All Saints

All people, saints,

Loved by God.

Let us gather

And together, praise God.

We are saints,

But not perfect

For too often

We turn away

From God's love.

Confession:

Loving God,

Forgive us

When we forget

That your love

Is always ours to have.

We so often turn away

To find other paths

That you have not

Chosen for us.

You call us saints,

But we will not believe

And accept that love.

Help us to find that path

That is ours

And to stay on that path

And always walk in love

With you

And all others

We find in our world.

We are gathered as saints,

Loved by God, who created

All that we can see.

All things, all people

Belong to our God.

We have gathered here

To praise and worship

A loving God.

Go now out to the world

And show in your life

Who God is.

Go from this place

And walk always in peace

And in love

With all people

That you see.

All Saint's Day

photo by:  Arthur Clark

Let all the Saints gather

And together raise our voices;

And praise our God!

Our God is here with us

And always dwells among us;

Let us together sing

And praise God!

God is here, among us

As we gather together,

And will be with us

If we will

Turn and learn of love.

Loving God,

We let fear

Rule our lives

And forget how to love

Other people.

Forgive us

When we will not hear

Your voice speaking

To all of us.

Forgive us

When we turn away,

Fearing that death

Will take us away

From our friends

And families.

We forget your promises

And that you have

Conquered death

For all of us.

We turn away from you

And that love

That you promised

For all of us,

And forget to tell others

About your love

For all people.

God is here, among us

And loving us all,

And forgiving us

When we turn again

To find that love

That is ours to have .

We have gathered here

As the Saints of God

To worship God

And to learn more

About love.

Let us now go out

And tell the world

About God's love

For all people.

Go forth in peace

And always remember

God loves you

Just as you are

Right at this moment!

One People

Isaiah 6:3-8
Let all nations
Come to me
For all people
Are mine.
No one will be
Turned away.
All who come,
No matter who they are
Will be accepted.

John 17:21-23
Let all become
One people,
And know the love
That is theirs to have.
Let all divisions
Go away,
For all are mine.

I Corinthians 8:6
I am here for you,
I gave you life
And all my love
Is yours to have.
I sent Jesus
That you might
Know what love is.

Ephesians 4:4-6
And as you are
All mine,
You should be
One people,
One in spirit
And body;
For you have
One hope,
One baptism,
And one love.

Come, Celebrate

Come, celebrate,

Celebrate the love

Given to us

By our God.

Come, celebrate,

And praise God.

Lift up your voices

And sing praises.

Come, celebrate,

Celebrate the years

That a loving God

Has been there for us.

Come, celebrate,

Celebrate with praise

And thanksgiving,

God's love is ours!

Sing to God

photo by:  Arthur Clark

Sing to God

And give your praises

To the One

Who is always there

For us all.

God is never angry

With us for long,

And will give to us

Great joy.

Rejoice,

For our God

Is always near!

Psalms 139:24,25

And I sing praise

To you, oh God,

For wherever I am,

You are always there,

And you created me

As I am.

Look into me,

And see who I am,

And lead me always

In the paths

That will lead me

To dwell with you.

Isaiah 40:31

I sing of God,

Who gives me strength.

Whatever I do,

God is there

To lift me up.

And I fly high

Because my God

Always is near!

Romans 5:1

And in singing

Of what God

Has done for me,

Peace is mine,

Beyond anything

The world can give.

And then I find

Love is mine.

I John 4:7,8

Come, sing with me,

Sing of God,

Who loves all people.

Let us together

Sing our praises

For God loves all,

And there is no one

Who can take

That love from us.

Come and see,

God is love

And loves all!

Lift up Your Voice

Psalm 34:1

Lift up your voice,

Praise God.

Sing your praises

And bless our God

Who has created

All that is!

Psalm 40:1-4

Wait patiently,

For God will come

To help you,

For your voice

Will be heard.

Sing a new song

Of praise

For our God

Is come to you!

Psalm 100:1-2

Sing for joy,

Let all the world

Hear your voice.

Sing out loud,

And shout

For sheer joy.

Psalm 105:1-4

Give thanks,

All people!

Sing praises

Of our God,

Who gives strength

To all those

Who will seek

The face of God.

Isaiah 51:11

Up to Zion

We will go.

Joy will be ours

Because our God

Has redeemed us!

Lift up your voice

And sing praises

To the God

Who loves

All people!

Isaiah 56:3-8

Lift up your voice

In praise,

For all people

Who will follow God

In faith and love

Will find joy

And none of them

Will ever

Be turned away!

Come and always

Praise our great God!

Choices

All people are a part of God's creation for all have been created by Him. We have choices

only in what we do with our lives, not in who we are. We can either walk with God and in that path that

leads to heaven or we can walk apart from God. But neither path changes who we are inside, for that

is a gift from God.

Again and again throughout our lives, we are given choices on which way to go. But the easiest

path is not always the right one. Quite often God will take a hand to guide us to the path that we should be on, but many times we turn aside and ignore that helping hand. Yet it is hard, so hard, sometimes to spot God's hand in our lives. So much that happens is put down to good or bad luck, when it is really God trying to show us the way back to the proper path.   

About God's Love 6

 Humanity is to be whole, one people with God governing, ruling all. No one would be on the outside of God's love

We make the differences ourselves, for God makes no differences between those who love and serve Him. All those who acknowledge the rule of God are part of the Kingdom of God.

God wants people to dwell together in peace, safety, justice, and love. And we are to leave on one person out of the kingdom. For if we try that, we may find ourselves on the outside and those who we would shut out on the inside.

The message is love! God's love - free for all of the people of the world. And none shall be left out. For God leaves no one out. If any is left out, it is our own fault, not God's. For it is our own blindness that keeps us from seeing the great love that God has for all.

About God's Love 5

 God loves us and wants only good for each of us. The evils that fall upon us, the diseases, are not of God, but often of ourselves, because so often we have turned away from God, from the healthy way to go. We strive after so many things and forget the people that we use and discard along the way. God does not love us because of what we are, but in spite of what we are. This love is unconditional, given to all people whoever and wherever they are. And no one can take that love away from us. Only we can take ourselves away from that love.

About God's Love 4

 One gift never grows old, God's gift of love, the love shown when God became flesh and dwelt on earth as one of us. And that love is for all people on the earth. No one is truly apart from God's love.

But how to tell those who are oppressed that God's love is there for all? They have been pushed down so much that they don't know that they are loved and loveable. And they won't listen when we tell them that they are ok. Because so often, they have been told about love, but there is a lie behind the words. They are told that they must change, that they are not loved the way they are.

God does not ask for the change, people do! God loves us as we are, where we are, and does not ask for us to be different. This is the good news of the Gospel, God loves us all, as we are right now! We do not have to change a thing to receive that love, it is free - free for all people!

About God's Love 3

 But there are so many out there that have been told that God does not love them because of who they are. They are told so often, that they cannot find their way back to that love again. No matter how many times someone comes and says that God does love them, these people will hear, deep within, the echoes of other voices saying that God does not love them. And they cannot find the truth, for the echoes are too deeply ingrained. How do we find a way to change the words of those inner voices, so that all of the strays will find their way back to God and this love?

About God's Love 2

 People are always more important than things. We need to remember this and turn to our neighbor and extend a helping hand. God's love and freedom comes only when we give without counting the cost to help those in need. Our need is to pass on things to make life better, other people can join us in the celebration of life. And as more and more of the people join he celebration, real peace becomes more of a possibility.

To love all other people and the world given us is to turn more and more from things toward God,

for God is love.

About Love 1

 Love is what makes the world an easier place to live in. Love makes it all worthwhile. Without

love, there is nothing, and no one can live. Without love, there is no happiness, no peace.

And how do we reach those who think that they are unloved and unlovable? How do we reach

them to tell them that they are loved? How do we breach the walls that they build around themselves?

Love and prayer will help, and being there for them when they do open up, even a little. And being open

to God's guidance so that He can show us when to move and what to say to each individual.

Kingdom of Love

     Hope for the Kingdom of love, which shall come.  It is
in this kingdom that all shall live in peace, nor shall any
put down any other.  No person will be made to feel that they
are less than any other person.  And God's love will be there
for all, for all are His children.
     Work for the Kingdom of love and let all people know
that God's love is there for them.  This is what Christmas is
all about, God's love made manifest, walking among the people,
showing all how they were to live in peace.
     Live as Christ did, loving all people, sharing God's love
with all, and the kingdom will come sooner.  For the more we
live in love and in Christ, the more the kingdom is present
in this world.  And let God's love flow through us all out to
the whole world, that all the world will know God and His love.

late 1970's, early 1980's

On Fear 3

 When shall the people of the world learn to live together in peace and love? When will we learn to give up all our fears? We are all so afraid of anything or anybody who is different, not seeing that all are created by the same God. How can we learn to put other people's need first? Can we ever learn to let go of the me-first mentality? For this is a great part of what is needed. God's peace will only come if we all work at it and are willing to let go of our favorite private dreams and take hold of the dream of peace. If we will let Him, God will show us how to let go of fear and learn how to live together in peace.

1970's

On Fear 2

So many people look at someone who is ill or obviously different and are afraid. They cannot

feel any compassion because their fear is too great. We are all too afraid of the lepers of our day to

know any compassion of any kind. But would Jesus turn away from these? And if He would not turn

away, we also may not turn away. Jesus will be with us to give us strength so that we do not turn away

from the lepers of our day.

1970's

On Fear 1

 There so many of us who cannot or will not let go of their fears. For one reason or the other,

they fear to be who they really are. And often, society is to blame, for we look down on anyone who

is even slightly different from the norm. Can we ever learn that even those are God's children? Or are

there too many of us who will always be willing to reject all differences? And yet these differences

are what gives life its spice.

written in the 1970's

God With Me

photo by:  Rev Roland Stringfellow

Psalm 23
God is with me,
There to protect
And to show me
Which way to go.
In good times
Or in the bad,
God is there
And will not
Leave me alone.

Isaiah 56:1-8
God is there for me
And for all people
From all nations
Who come together
In love and fellowship,
Loving one another.
Many are called
From other places
To be here
Where God is,
Where love is.

Matt 28:18-20
As God is there for us,
We are called
To go out to the world
And tell all people
Of the love of God
Shown us in Jesus.

Acts 2:1-4
And God's Spirit
Descends on me,
Leading me to go
And tell the world
Of the love
That is there for them.

Acts 10:9-15
The message
That I was given
Is this:
God's Love
Is for all people
And no one
Will be turned away.
All people are loved
And all are God's!

My God Sings Me a Love Song

Jerry Browning

c 2009 Evergreen Studios

Great Falls, MT

As I wander through the mists of early morning

My mind can see the distant hazen hills.

My heart reaches out to catch the dawning

And I see the wildwood flowers and daffodils.

Then the sweet breeze brings to me the strains of a melody

As my God sings to me a love song.

All the stirring words seem to set my heart in motion

As they echo through the valleys far and near.

And the song can lift me like a magic potion;

It’s so hard to feel alone when you’re up here.

Through the meadowlands it calls as the evening starts to fall

When my God sings me a love song.

I can soar above the mountains in the springtime

I can sail the ocean’s mighty swell

I can wander in and out of dreams and sweet rhymes;

And escape from my own prisons where I dwell

I can reach the highest star and yet not have gone too far

When my God sings me a love song.

Then I lie awake and listen to the night birds

Wondering why I haven’t heard it for a while

Wondering if some time or place we’d be together

Or could it be the love song’s out of style.

Then the sweet breeze brings to me that familiar melody

As my God sings me a love song.

Go With God

Joshua 1:9

I will go with God

And where I am led

Without any fear,

For it is God

Who gives me

Strength to follow.

Joshua 24:15

I will always

Go with God.

Come with me

And my family

And always

Walk with God.

Isaiah 61

As I go with God,

I am also led

To tell all people

Who are around

All about the joy

And freedom

That following Yahweh

Brings to all people.

Romans 8:1-2

As I go the way

God leads me,

I find that

I no longer need fear

Being condemned

Because I go always

With Jesus.

Romans 8:31-39

And because I go with God,

I know that love

Is greater, fuller

Than I can ever tell.

For there is no one

Or nothing

That can separate me

From the love

God has for me,

For God has told me

That I am Beloved.

I John 1:5

And as we go with God,

We will walk in the light,

For with God,

There can be no darkness

Of any kind,

Because God is all light.

Come with me

And walk in the light

And love of God

And always know

That you are Beloved.

God is My Strength

Psalm 62:1-2

My God is my strength,

A place to go

In times of trouble.

In His arms

I find rest

And peace

For my troubled soul

And I find

That I need not fear

When God is near.

Matthew 11:28-30

And when I come

Near to God

And lean on Him,

All my weariness

Is taken away.

In those arms ,

I find the rest

And the peace

That I need.

Philippians 4:12-13

In everything

And in every time,

God is with me

And gives me strength.

Because of that,

I can do all

That I am

Called to do.

God is always with me

At all times!

God Always

John 1:1-5

God has always

Been there

And brings light

To my life

And all others

Who will believe.

And in that light

Is life,

And the dark

Can never

Overwhelm me.

Romans 8:28

And God is there,

Loving all people,

And working for good

For all of us.

And again,

I find safety,

For God's love

Keeps me secure

And I am called

To walk in those paths

That will lead me

Onward to where God dwells.

Psalm 150

And I praise God!

With everything

That exists

I will ever praise God,

Who keeps me safe.

Love is mine!

Let all the world know

That God loves me

And all other people!

Come Together

Psalms 67:5-7

Let all the people

Come together

And sing praises

To God,

Who has blessed us all.

Psalms 92:1-5

Let us come together

And sing our praises

Of Yahweh, our God.

Let the music soar

And let your joy

Be heard

That all will know

How great

Are the works

Of our God!

Isaiah 52:7-9

And welcome

The one who

Brings the good news

Of deliverance

With songs of joy

And praise.

Ephesians 5:18-20

Let yourself

Be filled with the spirit,

Meditating and singing

Songs and hymns

Of praise to our God

For everything

Given to us all.

James 5:13

And when

Trouble comes, pray,

Then sing your songs

Of praise to God

Who is always there

For us all.

God is Love

Psalm 52:8-9

I thrive here

In God's house

Because I know

And trust

That God's love

Is always there for me

And all people

Around the world.

Psalm 144:1-3

It is God who loves me

And has built me

A fortress

And a strong wall

For refuge.

Who are we

That our God

Should love us

So much?

Isaiah 56:2-5

Blessed are those

Who follow

God's commandments

And let justice reign.

Those who are faithful,

No matter who

They may be,

Will never

Be turned away

From God's love.

I John 4:7-12

God is love,

And those who love,

Know who God is.

And since God

Loves all people,

So should we

Love all people.

I John 4:13-21

If we live in love

For all people

We will find

God's love

Is always there.

We dare not

Hate any person,

For God loves all.