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Fair Trade Sunday Worship Service
This worship service is also available as a bulletin insert. Get it in either PDF (77K) or WORD format (1300K). See also Building a Better World, One Sip at a Time, a sermon for Fair Trade Sunday.
"How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a person in need and yet refuses to help? Children, let us love not in word or speech, but in truth and action" --1 John 3:17-18.
CALL TO WORSHIP
L: Our world is overwhelmed with suffering and despair;
P: Loving God, focus our minds and hearts on your spirit of compassion.
L: Our world is filled with violence and hatred;
P: Loving God, focus our minds and hearts on your spirit of peace.
L: Our world is permeated with greed and exploitation;
P: Loving God, focus our minds and hearts on your spirit of justice.
L: Lord, as we gather together this day, we proclaim your power and love as the center of our being.
P: In worship and praise, we embrace your vision of Shalom, for us and for all of creation.
HYMN: "For the Healing of the Nations," United Methodist Hymnal, #428
OPENING PRAYER
God of Justice, you saw the Pharaoh mistreating the Israelites and responded by calling your servant Moses to lead them out of bondage. Later, you sent your prophets Jeremiah, Amos, and Isaiah to stand up for your children who had been pushed to the margins of society. Finally, your son Jesus proclaimed that he had come to bring freedom to captives and liberty to the oppressed. Be with us as we embrace our mission to carry on in the struggle against injustices that burden your people. Amen.
ACT OF PRAISE
SCRIPTURE LESSONS: Isaiah 32:9-18; Luke 10:25-37
HYMN: "O Spirit of the Living God," United Methodist Hymnal, #539
SERMON: "Building a Better World, One Sip at a Time"
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
L: Jesus, throughout your ministry, you taught us about God's economic priorities. You cautioned that the power of greed posed a tremendous threat to these priorities. Tragically, the signs that we've not heeded your warnings are all around us including hunger, poverty, and environmental pollution.
ALL: God of compassion and mercy, we are truly sorry for the times we have not responsibly used resources that you have placed in our care. As your stewards, we are to use these gifts to benefit your creation. We are also called to nurture a community of peace and justice that can be sustained for generations to come. Forgive us for when we have not lived up to our responsibilities. Give use the courage to improve. We pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
LITANY OF INTERCESSION
L: On this Fair Trade Sunday, we hold in our hearts the many facets of your created order that are in need of your healing grace. For those who perform exhausting work, under extreme conditions, for wages that fail to provide for their basic needs:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
L: For workers who are regularly placed in unsafe situations without sufficient warning or protection:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
L: For workers who are subjected to intimidation and physical assault for attempting to exercise their basic human rights:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
L: For workers who despair at having lost hope of achieving a better life for themselves and their families:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
L: For families who are falling apart under the pressure of long term financial instability:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
L: For communities who depend on natural resources that have been poisoned by the irresponsible disposal of toxic waste or the use of dangerous chemical pesticides:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
L: For the plant and animal species that have been damaged or rendered extinct as a result of the short-sighted use of your gift of Creation:
P: Lord, hear our prayer.
OFFERING Help fund UMCOR combine immediate food crisis relief with long-term solutions by giving to UMCOR Advance #982920 Hunger/Poverty Program. Write the # and name of the project on the memo line of your check.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Generous God, we thank you for the wonderful bounty you have bestowed upon humanity. Your gifts nourish our tired bodies, give comfort to our troubled minds and replenish our weary souls. Accept this offering not only as a token of our appreciation for all that we have, but also as a commitment to the ministries of the Church which work to bring economic justice to all your children. Amen.
HYMN: "O Young and Fearless Prophet," United Methodist Hymnal, #444
BENEDICTION
Lord, we go forth into the world as your faithful disciples, asking that you grant us the courage and persistence needed to bring about the day when all of your children have the opportunity to experience the abundant life that you envisioned for them. Amen.
This worship service has been adapted from one created by Rich Aronson, coordinator of the Peace with Justice Project in the East Ohio Annual Conference, United Methodist Church.