If not now

Worship Resources:

Sunday Worship

The following are the worship and vespers for the United Methodist Women's National Seminar, August 3, 2003.

[Twenty people bring in banners to be placed around the room. We can use both banners from last time and this time. The banners from last time can stay in the room as part of the words of oppression which we are dealing with. Bring in prophetic figure and set it on altar.]

[Repeats several times, and waits between as if waiting to hear the words each time. Finally, asks, “Is there not a prophet for our time?”

Hymn of Confession and Hope “My Weeping and My Deep Sorrow” #48 Global Praise 2

Voice 1: Last night we entered Jerusalem following our king, flaunting the authorities who wanted us to keep quiet. But before Jesus entered Jerusalem, he wept. He wept over Jerusalem. Before people shouted their praise and spread their cloaks for this humble king, he cried out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”

Voice 2 Jesus knew the risk, everyone knew the authorities wanted to arrest him. But he went anyway. The celebrating crowd protected him when the Pharisees told him to silence his followers. When Jesus said, “If these are silent, even the stones will cry out!” He quoted Habakkuk. The only ones to be silenced were the Pharisees.

Today, you are among the prophets as you stand and recount his words in the paraphrase of Habakkuk, chapter 2. Please stand facing a partner.

Left: "Write down what I have to say. Make it pithy so a runner who is out of breath can announce it. These events will happen soon! It will happen right on time. If it does not happen right away, wait.

Right: “Look. That man thinks he’s important; but he craves evil; good people live by their faith, while he thinks he’s better than everyone and never rests until he’s created trouble.

Left: He is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied; he collects nations and enslaves people. Someday all of them will turn and taunt him with ridicule and scorn. They’ll say,

Right: "Watch out! You who pile up stolen goods; you get rich by extortion and global debt! How long can this go on?' Don’t you know your victims will wake up and terrify you? Then you will become their victim.

Left: Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

Right: Watch out! You who run global sweat shops so you can build a home up high to avoid having to see poverty! You have plotted the ruin of whole peoples, you shame your own house and cash in your life. ¹¹

ALL: THE STONES IN YOUR WALLS WILL CRY OUT, AND YOUR CATHEDRAL CEILINGS WITH WOOD BEAMS WILL ECHO THE CRY.

Left: Watch out! You who build a city with blood and start a town by crime! God already knows that the people's labor is only kindling for your fire, that the nations slave for you for nothing. God is everywhere, like the waters covers the sea; the earth is filled with the knowledge of God’s glory.

Right: Watch out! You who get their friends drunk or drug them into a stupor so you can take advantage of them sexually. You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Your turn will come when you will be shamed! Drink and be exposed!

Left: God’s drink is on its way and disgrace will cover your vanity. Then you’ll realize that all the violence you have done to nations cannot be changed; you’ll even remember the animals you killed and quake in your boots, for you have shed blood; destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

Right: Look at the idol you worship, what’s it worth? Someone made it. It is an image that teach lies. You trust in your high-tech creation; you patent life forms and try to own living things.

Left: Watch out! You who command a lifeless thing, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.

ALL: BUT PEACE! GOD IS WHERE GOD IS---IN THE SACRED PLACES; LET ALLTHE EARTH FALL SILENT BEFORE GOD."

ALL: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; God makes my feet like the feet of a deer; and makes me tread upon the heights.

Song of Prophesy: “Holy Holy Holy, Sanctus for a Groaning Creation” #21 Global Praise 2

are here with our hearts open. May God fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit