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Written by Sandi Hannigan
The summer months invite us to step away from our regular routine and find refreshment. "The Things That Make for Peace" is an engaging worship theme for this season of fruitfulness and leisure. As followers of Christ, peacemaking is one of our most challenging and rewarding callings. Biblical stories teach us how to be ministers of reconciliation in our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and world. Peace impacts every aspect of life-our relationship with God, ourselves, others, and creation. What a privilege to grow in peace as we worship and learn together!
"May the God of steadfastness and encouragement help you live in unity, harmony, and peace with one another, in accordance with Jesus Christ so that together you may with one voice glorify the God of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:5-6, adapted).
How to use these resources
Use this guide to integrate summer worship with Gather 'Round themes. If you have Sunday worship first, Christian education classes may explore worship themes in greater depth through Connect to the story and Responding activities. If you have Christian education first, invite children and youth to share their gifts of music, reading, and drama in worship. They may lead prayers and litanies or present contemporary skits to go along with the biblical texts. If you do not have summer Christian education, this guide will bring Gather 'Round themes into your worship.
Resources for worshipers
Encourage families and individuals (seniors, young adults, and adults of all life stages) to continue their worship at home or away on vacation. Make available these resources: the Talkabout, Connect (the Parent/Caregiver guide), Together (the multiage student book), My Bible Storybook (the preschool student book), and the Gather 'Round music CD.
Visuals
Drape your worship table with a cloth. White is often the color associated with peace. Blue is a secondary color representing the sky above and the water below. Place an open Bible in the middle of the table. A Christ candle may be included as well.
Each week, add a new symbol to the table to represent the many things that make for peace. Place books or small boxes underneath the cloth so some of the symbols are at different heights. Symbols should be large enough to be seen from a distance. Make or gather these symbols ahead of time:
Scripture
The Bible memory text this quarter is Matthew 5:43-45. Invite an intergenerational group to learn and lead the congregation in signing Matthew 5:43-45. You will find accompanying American Sign Language on pages 88-89 in the Multiage Teacher's Guide. Or, invite two readers to share the memory passage as a litany (see Together, page 1). Decide how and when you wish to include the memory passage in worship.
Sending
Experiment with different ways to bless and send each other. The worship leader may read the blessing to worshipers. Or the worship leader may invite worshipers to say the blessing to each other in turn. You may couple the blessing with the passing of the peace (handshake or high five). You may invite the worshipers to stand and face each other and have each side say a different phrase of the blessing.
Preparation
Prayerfully read through this worship guide to get an overall sense of the flow of this summer series. Open yourself to what God's spirit wants to teach you about growing in peace.
Click below to find resources for specific sessions.
