day and forevermore. Many: Amen.

Sent by the Lord Sent by the Lord am I My hands are ready now To make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes Sent by the Lord am I My hands are ready now To make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes Translation © Jorge Maldonado, CCLI license No

The angels cannot change A world of hurt and pain Into a world of love Of justice and of peace The task is mine to do To make reality Oh, help me to obey Help me to do your will

Sent by the Lord am I My hands are ready now To make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes Sent by the Lord am I My hands are ready now To make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes

The angels cannot change A world of hurt and pain Into a world of love Of justice and of peace The task is mine to do To make reality Oh, help me to obey Help me to do your will

Sent by the Lord am I My hands are ready now To make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes Sent by the Lord am I My hands are ready now To make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes

The angels cannot change A world of hurt and pain Into a world of love Of justice and of peace The task is mine to do To make reality Oh, help me to obey Help me to do your will