Sample Liturgies
Sending Liturgy - "Remembering and Renewal"
After the sermon hymn and offering….
L: We wish God’s blessings upon Pastor and Irene as they being their sabbatical time of renewal. This is a time for remembering and renewal.
C: As you journey, we ask God to guide you in all you do.
P: God’s peace be with you as I leave to walk in new places, to renew my spirit, my ministry, my life.
C: God live with you while we are away from one another.
P: God’s blessings on you while I am gone from you, during your time of renewal and sabbatical.
C: This is our time to renew our spirits, our ministries and our church life. During this time, we will be going through “100 Days of Prayer” for you and one another, and we will be looking at ourselves with the Parish Profile Inventory, so we too, can grow in ministry.
P: I thank God for my ministry with you over these 14 years and I thank you for the gift of this renewal time you’ve given to me.
C: May you experience the gift of spiritual growth in your journey.
P: I pray these gifts for you also.
C: God grant you a trusting heart as you plant your feet and heart in new places. We send you forth with our blessing.
P: As a symbol of our mutual time of renewal, I remove my stole and place it across the baptismal font until I return. May it be a symbol of my presence with you in prayer and spirit, even during our absence from one another.
C: We will pray for you while you are away.
P: As we will pray for you.
C: We pray that you return renewed and energized for ministry.
P: And with God’s blessing, I know that you will grow also. This is a time of remembering and renewal, seeking the future God has for our ministries and our lives.
C: We now also welcome our interim pastor who will be our spiritual leader and take care of all our pastoral needs during Pastor Paul’s absence. We pray for you and look for your guidance and leadership, as we look at our own identity during our “Mutual Time of Renewal.”
L: Let us pray: Spirit of God, descend upon our hearts. Renew Pastor Paul for ministry through this time set aside for reflection and study, the refreshment of a break from daily tasks and routine after 30 years of ministry, the excitement of new learning and direction. Grace him with your presence and keep him steadfast in faith while we are gone from one another. Be with our interim pastor as he shares his wisdom and leadership with us in our Mutual Time of Renewal! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
C: God bless you in your journey!
P: God bless you in your journey also! Pastor walks to the back of the church, meeting Irene in the first pew, walking together.
The interim concludes the service with the prayers, Lord’s Prayer, and Benediction.
Middle song: #800 “Spirit of God, Descend”
Close: #547 “Sent For the with God’s Blessing”
Returning Liturgy - "Giving Thanks for Renewal"
The interim leads the first part of the service. After the sermon hymn and offering.
L: Pastor, we welcome you and Irene back from your renewal time.
C: We welcome you back with open arms.
P: It’s good to be back! I have journeyed in new places to renew my spirit, my ministry, and my life.
C: We, too, have had a time of renewal, a time to look at our ministries and our church.
P: I know you spent your time going through “100 Days of Prayer” and looking at yourselves so you, too, could grow in ministry.
C: And we know that you spent time in prayer, travel, study, and refreshing your spiritual lives and ministry.
P: I thank God for my ministry with you over these 14 years and I thank you for the gift of this renewal time you’ve given to me.
C: We thank you for your presence amongst us as our spiritual guide and leader.
P: As a symbol of returning from our mutual time of renewal, I take my stole and put it back on my shoulders once again - a symbol of my servanthood to God and to His church.
C: May God continue to be with you in your ministry amongst us.
P: May God continue to so richly bless our congregation with the resources to be in ministry and the divine enthusiasm to share His Word of forgiving grace and love in our communities and the world.
C: We pray God’s Spirit to be present amongst us - calling, empowering and sending us to serve and share. May we continue to seek His will and walk in His ways.
L: Let us pray: Spirit of God, descend upon our hearts. We thank you for this time we had apart to renewal ourselves, and now for this time to reunite with one another and begin our ministries once again. We pray that we minister and serve with the enthusiasm of your Spirit upon us. We pray that we, together, as your church, may be open to your Spirit’s leading in the future, to be willing to risk in faith to follow where you lead us.
C: Come, Holy Spirit, and bless us in our ministries as you have blessed us with a time of renewal!
P: Come, Holy Spirit, and bless us in our ministries as you have blessed us with a time of renewal!
ALL: Thank you, Lord, for this time away and for this time or returning! Help us to continue to dream your dreams for our future. Bless us, in Jesus name, AMEN!
Pastor leads Holy Communion the rest of the service.
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