Everything That Has Breath

Description

Here are worship resources inspired by Psalm 150.

Scripture

Psalm 150

Prayers

Contemporary Prayer of Praise

Your church gathers, Lord,
in Virginia and Mozambique,
in Brazil and to the ends of the earth.
Your church gathers, Lord,
in city and country, in suburbs and slums,
in sanctuaries and buildings,
under trees and by streams of water.
Your people gather to praise you, Lord,
in English and in Portuguese,
with organ and guitar and drum,
with voices of young and old,
with song and with silence,
with dance and with prayer.
Your people praise you, Lord,
for hope in the midst of despair,
for strength in times of weakness,
for justice in situations of oppression,
for courage in the face of fear,
for life in the midst of death.
We are the people who call you Lord.
Let everything that breathes, praise you Lord!

~ written by Kristin Holbrook, Brazil 2008. From a collection of calls to worship on the Roanoke UMC website.
http://www.roanokeumc.org/

Congregational Prayer to Our Creator

Lord you give life to life!
From day one, your Spirit brooding over the deep,
your wind rushing, your breath filling.
As creatures of the earth we rejoice in life
using our breath, our being
to raise this hymn of praise:
Hallelujah to the sun’s hot passion
embracing the ground’s great shoulders.
Hallelujahs for the growth from seed to plant
greening the earth; its fruit—beauty and food!
Hallelujahs for generations of life
tumbling one after another.
Life creeping, swimming, flying, running,
below, above, upon, within.
All the world sings, calls, signals, speaks
praise to God whose glory grows in all that breathes!

Knowing your power, knowing your love for us, we bring requests this morning;
we pray for those who are preparing for marriage, and who are newly married,
especially _____;
give these people wisdom and steadfastness
and above all, love, as they join their lives together, and form new families.

We pray for all we know who are sick, in mind or body,
or who suffer from chronic conditions,
especially we name _____ who are in need of your comfort.

We long for reconciliation with those we have harmed
with harsh words or harsh actions,
and for peace among our warring nations.

Fill us, enliven us, to be ambassadors of life abundant,
breathing out your song in harmony,
singing to you, our Creator,
whose glory shines through all the world. Amen.

~ written by Carol Penner, and posted on her Leading in Worship blog.
http://carolpenner.typepad.com/

Prayer: A God of Expression

God smiles, this much I know
for he created laughter
so that we might join in the enjoyment of his creative energy
those wonderful colour schemes of bird butterfly and flower.
The shapes and expressions on so many creatures and insects
These weren't created by a boring God
they were drawn and planned by a God with a sense of humour
and that's a comforting thought!

Creator God, we praise you for the diversity of your world
and for the life you have breathed into all things
for the colours we see
the sounds we hear
the textures we feel
for the large
and the small
the fierce
and the timid
predator
and prey.

Creator God,
we thank you for your creation,
perfect in its design and purpose,
perfect in its diversity and unity.

~ written by John Birch, and posted on his Faith and Worship website.
http://www.faithandworship.com/

Spoken Resources

Psalm 150

Praise is contagious.
Like an epidemic, its location spreads –
from earth to heaven.
Like a pandemic, its motive spreads –
from what the LORD has done to who the LORD is.
There’s not an instrument that remains unaffected –
trumpet, harp, and cymbals are swept up in praise.
There’s not a human or creature who remains immune –
everything that breathes catches the bug to sing “Hallelujah!”
May no cure ever be found for the contagion that is worship.

~ written by Chris Altrock, on True North.
http://chrisaltrock.com/

Call to Worship

Praise God with clapping hands;
praise God with hands comforting a child.
Praise God with silent hearts;
praise God with hearts broken by the world.
Praise God with electric guitars;
praise God with soft piano chords.
Praise God with be-bop and hip-hop;
praise God with rhythms that don't stop.
Praise God with a Hallelujah chorus;
praise God with a Gregorian chant.
Praise God with dancing steps;
praise God with feet walking for justice.

~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.
http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Circle of Praise

All dogs and cats, large and small:
Praise the Lord!
All rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs:
Praise the Lord!
All goldfish, guppies, and swimming creatures:
Praise the Lord!
All robins, wrens, and singing birds:
Praise the Lord!
All racoons, squirrels, and deer:
Praise the Lord!
All horses, cows, and sheep:
Praise the Lord!
All lizards, snakes and creeping things:
Praise the Lord!
Every animal in the sky, the sea, and the forest:
Praise the Lord!

~ from Blessing of the Animals, on the Web of Creation website.
http://www.webofcreation.org/SeasonofCreation/animalblessing.html

Songs

Traditional Hymn: All Creatures of Our God and King

Worship Together #58

All creatures of our God and king,
lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia, alleluia!
Bright burning sun with golden beam,
soft shining moon with silver gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Swift rushing wind so wild and strong,
white clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, alleluia!
New rising dawn in praise rejoice,
you lights of evening find a voice;

Cool flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for your Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Fierce fire so masterful and bright
giving to us both warmth and light,

People and nations, take your part,
love and forgive with all your heart;
Alleluia, alleluia!
All who long pain and sorrow bear,
trust God and cast on him your care;

Let all things their creator bless
and worship him in lowliness,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three-in-One,

~ after Francis of Assisi, translated by W.H. Draper; revised Hymns for Today’s Church. Words copyright © 1982 Hope Publishing Co. If you use this version of the hymn, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Contemporary Hymn: All Creation Sings God's Music

All creation sings God's music,
instruments and voices raise,
joined with tunes of exaltation,
each expressing love and praise.
To our God eternal glory,
alleluia through the days.

Sing in tongues of all earth's people,
unified in joyful song,
making melody and beauty
with God's message sure and strong,
to the Lord unending honor,
hymns and praise to God belong.

Play all instruments and rhythms,
flute and harp, the strings and drum,
trumpet, organ, bells and cymbals,
music for all Christendom.
Share the faith through words and music
for all ages yet to come.

Let the anthems of rejoicing
cause the universe to ring
with these tributes which we offer
as our lives to God we bring.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Evermore God's praise we sing.

Tune suggestion:
LAUDA ANIMA (“Praise, my soul, the King of heaven”):

Contemporary Song: Let Everything That Has Breath

Let ev'rything that
Ev'rything that
Ev'rything that has breath
Praise the Lord
Let ev'rything that
Ev'rything that
Ev'rything that has breath
Praise the Lord

Praise You in the morning
Praise You in the evening
Praise You when I'm young
And when I'm old
Praise You when I'm laughing
Praise You when I'm grieving
Praise You ev'ry season of the soul

If we (they) could see
How much You're worth
Your pow'r, Your might
Your endless love
Then surely we would
Never cease to praise

Praise You in the heavens
Joining with the angels
Praising You forever and a day
Praise You on the earth now
Joining with creation
Calling all the nations to Your praise

Listen to it here: http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=577634

Contemporary Song: Everything That Has Breath

Praise Him in the sanctuary
Praise Him in the mighty heavens
Praise Him all the earth praise Him

From the rising of the sun
Let His praise be heard
From the east to the west
And the north to south

Let everything that has breath
Praise the Lord forever
Let everything in my soul praise the Lord

Praise Him in His awesome power
Praise His great and holy name
Praise Him the whole world praise Him

Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

~ Reuben Morgan. Copyright © 2000 Hillsong Publishing (APRA) (adm. in the US and Canada at EMICMGPublishing.com). CCLI Song #3220205. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here: http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1802223

Contemporary Song: Lovely Noise

Oh what a lovely noise
When we raise our voice to sing
I wanna thank You Lord
You're the giver of all good things

Ev'rything that moves and breathes
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord
Lay your troubles at His feet
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord

If I'm rich or if I'm poor
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord
If I'm shaky or if I'm sure
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord

If I'm weak or if I'm strong
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord
If I'm short or if I'm long
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord

If I'm up or if I'm down
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord
If I'm square or if I'm round
Gonna sing a song and praise the Lord

~ Greg Sparks, Rebecca Ed Sparks. Copyright © 1997 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing). CCLI Song # 2329633. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here: http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=576330

Images

~ Psalm 150 by Robyn Sand Anderson

Notes

This worship resource was created/compiled by Christine Longhurst. You are welcome to use it free of charge, and where appropriate, please note the source. If you are printing any of the resources for distribution, please print the source as well. The content of the worship resource does not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, which oversees the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. For more worship resources by Christine Longhurst, see http://www.re-worship.blogspot.ca or http://www.faithmatters.ca.

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