Joyce Borger

We know that Advent is a time of preparation ahead of Christmas, as Lent is for Easter. But have you ever considered the connection between Ascension Day and Pentecost? Christ’s ascension was a fulfillment of his Easter resurrection, but it also looks forward. Before Christ ascended he gave the promise to send his Holy Spirit—a promise fulfilled on Pentecost. But while the disciples waited for the coming Spirit they were to spend time in prayer—a time of preparation.One reason why so few churches mark Christ’s ascension, I believe, is that we fail to understand not only the theological and salvific significance of the event, but also its connection to Pentecost. Through the message, the worship elements, and the occasional repetition of words, the following two services try to strengthen that connection and reflect on both Christ’s ascension and the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost.To further help congregants see the connection between these two occasions and see the time between Ascension Day and Pentecost as a time of preparation, we have provided a series of devotional activities focused on the fruit of the Spirit. These are provided as a free downloadable in the resource section below and may be reproduced as long as they include the provided copyright and are not sold.Ascension DayGatheringCall to Worship: A Litany Based on Psalm 47The following litany is divided into four voices with a child asking the questions. You could also re-arrange the litany for more or fewer voices and give the child’s part to the whole congregation. However you decide to break up the psalm, make sure it is spoken with appropriate emphasis and reflection to communicate the message as well as the words.Reader 1:Clap your hands, all you nations!Shout to God with cries of joy! Child: Why should we clap our hands?What reason do we have to shout with joy? Reader 1:Well, because the LORD Most High is awesomeand is the great King over all the earth.Reader 2:The LORD subdued nations under us,peoples under our feet.Reader 3:The LORD chose our inheritance for us:the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Reader 4:But even more than all of that,our God has ascended from earth to heaven! Reader 3:Indeed, God has ascended amid shouts of joy— the LORD ascended amid the sounding of trumpets! Child:  How should we respond to this ascended God? Reader 2:Sing praises to God! Sing praises, of course!Reader 3:Sing praises to our King! Sing lots of praises!Reader 4:Yes, sing praises!Reader 1:Because God is the King of all the earth,sing to him a psalm of praise. Reader 2:God reigns over the nations;God is seated on his holy throne.Reader 3:The nobles of the nations assembleas the people of the God of Abraham,     for the kings of the earth belong to God;     he is greatly exalted.Child: Indeed, God is to be greatly exalted!Let’s clap our hands and sing for joy!Opening Songs of PraiseSuggestions:“Clap Your Hands” Owens“Come, Thou Almighty King” Anonymous“Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” Lyte“Nations, Clap Your Hands” Psalm 47“Great Are You, Lord” Ingram, Jordan, Leonard“You Have Made Me Glad” Gayle, Perez, Musso, GentilesGreetingRevelation 1:4–5Songs of Adoration to the Ascended ChristMedley Option 1“Jesus Is Lord” Chua"He Is Lord” AnonymousMedley Option 2“Worthy of It All” Brymer, Hall“O Come, Let Us Adore Him” (refrain only)       Additional verses:            For Christ alone is worthy, . . .            We’ll give him all the glory, . . .Call to Confession While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,the way we live proclaims our lack of faithin Christ’s power to rule the world.While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,the way we live proclaims our lack of faiththat Christ, having known what it is to be human,is seated at God’s right hand and is interceding on our behalf.While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,the way we live proclaims our lack of faiththat in our baptisms we are united with Christin his death and resurrectionand thus will one day stand before the throne of Godand meet God face to face.While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,the way we live proclaims our lack of faiththat, just as Christ promised, the Holy Spirit has comeand lives in and among us as our advocate and comforter.Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice.Let us pray.—From Reformed Worship 11 © 1989 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Additional text by Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-ShareAlike.Prayer of Confession and LamentWe come, O Lord, on this day of glory to confess our lack of trust.While we sing of your lordship over all creation,we have too often acted as if you are powerlessagainst all the challenges we facein our world, our community, our church, and our personal relationships.We have forgotten that you sit at God’s right handinterceding on our behalf,and that you sent us the Holy Spirit as our comforter and advocate.Help us to live with confidence in your presence todayand in hope for life with you forever. Amen.—From Reformed Worship 11 © 1989 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Additional text by Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.Sung Prayer of Confession“O Christ, the Lamb of God” John 1:29, LUYH 630Assurance of PardonLet us together proclaim these words of faith that offer us an assurance of our pardon:God whose glory fills our worldGod whose life is closer than breathGod whose love is stronger than deathGod, this God of life and love,Has sent an advocate to save us:Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of GodNot to condemn but to bring full lifeNot to accuse but to redeemNot to reject but to draw closeGod, this God of life and love,Has sent an advocate to save us:Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of GodGod who hears the cry of our seeking soulsGod who sees the pain of our suffering bodiesGod who feels the loss of our grieving spiritsGod, this God of life and love,Has sent an advocate to be with us forever:The Spirit of truth abides with us eternallyBefore us to teach and lead,Within us to comfort and heal,Around us to shield and protect,God, this God of life and love,Has sent an advocate to be with us forever:The Spirit of truth abides with us eternallyGod whose dream brings hope and wholenessGod whose ways bring abundance and peaceGod whose new world is breaking into oursGod, this God of life and love,Has made his dwelling place with men and women.God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created worldTogether with sisters and brothers of every nationTogether with saints from every ageTogether with those who follow in our footstepsGod, this God of life and love,Has made his dwelling place with men and women.God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world.—Christine Sine, “Another Prayer for Ascension & Pentecost,” GodSpaceLight.com.Passing of the PeaceAs we have received peace from Christ assuring us of our forgiveness, let us also pass that peace to each other.Thanksgiving“Crown Him with Many Crowns” Bridge, Thring, LUYH 223, GtG 268 Proclamation of the WordPrayer for IlluminationBlessed are you, Lord God,King of all creation:You have taught us by your Word.Open our hearts to your Spiritand lead us on the paths of Christ, your Son.All praise and glory be yours forever. Amen.—From Reformed Worship 39 © 1996 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission.Scripture ReadingsLuke 24:50–52; Acts 1:1–14; Ephesians 1:15–23Sermon: “The Power of Prayer”Sermon NotesWe don’t often think about or preach on what happened immediately after Christ’s ascension, but there is something very powerful going on between Ascension Day and Pentecost that shouldn’t be overlooked. The disciples, including the women who were with them, spent those nine days in prayer. While the Lectionary Year A text ends with Acts 1:11, you may want to continue to verse 14, where we read, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”What did they pray about? The texts give us a few clues. Their prayers included praise to God for what God has done and also what God was going to do through the power of the promised Holy Spirit. That prayer for the Holy Spirit is not a “one and done” prayer but something that believers ought to pray continually. Paul provides an example of that ongoing prayer in Ephesians 1:17: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” This wasn’t a prayer for unbelievers, but for believers who are known for their faith and love.If the disciples and faithful believers needed to pray continually for the gifting and ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, comfort, and advocate for them, then how much more should we?Ultimately, this sermon should link Ascension Day and Pentecost and explain that, just like Advent and Christmas or Lent and Easter, the first speaks to the promise and the later to its fulfillment. It may also be an invitation to spend the nine days between Ascension Day and Pentecost as Christians around the world throughout history have: praying for the Holy Spirit’s outpouring in our lives and world and particularly for the fruit of the Spirit to grow in our lives. (See the introduction for a link to the devotional on the fruit of the Spirit.) Response to the WordPrayer of ResponseSung ResponseProfession of the Church’s FaithIn his divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit,Christ is not absent from us for a moment.By the Spirit’s powerwe make the goal of our lives not earthly things,but the things above where Christ is,sitting at God’s right hand.Through the Holy SpiritChrist pours out his gifts from heaven upon us, his members.The Spirit, as well as the Father and the Son, is eternal God.The Spirit has been given to us personallyso that by true faiththe Spirit makes us share in Christ and all his blessings,comforts us, and remains with us forever.—based on the Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 47, 49, 51, and 53Prayers of the PeopleThe following is a guide for extemporaneous prayers. The pattern provides a suggested text for the opening and closing of each part of the prayer and calls for extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. It is taken from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources, and is used with permission. Jesus Christ, mediator and high priest,we thank you for becoming human and for experiencingthe joys and sorrows of life, which assures us that you are ableto sympathize and rejoice with us. We praise you for the many joys of life:      for the beauty of creation, especially . . .      for your work in this world . . .      for the growth of your kingdom . . .for the greatest source of our happiness, the gift of eternal life . . .As our mediator, you stand before God, petitioning him on our behalf,so we boldly bring before you our prayers for      creation and its care . . .      the nations of the world . . .      our nation and its leaders . . .      this community and those in authority . . .      the church universal as it works on your behalf . . .      this local church in its ministry . . .      persons with particular needs . . .We pray this in your strong name, O Christ,our mediator and high priest. Amen.—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS O.4.4.1).OfferingThe Lord’s SupperIf it isn’t your normal practice to have communion each week or with Ascension Day worship, you may want to consider celebrating it this Ascension Day, highlighting the theological themes the Lord’s Supper and Christ’s ascension hold in common, such as Christ as King of the universe and our union with Christ in his death and resurrection.Song of Thanksgiving SendingCall to Service or Discipleship As you leave here today, do so knowing that, just as the disciples received the power of the Holy Spirit and then were sent to proclaim the gospel throughout the world, you too should pray for the Spirit’s ongoing work and presence in your life so you may join the work the Spirit is doing in the world. In these next nine days, spend time reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit and for its increased presence in your life. [Include any additional instructions related to the fruit of the Spirit devotional resource linked in the introduction to these services.]Blessing/BenedictionIn the week ahead,may God the Holy Spiritmove within and among us,giving us spiritual      eyes to see the world as Christ sees it,      ears to hear the world as Christ hears it,      feet that go wherever the Spirit may direct,      and hands to join the Spirit’s work in this world,so that Christ, our ascended Lord,may receive all glory, honor, and praise.Amen.—Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Used by permission.Sung Doxology  Get Outside! In some communities Ascension Day is marked by getting outside, since that is where the ascension happened. If the weather is nice enough where you live, go for a hike! Try to find a hill or mountain to hike up, and when at the top, read the Ascension Day passage (Acts 1:1–11) and reflect on what the disciples must have been thinking and feeling at that time. What do you think Christ was thinking and feeling knowing that those were to be his last moments on earth? If a hike isn’t possible, go for a walk and think about how Christ is Lord over all you see. PentecostGatheringCall to WorshipA Litany of Psalm 104:24, 27–34 for Three VoicesReader 1: How many are your works, Lord!In wisdom you made them all;the earth is full of your creatures. All:All creatures look to youto give them their food at the proper time. Reader 2: When you give it to them,they gather it up;Reader 3: when you open your hand,they are satisfied with good things. Reader 2: When you hide your face,they are terrified;Reader 3: when you take away their breath,they die and return to the dust. Reader 1: When you send your Spirit,they are created,and you renew the face of the ground. Reader 3: May the glory of the LORD endure forever;may the LORD rejoice in his works—Reader 2: he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,who touches the mountains, and they smoke. All: I will sing to the LORD all my life;I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.May my meditation be pleasing to him,as I rejoice in the LORD.Opening SongSuggestions“Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid” Veni Creator Spiritus, Dryden“Come, Holy Ghost” Veni Creator Spiritus, Benedict, Mills“O Holy Spirit, by Whose Breath” Veni Creator Spiritus, Grant“Spirit, Working in Creation” Richards“Praise the Spirit in Creation” Hewlett“Holy Spirit” Torwalt“Holy Spirit, Come” Walker Greeting: Revelation 1:4–5Sung Prayer of Adoration to the Holy Spirit“Spirit of God, Unleashed on Earth” ArthurConfession and Assurance of PardonSee the Ascension Day servicePrayer for Right LivingBreathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.—St. AugustinePassing of the PeaceSee the Ascension Day serviceSong of Thanksgiving“For Your Gift of God the Spirit” Clarkson, LUYH 525 Proclamation of the WordPrayer for IlluminationSee the Ascension Day serviceSung Prayer for Illumination“We Need the Power of the Holy Spirit” SmallwoodScripture ReadingsNumbers 11:24–30; John 20:19–23; Acts 2:1–21; 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13Sermon: “Living Breath of God”Sermon NotesPrior to Pentecost the Holy Spirit, though always present in the world, made itself known on rare occasions like the ones we read about in Numbers 11 or John 20. In both those cases the Spirit was given through another mediator. When Pentecost came, the Spirit was unleashed. It fell upon many people and continues to do so today, working in and through believers. The beautiful gift of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit no longer needs a mediator. Now the Spirit is the mediator. The Holy Spirit also bestows gifts upon believers to be used for building God’s kingdom. If your congregants have spent the last week praying for and reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit (see link in the introduction), it may be helpful to talk about the difference between the fruit of the Spirit (the natural character that all who are connected to the Holy Spirit are to exhibit) and the gifts of the Spirit (tools to be used for the kingdom of God). Though different, the two are intricately intertwined, and both are dependent on a continually growing relationship with the triune God. The real question is whether one’s spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts reflect our oneness in Christ and are evident through our actions as we work together with all believers for the glory of God and the promotion of the gospel. The Spirit has come and breathed life into our souls; how are we now to live? Response to the WordPrayer of ResponseSung Response“Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God” Getty, TownendProfession of the Church’s FaithSee the Ascension Day servicePrayers of the PeopleThe following is a guide for extemporaneous prayers. The pattern provides a suggested text for the opening and closing of each part of the prayer and calls for extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. It originally appeared in The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources and is reprinted with permission. Spirit of fire,who came as a rushing wind breathing life and hopeinto dead bones and cold hearts,we praise you for the comfort and guidanceyou have given the church throughout the ages:for your presence in creation, especially . . .for changing hearts and guiding decisions as evidenced in . . .for your work through the church universal . . .for your presence in our worship . . .for your sanctifying work in our lives . . .Holy Spirit, we pray for your comfort and guidanceas we care for creation . . .for the nations of the world . . .for this community and those who are in authority . . .for the church universal as it works on your behalf . . .for this local church in its ministry . . .for persons with particular needs . . .We pray in the name of the Father and the Son,who live and reign together with you,one God forever and ever. Amen.­—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS Q.4.4.1).OfferingThe Lord’s SupperIf it isn’t your normal practice to have communion each week or with Pentecost worship, consider celebrating it this Pentecost, highlighting how the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ and each other as we partake in communion.Song of Thanksgiving SendingCall to Service or DiscipleshipAs we leave here today, let us pray for the Spirit’s presence and leading in our lives using a prayer by Anthony of Padua, who lived in the thirteenth century. St. Anthony, as he is now called, not only had the gift of preaching but also exuded the fruit of the Spirit through his love and care for the poor. Let us pray.O God, as we leave here, send us forth with your Holy Spirit.Send your Holy Spiritinto my heart that I may perceive,into my mind that I may remember,and into my soul that I may meditate.Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness, and mercy.Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end.May your grace ever help and correct me,and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high,for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen.—adapted from St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), P.D.Closing Song Suggestions“Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading” Niwaglia“Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak” Havergal“Holy Spirit, Truth Divine” Longfellow  Blessing/BenedictionSee the Ascension Day serviceSung Doxology

I wonder what it was like to have a conversation with a friend who then disappeared in front of your very eyes. Can you imagine being part of a prayer meeting that lasted nine days while you prayed for, well, you weren’t entirely sure what to pray for, but you were told to wait and pray so you did? I wonder what it was like to be at that first Pentecost, to have felt and seen the Holy Spirit move in such a powerful way? I wonder how many times during those days the disciples turned to each other and asked, “Christ has ascended. Now what? The Spirit has come. Now what?” This issue of Reformed Worship asks that same question: Now what? What difference do Christ’s ascension and Pentecost have on our daily living and our worship? Christ has ascended, the Spirit’s come . . . now what? We begin with Christ’s ascension. In this issue we focus on the connection between Christ’s ascension and Pentecost. In doing so we consider the practice of using the nine days between the two celebrations to focus on the fruit of the Spirit and to pray that the fruit may grow in our own lives and in the church universal. See “The Fruit of the Spirit: Connecting Ascension and Pentecost” (p. 3) for service plans and a link to devotionals. For a confession litany related to the fruit of the Spirit, see page 10. Brian Hehn provides us with songs of mystery and diversity that are appropriate for Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday worship (p. 11). Continuing our recent focus on including children and youth in worship, Michael Huerter looks at songs that encourage us to consider the experiences of different age groups in our congregations (p. 14). The Spirit’s presence in our lives as our comforter and advocate reminds us that we are not alone. Throughout the centuries the church has found particular comfort in the words of Psalm 23. This issue’s worship series provides twelve Sundays’ worth of worship suggestions as well as prompts that encourage faith practices to help us open ourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the week. In addition to its many creative suggestions, this series also highlights the art of a high schooler and shows again how we might include our youth in various aspects of worship (p. 18). One way the Holy Spirit is at work in our worship is through the preparation for and preaching of God’s Word. The whole congregation participates in that work by listening intently and intentionally to God’s Word as it is proclaimed. John Witvliet suggests some practices for strengthening sermons (p. 29), while Scott Hoezee encourages the preaching of both trouble and good news (p. 34). Between the two articles is a reproducible resource intended to help all ages in your congregation listen to what the Spirit is saying through the preached Word (p. 31). This issue ends with two articles and a resource assuring us that the Holy Spirit is at work not only on Pentecost, but throughout the whole year and in all places, and then encouraging us to join in that work. Our hope is that just as the Holy Spirit is part of each article and resource, both explicitly and in less obvious ways, so too may you experience the working of the Holy Spirit in both the unexpected and the everyday. It is that faithful, daily work that is the answer to the question “Now what?” Now we allow our hearts, lives, and actions to be shaped by the Holy Spirit as we work alongside the Spirit to usher in God’s kingdom here on earth.

For those who use the lectionary, Year A brings us to Matthew 2 and the slaughter of the innocents. This is a difficult pericope and one that you might be tempted to skip over in lieu of Epiphany’s light. But there are important theological reasons to remember this part of the Christmas story and include it in your worship services. If you are struggling with how to do it, here are a few practical helps.

Whether you typically use the lectionary or not, the combining of the Easter story from Matthew with a psalm, a passage from Acts, and another from the letter to the Colossians provides a unique way of telling the Easter gospel message.The litany is arranged for four voices, with each voice reading one of the following texts:Voice 1: Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24Voice 2: Matthew 28:1–10Voice 3: Acts 10:39–43Voice 4: Colossians 3:1–4There are a few points in the reading of Psalm 118 where All the voices, voice 3, or voice 4 will speak, as indicated by the voice number and coordinating color. It is important that each voice has its own microphone so the script can flow naturally without breaks.Voice 1: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;All: his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1)Voice 2: After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.(Matthew 28:1)Voice 1: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;All: his love endures forever.Voice 1: Let Israel say:Voice 3: His love endures forever.”Voice 1: Let the house of Aaron say:Voice 4: “His love endures forever.”Voice 1: Let those who fear the LORD say:All: “His love endures forever.”(Psalm 118:1–4)Voice 2: There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.(Matthew 28:2–4)Voice 1: When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;he brought me into a spacious place.The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?(Psalm 118:5–6)Voice 2: The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”(Matthew 28:5–6)Voice 1: The Lord is my strength and my defense;he has become my salvation.(Psalm 118:14)Voice 2: “Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.(Matthew 28:7–8)Voice 1: Shouts of joy and victoryresound in the tents of the righteous:All: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!The LORD’s right hand is lifted high;the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”Voice 1: I will not die but live,and will proclaim what the LORD has done.The LORD has chastened me severely,but he has not given me over to death.Open for me the gates of the righteous;I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.This is the gate of the LORDthrough which the righteous may enter.I will give you thanks, for you answered me;you have become my salvation.(Psalm 118:15–21)Voice 2: Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.(Matthew 28:9)Voice 1: The stone the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;the LORD has done this,and it is marvelous in our eyes.(Psalm 118:22–23)Voice 2: Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”(Matthew 28:10)Voice 1: The Lord has done it this very day;let us rejoice today and be glad.(Psalm 118:24)Voice 3: “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”(Acts 10:39–43)All: Lord, save us!Lord, grant us success!Voice 1: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.From the house of the Lord we bless you.The Lord is God,and he has made his light shine on us.With boughs in hand, join in the festal processionup to the horns of the altar.(Psalm 118:25–27)Voice 4: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.(Colossians 3:1–4)Voice 1: You are my God, and I will praise you;you are my God, and I will exalt you.Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;All: God’s love endures forever. (Psalm 118:25–29) Revised Common LectionaryYear A Easter Sunday 

It was dark. I found myself in the middle of an industrial complex that seemed entirely vacant, with not a car or living being in sight. The gas gauge of the rental car suggested I was almost out of gas. After passing exit after exit with no promise of a gas station, my not-so-great GPS had led me to this area, and as I drove further and further away from the highway, still no gas station appeared. With my two-year-old asleep in the back seat, I felt vulnerable and alone. The wilderness can be found as easily in the midst of a city as in the most secluded place on earth. It is as much a mental or spiritual feeling of loneliness, isolation, and vulnerability as it is a physical location. Normally we do everything we can to avoid the wilderness, but during Lent we are invited to journey into the wilderness. It is in that place of solitude and vulnerability that we often find ourselves most open to God. It is in the wilderness that important truths about life and death come into sharper focus. Few of us deliberately seek out the wilderness, though we all go through times of spiritual drought, thirst, and great need. But Scripture and our own experience testify to the fact that in these places God often shows up in profound and surprising ways. Normally we do everything we can to avoid the wilderness, but during Lent we are invited to journey into the wilderness. In this Lenten issue you will find “A Table in the Wilderness” (p. 3), a worship series through which you can invite your congregation to take a journey in the wilderness, stopping along the way to hear the testimonies of Jesus, the people of Israel, Hagar, Elijah, David, the hungry crowd, and the disciples, learning how God fed and ministered to them in their wildernesses. Connected with the worship series are resources for setting up an outdoor prayer path (p. 12). Another way to highlight the table provisions of God is through weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper (“Eating More Grace,” p. 16). There are more traditional Lenten resources in this issue as well, including services for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. For Easter we have provided a litany that uses Psalm 118 interspersed with several other Scripture texts to tell the good news of Easter. We continue our recent focus on children and youth with two insightful articles that speak more about older youth and young adults. These two articles appear in reverse order change text to read: The first article, “God Juice and Sticky Faith” (p. 44) reflects on how the faith of young adults is affected by how they participated in worship as children. The second article outlines how different generations speak about sin (“Sin Talk,” p. 47). We also have included another letter, this time addressed to the storytellers in our churches—including preachers (p. 42). Finally, we are grateful for the opportunity to share with you some artwork created by children. Of course, all our worship is meaningless and our creative expressions pointless if we don’t keep God at the center of our worship. “Behold God’s Power and Glory” (p. 40) provides some wisdom for doing exactly that. In case you are wondering, God answered my prayers. I made it back to the highway and eventually did find a gas station—a very different table in the wilderness, but a provision no less.

I’ve been thinking recently about how stories are uniquely human. Though some would argue that animals tell stories too, I’m not sure I agree. They certainly communicate, but that’s not the same as telling a story. Of course, I haven’t studied this, so someone could easily prove me wrong. But I contend that storytelling is part of our being God’s image bearers because God is the author of The Big Story. Already in Genesis 1 and 2 we find God telling a story—a story that reveals the origins of the world not in factual, scientific language but through narrative and poetry. Scripture itself is one long story of creation, fall, and redemption, a story that gets repeated again and again even in modern fiction, and a story in which we find our very selves. Good stories stick in our memories and become a part of us. Good stories reveal something about ourselves or the world. Good stories nourish, heal, inspire, and teach. Stories are uniquely human. They are a gift. Yet so often we ignore that gift. In Western culture, we certainly haven’t paid enough attention to the art of storytelling. We have much to learn from Indigenous cultures that have perfected this art and pass on their history, culture, and teachings through stories. We don’t often make room for stories in our lives or in our worship. We seem to have relegated stories to the realm of children. I wonder if, rather than seeing stories as a medium for truth telling, we have mistaken “story” for “fiction” (in the worst sense of the word). Or maybe stories are suspect because they aren’t directed at the head as much as the heart. Whatever the reason for overlooking our own stories, it’s time that we reclaim them and learn how to tell them well. The teachings of Jesus begin in story and end in symbol—they begin in parable and end in us. These are not Bible stories that we learn; these are our stories. —Leonard Sweet, Soultsunami This issue of Reformed Worship is full of ideas for storytelling. The issue begins with considering how we might best use the digital medium for embodied worship, a unique way of storytelling (p. 3). The worship series “What Is God Like” (p. 12) encourages us to use our imaginations and wonder together about what our great, awesome God is like even as we acknowledge that we can never fully describe or understand God. We tell the story of Christ’s birth through candle-lighting liturgies (p. 19) and children’s dramas (p. 27). We are encouraged to tell disturbing stories (p. 32), including the story of the slaughter of the innocents from Matthew 2 (p. 36). Rev. Scott Hoezee encourages pastors to use stories to pull people into the biblical text (p. 47). We learn about how churches in Scotland allow children to tell their stories through play in worship (p. 44), and we are offered a template for inviting individuals to tell their particular stories in a New Year’s Eve service (p. 40). What is your story? How do you see God in it? What is the story of your congregation? Your community? Where is the Holy Spirit at work in those stories? We hope this issue will spark your imagination as you look for ways to include the beauty and power of story in your worship so your people can confidently claim both God’s revelation in Scripture and God’s ongoing revelation in the life of individuals and communities as part of their stories.

When the coronavirus hit our communities and many worship services moved online, people began asking the question, “What about the kids?” Some churches were adept at answering that question, as it was one they already asked themselves regularly; those churches simply needed to adapt existing practices. For other congregations, it was a new question. Parents who had been taught explicitly or implicitly that they couldn’t worship with kids present or that kids needed their own worship experience found themselves trying to figure out how to engage in online worship alongside their children. Some parents simply didn’t believe it was possible and watched a recorded worship time after their children were in bed, or they stopped watching online services altogether. Other parents were greatly helped by churches that got creative. Some churches adjusted the length of their services, intentionally included elements that were child-friendly, or even experimented with including children in leading worship. Other churches created special worship bags that could be picked up or were delivered to homes to encourage worship participation. And some churches changed nothing. As I watched how congregations responded to this question, I was struck by the disconnect between what we believe and what we do. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives, to speak to our souls in ways that don’t depend on our comprehension. We believe that the same Holy Spirit is present and active in our worship. Yet many of us don’t want our children present in worship until they can understand it—an argument we would never apply to other aspects of our lives, such as taking our children to sports events. We speak about the importance of the covenant and how everyone belongs, yet our actions often suggest that our children don’t really belong until they are more grown up. We refer to congregational worship as “adult worship,” and then wonder why our middle and high school students don’t feel they belong. There is a disconnect between our belief and our practice. There is a disconnect between our belief and our practice. I will not argue that our children should never be offered age-appropriate worship opportunities, and certainly every parent (and child) has a day when everyone would be better off with some time apart. Churches need to anticipate and provide for these situations. But what is your church’s default stance toward children in worship? What are you intentionally or unintentionally communicating to them? How might you better enfold children and youth so that they know they belong not just to the church but to God, that the Holy Spirit is at work in and through them, that they have gifts to bring and gifts to receive? What about the kids? In this issue of Reformed Worship we want to encourage worship leaders, pastors, parents, and church leaders to engage that question as it relates to worship. The issue contains excellent articles on topics ranging from how to preach with children in mind, to how to help children make meaning of their faith. Along the way, you will find many other practical suggestions and hear what other congregations are doing. In this issue, we have also tried to model the inclusion we’re talking about by including artwork created by children, as well as a thanksgiving prayer written by a young teen. This certainly isn’t the first time we have addressed the question, so I encourage you to spend some time in our digital library or on our website (ReformedWorship.org). We will continue to highlight the inclusion of children in worship in the next several issues of RW, so we invite you to send in your own ideas as well as contributions from children and youth in your church. Let’s keep exploring this important question together.

It’s never the goal to be caught in an in-between time—that time after what came before and before what comes after. The in-between time is a time of uncertainty. You’ve left what was known, but you haven’t quite arrived at the anticipated. It is often a time of anxiety, especially if you don’t know when it will end or how comfortable to get while you wait. It feels like we are living in an in-between time. There was the “before” time—the time before COVID—and there is the anticipated post-COVID time. Right now we are somewhere between the two, with a growing realization that it may be years before we reach a post-COVID state. Thankfully, our Savior Jesus is quite familiar with in-between times. Following Christ’s resurrection but before his ascension, Christ spent forty days in an in-between time. Sure, he had his resurrected body, but not his glorified body. He had risen from the dead but had not yet ascended to heaven to sit at God’s right hand. The disciples lived in an in-between time too as they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit following Christ’s ascension. The church has been living in an in-between time since Pentecost: the Holy Spirit has come, but Christ has not yet come again ushering in a new heaven and a new earth. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a guarantor that Christ too will come. The church has been living in an in-between time since Pentecost: the Holy Spirit has come, but Christ has not yet come again ushering in a new heaven and a new earth. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a guarantor that Christ too will come. We live in a spiritual in-between time on a cosmic scale and in a physical and emotional in-between time as we journey through this COVID pandemic. Each of us at different times lives in an in-between time in our personal lives as well: the time between graduation and our first job, for example, or between the medical test and the diagnosis, or between the diagnosis and the recovery. But how are we to live as Christians in these in-between times? This issue provides some possible answers to that question. There are resources focused on Christ’s ascension, how his ascension assures us that we too will one day be in God’s presence, and how in the meantime we have someone sitting next to God Almighty who can intercede on our behalf. This issue also includes a worship series focusing on transitions and several articles focused on prayer and the psalms that provide us with many examples of how to live during this in-between time. We are reminded that it is not only acceptable for us to bring our sorrows and anxieties to God in prayer, but appropriate. As you plan and lead worship during this in-between time, may you be used by God through the power of the Holy Spirit to equip your people with worship experiences and faith practices that will sustain them in their life on earth even as they await Christ’s return.

I am reminded to be grateful for God’s gift of plenty and pray for those in need whenever I see a pumpkin.

If you are a parent, teacher, or person who works with youth, you’ve probably been asked this question: Do I have to apologize? But when a young person offends or hurts someone else and doesn’t really want to acknowledge it and humbly say they’re sorry, most adults insist they recognize and reflect on the effects of their action or inaction, apologize, and make amends. To acknowledge one’s failures and humbly apologize is a vital skill for being in healthy relationships and developing an honest opinion of oneself. If learning the skill of apologizing is important for having right relationships with people, how much more important it is to confess our sin when we are in the presence of our holy God! If we are a Christian, the most important relationship we have is with our triune God, whose purity and holiness illuminate our own failures and those of the covenant community to which we belong. In order to rightly live in relationship with God we must practice confession and ask for forgiveness for our sins against God, others, the creation God asked us to take care of, and even ourselves, as well as for the things we should have done but chose not to. This practice of confession and forgiveness is an encapsulation of the gospel message that we as God’s people need to be reminded of regularly. When we confess our sins in corporate worship, we are also teaching those gathered a spiritual discipline they will need the rest of the week as they struggle to live a holy life. But it goes even deeper than that. Our confession is always followed by God’s words of forgiveness. Indeed, it is because we are assured of God’s forgiveness that we have the courage to come clean. This practice of confession and forgiveness is an encapsulation of the gospel message that we as God’s people need to be reminded of regularly. For many congregations this is a weekly practice with set prayers. For others there is greater freedom in the words used, the mode (spoken by a leader, recited by the whole congregation, prayed silently, or sung), and the placement in the service. Yet in some worshiping communities the act of confession has been neglected. Outside of the weekly rhythm of worship, the season of Lent presents us with another opportunity to practice this discipline. Lent is naturally a season of reflection and penitence, a time to acknowledge how we, both individually and communally, need the perfecting work of a Savior. Within the context of the gift of redemption, our time of confession should not be depressing, but rather uplifting and hopeful. It is with that good news in mind that we’ve chosen in this issue to focus in part on the spiritual discipline of confession. If you are a pastor or worship leader wondering how to lead confession in a politically charged environment, check out Scott Hoezee’s “Let Us Repent,” part of his regular column “For Pastors.” John Witvliet connects the service of confession with the act of entrusting our whole selves to God. Andrew de Gelder offers the Lenten worship series “Good News,” and Deborah Ann Wong writes about fasting, another spiritual discipline related to the humble act of confession. Those are just a few of the many wonderfully thoughtful and creative resources you will find in this issue. May you be blessed by these gifts.