Faith Montage: The Expansiveness of Gathering #LetUsPray

We close out the "gathered" section of my Faith Montage with the part speaks of the spaces in which we come togtether.

The Expansiveness of Gathering #LetUsPray

Let us pray —

We gather in forms and functions
as expansive as creation is itself,

by affiliation, association, denomination, and affinity,
in living rooms, kitchens, coffee shops, corners,
country churches, town-square sanctuaries, grand cathedrals,
amid blaring speakers, bright lights, sacred windows, shiny screens,
pipes floor to ceiling, folding chairs, dripping candles,
well-worn pews, and worn-out carpet,
with cymbals, bells, lyres, guitars, organs, drums,
soundtracks, and turntables.

Basking in the sounds of invitation.
Held in welcomed silence.
God gathers us still.

— Amen.

However or wherever you find yourself gathered with community this day, may you experience belonging, justice, and love.

Peace,

LITURGY AND PREACHING PROMPTS

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 12, 2026

The Day's Readings (Year A): Genesis 25:19-34 and Psalm 119:105-112 | Isaiah 55:10-13 and Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13 | Romans 8:1-11 | Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
NL Summer Readins (First and Second Timothy): 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (Have Confidence in the Gospel) Accompanying text: Luke 15:4-7

In writing liturgy, I attempt to be economical with words while addressing the events of the day in ways that help people find grounding in their faith. For readings, I refer to the Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and The Narrative Lectionary from The Working Preacher (NL). For more liturgy inspiration, check out enfleshed or liturgylink . Paid Subscribers should please feel free to use any of the liturgical resources with or without attribution.

Breath Prayer

Receive (inhale): When we gather
Release (exhale): God is here

Call to Worship —

One: God, sometimes we are the sower, and sometimes we are the soil.
All: In this place you gather your people, and like the sower You are generous with your hope for who we may become.
One: In this place and in these times, may we be good soil.
All: May we hear in ways unexpected and fruitful.

Confession —

From our very breath, God, You share an abundance of hope for creation and created. Allow us to receive and embody the same generosity of Spirit and forgive us when we worship scarcity. When we refuse what You offer and build obstacles to receiving those hopes, forgive us. And when we are the sowers and choose to hoard the hopes You have for all of creation, forgive us.

Assurance of Pardon —

God, sometimes we are the thorns. Rather than protect, we choke. When our comfort is challenged by risk, we calcify. When influence is threatened by, we resist. And when we are frightened by change, we retreat. God, forgive us when we do not see possibility where you have so generously offer hope.

or my standard assurance of pardon for one reader or as a litany

Sisters, brothers, siblings in Christ, hear the good news that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven and made new. Be at peace with yourself and all you meet. Amen.

One: Sisters, brothers, siblings in Christ, hear the good news that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made new. 
All: Let us be at peace with ourselves and all we meet. Alleluia! Amen.

Affirmation of Faith — (A Summer reading through The Belhar Confession)

For the Presbyterians in the house, The Belhar Confession was added to the Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 1996 and is our only confession from the Global South.)

We believe that this unity can be established only in freedom and not under constraint; that the variety of spiritual gifts, opportunities, backgrounds, convictions, as well as the various languages and cultures, are by virtue of the reconciliation in Christ, opportunities for mutual service and enrichment within the one visible people of God; that true faith in Jesus Christ is the only condition for membership of this Church. AMEN.

If I were preaching this Sunday —

Since I am preaching this Sunday :-)

While the Sower story can feel overdone, there are so many ways to approach this: are we the soil, the farmer, the seeds, the thorns, the birds, or the sun?

I wager that this answer is D: All of the Above, giving us another great opportunity to reinforce nuance, complexity, and the idea that many things can he true at the same time.

Focusing on congregational life and change, I will begin with two important things: God is generous and hopeful in spreading the seeds of faith, so we must also be generous and hopeful in the sharing of our faith and soil can take multiple forms over different seasons, meaning the same soil may be filled with thorns during one season and fertile the next. So not only are we generous, but we must continue to reflect on the changing contexts around us. Finally, where one may see or want to play the role of the thorns, others might see beauty, protection, and opportunity, or, put another way, sure be cautious and careful, but do not be a choking thorn.

To be more specific to congregational life, especially for churches that may be yearning for and seeking to grow, think about the seeds as attempts to reach new people with the Gospel. Yes, be somewhat strategic, but be sure to give opportunities for as many people as possible to hear and witness, because you never know when or how roots will begin to grow somewhere. And at the same time be nuanced about understanding the surroundings and avoid "That won't work" mentality based solely on personal preference, comfort level, or capacity.

This passage, while well-known, can reach deep and help to strengthen people's understanding and approach to evangelism, public witness, and congregational life.

Charge and Benediction —

Folks are always invited to liberate the benediction that I have used for the past three decades, "It's all that easy, and it's all that hard."