Invocations and Benedictions for the Revised Common Lectionary

By John Drescher

Invocations and Benedictions for the Revised Common Lectionary is an ideal resource for worship leaders and planners. Materials related to the full three-year cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary are included in this one resource, making it an excellent addition to an existing library of lectionary resources.

Invocations and Benedictions for the Revised Common Lectionary supplies one invocation and one benediction for each Sunday of years A, B, and C of the lectionary. In addition, worship material for 14 special occasions and seasonal celebrations is included. A scripture index provides assistance with locating invocations and benedictions related to specific biblical passages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781426730634

John Drescher

John Drescher has served as pastor in three congregations and two interim appointments, was the bishop or overseer in three conferences, was the Moderator of the Mennonite Church in North America and editor of "Gospel Herald" as well as a seminary teacher. Mr. Drescher has authored 37 books, of which more than a dozen relate to the husband-wife and parent-child relationships. He served as contributing editor to "Pulpit Digest" and has written for over 100 magazines.

Book preview

INVOCATIONS

and

BENEDICTIONS

for the

Revised

Common

Lectionary

COMPILED AND EDITED BY

John M. Drescher

Abingdon Press

Nashville

INVOCATIONS AND BENEDICTIONS FOR

THE REVISED COMMON LECTIONARY

Copyright © 1998 by Abingdon Press

Invocations and benedictions in this book may be reprinted for use in the local church worship service, provided the following copyright notice is included:

From Invocations and Benedictions for the Revised Common Lectionary, compiled and edited by John M. Drescher. Copyright © 1998 by Abingdon Press. Reprinted by permission.

All rights reserved.

Other than the use stated above, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Abingdon Press, 201 Eighth Avenue South, P.O. Box 801, Nashville, TN 37202-0801.

This book is printed on recycled, acid-free paper.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Invocations and benedictions for the Revised common lectionary/compiled and edited by John M. Drescher,

          p. cm.

      Includes index.

      ISBN 0-687-04629-7 (pbk.: alk. paper)

      1. Prayers.  2. Invocation.  3. Benediction.  4. Common lectionary

  (1992) I. Drescher, John M.

  BV245.I687 1998

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Scripture quotations noted JB are from The Jerusalem Bible, copyright © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Used by permission of the publishers.

Scripture quotations noted JBP are from The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition, by J. B. Phillips. Copyright © J. B. Phillips, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1972.

Scripture quotations noted KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations noted NEB are from The New English Bible. © The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press 1961, 1970. Reprinted by permission.

Scripture quotations noted RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted TLB are from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL. Used by permission.

02 03 04 05 06 07—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Contents

Introduction

Year A

Advent Season

Christmas Season

Season After the Epiphany

Lenten Season

Easter Season

Season After Pentecost

Year B

Advent Season

Christmas Season

Season After the Epiphany

Lenten Season

Easter Season

Season After Pentecost

Year C

Advent Season

Christmas Season

Season After the Epiphany

Lenten Season

Easter Season

Season After Pentecost

Special Days of the Christian Year

Christmas Day

New Year’s Day

Ash Wednesday

Palm Sunday

Wednesday of Holy Week

Holy Thursday

Good Friday

Holy Saturday

Easter Vigil

Easter Evening

Ascension of the Lord

Day of Pentecost

All Saints

Thanksgiving Day

Various Occasions

List of Contributors

Index of Scriptural Passages

Introduction

Invoking or inviting God into the presence of God’s people as they worship, as well as pronouncing a benediction or blessing upon these people as they leave the worship of the sanctuary, is a sacred honor and precious privilege.

The invocation and benediction should convey the glory, goodness, and richness of fellowship with God and God’s people, the opening of all of life to Christ, who promises his presence wherever and whenever people meet in his name. These elements of worship should convey the privilege of going forth with renewed faith, to live by the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.

The invocation can and should be one of the most significant elements in a service of worship. The very name of the prayer, invocation, portrays the nature of what is sought. It is a simple, humble, quiet, earnest invitation for God to be present with the assembly. The invocation should also lead each worshiper in voicing the heart’s desire for God’s presence and blessing.

The benediction has also been an important part of worship. It conveys the pronouncement of God’s presence and blessing upon the worshipers as they leave the worship service. The benediction should have a commissioning quality—a sending of believers forth, strengthened by God, to face the world, in the week ahead, as witnesses to the living Lord and Savior.

To aid in all of this, these invocations and benedictions have been prepared. Each one can be used as written, or can be readily adapted by the worship leader to more closely fit the needs of individual congregations.

An effort was made, as much as possible, to tie the invocation and benediction to one of the scriptures of each Sunday’s lectionary reading. Also, it seemed important to keep alive those great benedictions from the Scripture such as Numbers 6:24-26; 1 Kings 8:57, 58; Romans 15:5, 6, 13, 33; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 13:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24; Hebrews 13:21, 22; Jude 2:24, 25; and Revelation 1:4-6. In addition, readers will note the inclusion of a separate section devoted to special days of the Christian year.

Year A

Advent Season

First Sunday of Advent

Lections: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

Invocation

Eternal and most holy God, we praise and honor you as we gather in the name of your dear Son, Jesus. During this Advent season we sense your nearness in the songs we sing and in the words we hear from holy Scripture.

May your light and peace radiate about us and within us as we worship you today. We praise and thank you for this house of worship and this body of your church. In expectation and joy, we worship you now and each day until Jesus returns to claim his own. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Benediction

Go in anticipation of God’s grace and mercy. Go in anticipation of Jesus’ love and forgiveness. Go in anticipation of the Holy Spirit’s presence in comfort and hope. Go in peace. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Lections: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Invocation

O Lord, our God and Savior, come among us.

In this worship hour,

Open our minds to understand your purpose for each of us,

Open our hearts to make a ready response to your voice.

Give us understanding of your will, and the courage and commitment to follow Jesus, who said, I am come to do your will, O God.

May we heed the message to repent and bring forth fruits that show true repentance.

Increase our love for you, O God, and for one another, we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Benediction

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:5-6).

Third Sunday of Advent

Lections: Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:47-55; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

Invocation

Benediction

Go and tell what you have seen and heard.

The blind receive their sight, the lame walk,

The lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised,

The deaf hear, and the poor receive good news.

Blessed are you who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Lections: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

Invocation

In this special season of Advent

We come to you, O God.

Give us a vision

Not just of a baby in Bethlehem’s barn,

But of the Lord of Lords;

Not only of a lad in Nazareth,

But of the hope of the world;

Not only a rabbi teaching on a hillside and in a temple,

But the revealer of yourself;

Not only one who climbed a cross,

But one who was raised to life,

Who lives forevermore,

Our hope of life everlasting,

Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Benediction

Go from this place

And may Christ,

Emmanuel, God with us,

Go with you this day, and always.

Christmas Season

First Sunday After Christmas Day

Lections: Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23

Invocation

Lord Jesus Christ, we are again in the throes of celebrating your birth and life among us.

Revive in us the wonderment of Mary and Joseph, living with the miracle and day-to-day practicality of life with you. Renew in us the dedication of the Magi who sought long and hard to present you with your first birthday gifts.

Receive from us abundant honor and love, our Savior and our God. Amen.

Benediction

May the birth of Jesus reverberate anew throughout your world with joy.

May the Spirit of Jesus guide