New Creation
Description
Here are a variety of worship resources which explore the theme of “new creation.”
Scripture
Isaiah 65:17-252 Corinthians 5:17
Ephesians 2:9-10
1 Peter 1:23
Revelation 21:1-6
Prayers
Opening Prayer (inspired by Revelation 21:1-6)
Speak to us, Giver of Life, and make us new.
We thirst for the waters of eternal life,
we yearn to know ourselves as Resurrection People.
Send your Holy Spirit upon us this day,
and create in us your new heaven and new earth.
Speak to us words of comfort and hope,
words of challenge and courage.
Come: move among us, we pray.
~ Rev. Mary Nelson Abbott. Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways Archive.
http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/
Pastoral Prayer (inspired by 2 Corinthians 5:17)
God of all new things,
God of Spring, and fragrant flowers,
and unexpected snow.
God of hope and new life,
Bless us, we pray, this day.
Creator God from whom all life springs forth
We give You thanks!
Come, one and all,
Celebrate and rejoice!
Celebrate and rejoice—
The old has passed away
Everything has become new!
Loving God, we offer up these prayers of concern this day:
for those struggling to rebuild lives from natural disasters,
and for those recovering from human disasters.
also for those struggling with illness
and from___________.
Hear us when we pray.
Incline your ear to our words.
Be gentle with our suffering,
with our sorrows and losses,
and especially when our hard hearts
close us off to you.
Anoint us with your touch
so that the softness of your love
can break into our hardness
and open us anew.
Anoint us, Holy One,
and fill us with you loving touch.
Fill us that we can touch in your love
and fill others.
Celebrate and rejoice!
The old has passed away
In you, in your resurrection,
in your life and love,
everything becomes new! Amen.
~ written by the Rev. Terri C. Pilarski (alt.). Posted on WordsMatter.
http://expansivelanguage.blogspot.ca/
Prayer of Petition (inspired by Revelation 21:1-6)
Gracious God, you have promised to make all things new:
restore peace where there has been hatred,
reduce tension where there has been anger,
rekindle friendship where there has been enmity,
relieve suffering where there has been violence
and recreate a united nation;
for the good of the people
and for the peace of the world.
In Christ's name. Amen
~ written by Michael Saward. Posted on The Jubilate Group website.
http://www.jubilate.co.uk/liturgy/
Spoken Resources
Call to Worship (inspired by Matthew 11:29 and Revelation 21:5)
Come all who are weary
of wealth, of poverty, of power, of struggle, of division
Come all who are heavy-laden
with too much, with too little, with anxiety, with fear, with anger
Come all who have hope
for liberation, for peace, for freedom, for the kingdom
Hear these words
“See, I am making all things new.”
~ from I Am Making All Things New, written by Rosie Venner. Posted on the WSCF Europe website.
http://wscf-europe.org/mozaik-issues/mozaik-25-the-powers-that-be/worship-i-am-making-all-things-new/
Responsive Litany for Renewal
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
Merciful God of might, thank you for a new birth
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!
Merciful Jesus, thank you for a new creation
I will give them an undivided heart
and put a new spirit in them;
I will remove from them their heart of stone
and give them a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19).
Merciful God of might, thank you for a new spirit
But in keeping with his promise
we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,
the home of righteousness ( 2 Peter 3:13).
Merciful Jesus, come and renew this weary world.
~ from Worship Ideas You Can Use.
http://sjbrown58.wordpress.com/
Sending Words (inspired by Revelation 21:1-6)
God invites us into his future,
where the one who makes all things new has made his home among us.
We are called and chosen,
together embraced by the God in whom tears,
mourning, crying, pain and even death will be no more.
Remember God’s future, for this is our story.
Our Lord says, “See, I am coming soon!”
Come, Lord Jesus!
Amen.
~ from the Mennonite Church Canada website, alt.
http://resources.mennonitechurch.ca/
Songs
Traditional Hymn: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Worship Together #492
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down;
Fix in us Your humble dwelling;
All Your faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, You are all compassion,
Boundless love that makes us whole.
Visit us with Your salvation;
Enter every trembling soul.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Your grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Nevermore Your temple leave.
You we would be always blessing,
Serve You as Your hosts above,
Pray, and praise You without ceasing,
Glory in Your perfect love.
Finish, then, Your new creation;
Pure and sinless let us be;
Let us see Your great salvation
Perfect in eternity.
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before You,
Lost in wonder love and praise!
~ Charles Wesley, alt.
Contemporary Hymn: We Are a New Creation
Worship Together #421
We are a new creation of Christ, the living Word,
Our songs of jubilation shall everywhere be heard.
New life blooms fresh and glorious for those who heed the call
of Christ, who reigns victorious o’er sin and death and all.
We are a new creation of god for this new day.
As partners let us follow the life, the truth, the way.
Christ bids us work together as colleagues, old and young,
as women, men, and nations, God’s folk of ev’ry tongue.
We are a new creation for service here on earth.
We life our faith in action to tell our Savior’s worth.
Let love and justice blending now show for all to see
God’s grace is never-ending – it reaches you and me.
We are a new creation by God’s own gracious hand.
Our burdens cast behind us, a daring future planned.
In ministry and mission united let us live,
in Christ a shining vision to God’s wide world to give.
~ Jane Parker Huber. Words copyright © 1981 Jane Parker Huber / Westminster John Knox Press.
Tune suggestion:
LANCASHIRE (“Lead on, O King Eternal”)
Contemporary Song: New Day
Your love has opened my eyes
In You I have come alive
A new day has come
Your grace has turned me around
Set my feet on solid ground
A new day has come
It's a new day it's a new life
It's a new start for every heart that's found You
Jesus we've found You
New hope full of Your joy
It's a new start for every heart that's found You
Jesus we found You
We have been healed and restored
Everything we are is Yours
We'll shine for You
We'll sing it loud, sing it strong
Telling of the Father's love
We'll shine for You
Lead the way
You lead me in Your perfect ways
I'm not afraid You're with me
Light the way
With You is it a brighter day
I'm not afraid You're with me
~ Nick Herbert, Ben Cantelon. Copyright © 2011 Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at EMICMGPublishing.com excluding Europe which is adm. by Kingswaysongs). All rights reserved. Used by permission. CCLI Song # 6054557.
Listen to it here: http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1890298
Contemporary Song: Beautiful Things
All this pain
I wonder if I'll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change
At all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground
At all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found
In You
You make me new You are making me new
You make me new You are making me new
~ Lisa Gungor, Michael Gungor. Copyright © 2009 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing). CCLI Song # 5665521. 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=1790709
Contemporary Song: All Things New
You spoke and made the sunrise
To light up the very first day
You breathed across the water
And started the very first wave
It was You
You make all things new
You make all things new
You introduced Your glory
To ev'ry living creature on earth
And they started singing
The first song to ever be heard
They sang for You
Then the world was broken
Fallen and battered and scarred
You took the hopeless
The life wasted ruined and marred
And made it new
You make all things new
You make all things new
You redeem and You transform
You renew and You restore
You make all things new
You make all things new
And forever we will watch and worship You
You turn winter into spring
You take ev'ry living thing
And You breathe the breath of life into it
Over and over again
You made the sunrise
Day after day after day
But there's a morning coming
When old things will all pass away
And ev'ryone will see
You make all things new
You make all things new
Come redeem and come transform
Come renew and restore
And make all things new
You make all things new
And forever we will watch and worship You
Now and forever You are making all things new
You're making all things new
Hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah
~ Steven Curtis Chapman. Copyright © 2004 Sparrow Song (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing),
Primary Wave Brian (Chapman Sp Acct), (Admin. by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.). CCLI Song # 4343758.
If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.
Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKx_hx5itIM
Images
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.