Rebecca Bokma

Reader 1: We have a story to tell. Reader 2: A story of a people. Reader 1: A story of miracles. Reader 2: A story of wondrous works. Reader 1: A story of deliverance and rejoicing. Reader 2: A story of a nation. Reader 1: A nation that was part of a covenant, a special promise with God. Reader 2: An everlasting covenant: “I will give you the land of Canaan and so much more than that.” Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 1: This is a story about our heavenly father. Reader 2: One we know so well! Reader 1: One that we should always remember, about God’s faithfulness. Reader 2: And God’s love. Reader 1: God, our God, in charge of the whole earth. Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 2: We keep our eyes open for God, looking for signs of God’s wonders. Reader 1: Wonders in creation, and wonders in the story of God’s people. Reader 2: God’s wondrous works. Reader 1: In the beginning God created— Reader 2: God created us in his image; created us to fill the world and it was good! Reader 1: God made us and invited us to spread the story—the story of God’s love. Reader 2: The story of God’s Son— Reader 1: The story of God’s love. Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 2: We were created to spread the story of God’s wonderful acts; covenant and miracles. Reader 1: The covenant that God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob— Reader 2: Saying you will inherit a land, a kingdom, a new life. Reader 1: The covenant that covered Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. Reader 2: Miracles that gave God’s people the freedom they so desired. Reader 1: The covenant that saved Joseph from slavery. Reader 2: And the Lord filled Joseph with wisdom. Reader 1: The covenant that gave Israel the promised land, Reader 2: Despite their fear and disobedience. Reader 1: The covenant that led God’s people out of Egypt.  Reader 2: Egypt was glad when they left. Reader 1: They were filled with fear and awe towards the God of the Israelites. Reader 2: The God that saved his people. Reader 1: The Israelites had done nothing to earn their freedom, yet God kept his promise. Reader 2: God said: “Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed; don’t hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets!” Reader 1: God guided his people out of Egypt into the desert, yet God kept them safe at night and gave them food during the day. Reader 2: God gave his people water that gushed out from a rock and flowed like a river into the desert. Reader 1: God filled them with the bread of heaven. Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 2: Give thanks to our Lord and call on his name. Reader 1: Tell everyone what God has done. Reader 2: Give thanks; sing praises; tell of God’s glory and rejoice. Reader 1: Let us seek the Lord and rejoice! Reader 2: The Lord is our strength, our song, our salvation. Reader 1: We have received the story of God’s wondrous works.  Reader 2: Sing to him! Reader 1: Sing songs to him! Reader 2: Let us sing to God for as long as we live. Reader 1: O give thanks to the Lord! Call upon his name. Reader 2: Make known God’s deeds among the peoples! Reader 1: Sing to him; sing psalms to him; talk of all God’s wondrous works! Reader 2: Glory in God’s holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Reader 1: Seek the Lord and his strength; seek God’s face evermore! Reader 2: Remember God’s marvelous works which he has done. Reader 1: Let us tell that story. Reader 2: We have a story to tell. Both: Praise the Lord.

Litany AAll: Praise!Reader 1: The Lord.Reader 2:Praise ye the Lord.Reader 3: Hallelujah.Reader 1: God created us in his image to fill the earth.All: Praise God!Reader 1: In his sanctuary.Reader 2: In his sanctuary.Reader 3: In his holy house of worship.Reader 2:  Although we sin, God welcomes us back into his open arms.All: Praise him!Reader 1: In his mighty heavens.Reader 2:In the firmament of his power.Reader 3: Under the open skies.Reader 2: Looking around, we see God in every aspect of creation!All: Praise him!Reader 1: For his acts of power.Reader 2:For his mighty acts.Reader 3: For his acts of power.Reader 1: Every day we see him at work in the world.All:Praise him!Reader 1: For his surpassing greatness.Reader 2: According to his excellent greatness.Reader 3:For his magnificent greatness.Reader 2: How great is our God that he holds the whole world in his hands?All:Praise him!Reader 1: With the sounding of the trumpet.Reader 2:With the sound of the trumpet.Reader 3:With a blast on the trumpet.Reader 3:We have been given voices and gifts to show others God’s love.All: Praise him!Reader 1:With the harp and lyre.Reader 2:With the psaltery and harp.Reader 3:By strumming soft strings.Reader 1:We pray for God’s spirit to come upon us and fill us with love and compassion.All:Praise him!Reader 1: With timbrel and dancing.Reader 2:With the timbrel and dance.Reader 3:With castanets and dance.Reader 2:Let all we do be for the glory of the one true God.All:Praise him!Reader 1:With the strings and pipe.Reader 2:With stringed instruments and organs.Reader 3:With banjo and flute.Reader 3:We remember all that God has done for us.All:Praise him!Reader 1: With the clash of cymbals.Reader 2: Upon the loud cymbals.Reader 3:With cymbals and a big bass drum.Reader 1:We remember that God sent his Son to die in our place.All:Praise him!Reader 1:With resounding cymbals.Reader 2:Upon the high-sounding cymbals.Reader 3: With fiddles and mandolin.Reader 2:We remember how Jesus rose again to save us from our sins.All: Let everything that has breath.Reader 1: Everything.Reader 2:Every. Thing.Reader 3:Every living, breathing thing.All: Praise the Lord!—Psalm 150, adapted from the NIV, KJV, and The Message by Rebecca BokmaLitany BAll: Praise!Reader 1:The Lord.Reader 2:The Lord of all.Reader 3:Sing Hallelujah!Reader 1:To the One who is the source and goal of all things.All:Praise God!Reader 1: In the sanctuary.Reader 2:In the holy house of worship.Reader 3:In the great assembly.Reader 2:Where we gather to praise God’s name.All: Praise him!Reader 1: In his mighty heavens.Reader 2: Where his mighty power is on display.Reader 3:Under the open skies.Reader 2:The whole creation shouts God’s praise!All: Praise the Creator!Reader 1:For his mighty acts.Reader 2:That reveals the Creator’s awesome power.Reader 3:And faithful love.Reader 1:Holding all of creation in his powerful hand.All:Praise the Lord!Reader 1:For his surpassing greatness.Reader 2:According to his excellent greatness.Reader 3: Beyond all that we can think or imagine.Reader 2:For God is the one who holds the universe in his hands!All: Praise the Holy One!Reader 1: With a blast on the trumpet.Reader 2:With the beat of the drum.Reader 3:With voices that sing out the wonders of God’s love.Reader 2:The gift of music is the language of our praise.All:Praise him!Reader 1: With the harp and lyre.Reader 2:With strumming soft strings.Reader 3:With the sweet trill of the flute.Reader 1:Prayerfully sighing for Spirit to fill us with God’s love.All: Praise him!Reader 1:With the graceful movement of the dance.Reader 2: Arms raised in worship.Reader 3:Eager, moving feet.Reader 2:Let our bodies give glory to the one true God.All: Praise the Holy One!Reader 1:With guitars and mandolin.Reader 2:With pianos and organs.Reader 3: With banjo and fiddle.Reader 2:Echoing all that God has done for us.All:Praise the Lord!Reader 1:With the clash of cymbals.Reader 2:Loud cymbals.Reader 3: With cymbals and a big bass drum.Reader 1:Praise Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.All:Praise to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!Reader 3:Let everything that has breath.Reader 1: Everything.Reader 2:Every. Thing.Reader 3: Every living, breathing thing.All: Praise the Lord!—Psalm 150, adapted from the NIV, KJV, and The Message by Rebecca Bokma