A Patchwork Quilt of Beauty |
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Leader: Lord God, Designer and Creator, Quilter and Weaver of art out of the dubious looking remains of a scrap box, we come to you in celebration and prayer;
Congregation: For we are your patchwork quilt, a host of fabrics, a host of pieces, all brought together, intricately interwoven into a family&endash;Your family!
L: Quilted together by the love of God;
C: How great is the love God has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are!
L: Quilted together by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ;
C: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
L: Quilted together in faith by the Holy Spirit;
C: For by grace we have been saved, through faith&endash;and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God&endash;not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
L: Every quilt has four basic parts: a backing, a padding, a top, and stitching to hold it together. So the Master Quilt Maker, God, has four parts to the patchwork quilt called the Family of God. Just as a quilt has a backing or a 'foundation' so our patchwork quilt-the family of God-has a foundation. That foundation is Jesus Christ.
C: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)
L: Every quilt must have a padding between the foundation and the outer covering. It is the padding that provides support and warmth in the coldest of times. In the same way, God's word gives us the warmth of love and support that we need in every season of life.
C: All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
L: The outer covering is the side with the bright sunny colors! On this covering there are many fabric shapes, many different colors, all arranged to form a picture of beauty&endash;like the family of God!
C: But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as God wanted them to be. (1 Corinthians 12:18)
L: Stitches hold the quilt together. If stitches in a quilt are not properly sewn, the quilt falls apart. We are assured our quilt&endash;the Family of God&endash;is sewn together by the very love of Jesus. In and by ourselves we find only hatred and strife, but in and through Jesus Christ we find a love that quilts us together for eternity.
C: For God's love and our love through God is patient…is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
L: Let us pray, Almighty God, Designer and Creator of the Family of God here in this place; bring us back to our foundation in you so that we may hold strong and steadfast to your will for us. Give us the kindness to support and nourish each other in our daily life. You have given each of us our own distinct pattern and purpose. Help us to let your light shine through us and reflect that beauty within. You have stitched us all together through Jesus death and resurrection. Help us to keep each other from unraveling, and when we find a 'loose' thread, quilt ourselves to one another again as you bound yourself to us, so that we may bring comfort and help to your family. In your name we pray, Amen Adapted by Eleanor Johnson--from a service written by a W/ELCA member from Oberlin, Kansas |
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