WORSHIP RESOURCES

 

Ordinary Time (Proper 8)

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Balance Abundance and Need

 

Additional Scriptures

2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27; Psalm 130; Mark 5:21-43

 

Preparation

For the Focus Moment, distribute index cards and something to write with as people enter the worship space. Provide two baskets labeled WANTS and NEEDS.

Prelude

Welcome

Call to Worship

We wait for the Lord, our souls wait, and in God’s word we hope.

Our souls wait for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning.

We hope in the Lord!                                                             

—Psalm 130:5-7, adapted

Hymn of Praise

“Lord, You Have Brought Us”                                                                                  
CCS 76

OR “This Is God’s Wondrous World”                                                                      
CCS 136

OR “Restless Weaver”                                                                                             
CCS 145

Opening Prayer

Scripture Reading

OR Dramatic Reenactment

OR Storytelling

Jesus Generously Heals in Response to Faith: Mark 5:21-43

Hymn of Understanding

“God, Who Touches Earth with Beauty”                                  
CCS 568

OR “Into My Heart”   Sing several times.
CCS 573

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own.

OR “Touch Me Lord, with Thy Spirit Eternal”  
CCS 574

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own. 

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Ministry of Music OR Congregational Hymn of Balance

“Can We Calculate Our Giving”                                                                               
CCS 617

OR “For the Life That You Have Given”                                                                 
CCS 619 

Message

Based on 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Disciples’ Generous Response

Focus Moment: Wants and Needs, Generosity

Provide two baskets labeled WANTS and NEEDS. Provide index cards and pencils so participants can write down responses. Have them consider these questions:

• What is something you want?
• What are the things you need?

Write down their responses and place the cards in the appropriate basket. When everyone is finished, read the cards from each basket aloud.

Have a conversation about the concepts of wants and needs.

• Were there responses you didn’t agree with?
• How do you decide what is a want versus a need?
• What is giving?
• What is generosity?

Statement

Today we have learned incredible lessons about acting in faith and generosity, as expressed by Jesus healing a woman. We have also heard lessons from Paul, where he councils the people of Corinth on the importance of giving. The Focus Moment helped us learn the importance of managing our wants and needs and how we can be generous.

How can I balance wants and needs and give from my abundance?

As we share our mission tithes either by placing money in the plates or through eTithing, use this time to thank God for the many gifts received in life. Our hearts grow aligned with God’s when we gratefully receive and faithfully respond by living Christ’s mission.

If your congregation is meeting online, remind participants they can give through CofChrist.org/give or through eTithing at eTithing.org (consider showing these URLs on screen).

Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes

Hymn of Sending Forth

“Go Now Forth into the World”                                                                               
CCS 646

OR “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing"
CCS 648

OR “Send Me Forth"
CCS 651

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own.

 

Prayer for Peace

Light the Peace Candle.

Responsive Prayer for Peace

            Leader:            O God of Love, grant us your peace.

            People:            May all our inner turmoil cease.

            Leader:            Show us how to find your quiet rest.

            People:            God, give us grace to pray.

            Leader:            O God of Life, grant us your peace.

            People:            Teach us how to give a helping hand.

            Leader:            Day by day, and year by year,

            People:            God, give us grace to care.

            Leader:            O God of Hope, grant us your peace.

            People:            May global tensions now decrease.

            Leader:            Lead us to be merciful and just.

            People:            God, give us grace to trust.

            Leader:            O God of All, grant us your peace.

           People:            Help us to respond: to heal the sick, to seek the lost,                                        to set the captive free.

            Leader:            May we serve and never count the cost.

            People:           May we live peacefully.

            ALL:                O God, grant us your peace. Amen.

                                                                        —John A Dalles, “O God of Love,” CCS 316, adapted

 

Sending Forth: Go in peace.

Postlude

 

SERMON AND CLASS HELPS

Year B—Letters

Ordinary Time (Proper 8)

2 Corinthians 8:7–15

 

Exploring the Scripture

            While Paul was guiding, scolding, and giving pastoral care to the Gentile Christians in Asia Minor, the Jerusalem church struggled to survive. Finances were slim, and needs were significant. The original apostles were based in Jerusalem, and it was considered the mother-church, but many of the Jewish Christians were poor. They faced persecution from both Romans and staunch Jews and were often misrepresented to their Gentile neighbors. 

            Paul began fundraising among the Gentile churches despite (or because of) the differences between him and the Jerusalem leaders. He hoped to help the Jerusalem Christians and cement relationships between himself and the original apostles, as well as show the unity and faithfulness of the Gentile Christian congregations in solidarity with the Jerusalem disciples. He used different words for the collection in various letters: relief efforts, blessing, priestly service, and in this letter, he refers to it as an act of grace and sacred community. 

            Many scholars believe the content of chapters 8:1 to 9:15 was a separate letter inserted later into earlier correspondence. Chapter 8 begins with praise for the churches of Macedonia, the province just north of Achaia, where Corinth was located. Paul reminds the Corinthians their neighboring churches were not wealthy but responded generously out of their poverty to help with the collection. They begged “earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry”
(v. 4). Now, it is the Corinthians’ turn.

            The Corinthians had a passion for excellence, sometimes expressed in spiritual competition and conflicting goals. But Paul directs their striving for excellence toward a new goal: generosity—not as a command, but as a voluntary response prompted by love. Jesus Christ modeled sacrificial giving, for “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor…” (v. 9). The riches Paul refers to are the closeness of connection and the power Christ enjoyed with God before becoming human—a wealth he voluntarily abandoned in the Incarnation to show God’s love for humankind. Salvation blossoming out of grace and generosity, undeserved and freely given, is the Divine economy.

            The Corinthians promised funds for the Jerusalem church the year before, but something halted the process. Was it the pride and internal conflict Paul dealt with in other parts of his correspondence? Was it the rift between Paul and the leaders in Jerusalem? Did they disagree about the amount to give?

            The text doesn’t specify the cause. But now is the time to complete what they began so eagerly. “For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has” (v. 12). Community of Christ urges its members to give “according to your true capacity,” echoing today’s scripture passage (Doctrine and Covenants 163:9). No one is expected to give beyond their means. But where there is wealth and plenty, there is a more significant resource for generosity.

            The time may come when the Corinthian church may have needs which others can fill—either financial or spiritual. Paul hastens to assure the Corinthians he is not pressuring them but merely upholding fair balance and equity. Paul cites Exodus 16:18, about God’s manna sent to the starving Hebrews. No one went hungry, but there was none to horde. God provided sufficiency for all. 

Central Ideas

1. Paul raised funds among the Gentile Christians to donate to the poverty-stricken Christians in Jerusalem.
2. Jesus modeled generosity by offering salvation through grace, undeserved and freely given to all.
3. Generosity is not measured by the amount given but by the heartfelt desire to give according to your true capacity.  
4. Fear of exhausting personal resources must be replaced by trust in a God who gives freely and generously, so there is enough for all, without want or waste.

Questions for the Speaker

1. When have you been part of a fundraising campaign? Describe the campaign and tell how you motivated people to give.
2. Where do you see God’s economy of abundance and grace at work in the world?
3. When have you given your true capacity? How did it feel? How often does it happen in your life or the life of the congregation?
4. When have you stepped out in faith, trusting God to provide all that was sufficient, without want or waste?

 

SACRED SPACE: A RESOURCE FOR SMALL-GROUP MINISTRY

Year B Letters

Ordinary Time, Proper 8

2 Corinthians 8:7–15 NRSVUE

 

Gathering

Welcome

Ordinary Time is the period in the Christian calendar from Pentecost to Advent. This period is without major festivals or holy days. During Ordinary Time we focus on our discipleship as individuals and a faith community.

Prayer for Peace

Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.

Light the peace candle.

Today’s Prayer for Peace is inspired by the hymn: “As the Wind Song through the Trees,” Community of Christ Sings 42, by Shirley Erena Murray and Swee Hong Lim.

Never seen, ever known where this wind has blown
bringing life, bringing power to the world.

Ever-moving and ever-still Spirit, we thank you for the wind!
Gentle wind that cools us.
Whipping wind that urges us faster.
Howling wind that piques our curiosity.
Quiet wind that awakens our sense of direction.

As the wind coaxes us, may we be open and discerning to your guidance. May we bring life—peaceful life—to our neighborhoods. May we step into the wind and with the wind. Open our wings and let your wind carry us to never-seen yet always-known places. May we harness your Spirit of peace and blow it into the stuffy, stale corners of our communities, bringing breezes of peace to those gasping for fresh air.

In the name of Jesus, the breath of peace. Amen.

Spiritual Practice

Discernment through Contemplative Prayer

Enduring Principles are a foundation in Community of Christ. Today we are focusing on Responsible Choices.

We find stories in the scriptures of people reflecting on their history and seeing God’s hand in all of it. When we discern God’s presence in our own lives, we can sense the divine presence. Recognizing God’s presence can help us discern Responsible Choices. One way to help us discern is through contemplative prayer.

Contemplative prayer is a method of meditation used by Christians to sit in silence with God. This prayer helps us experience God’s presence within us. When we get quiet and listen to our heart, we can discern where God is calling us.

Choose a word as a symbol of your intent to open yourself to God’s presence.

Sit comfortably with your eyes closed and repeat your word slowly and silently.

When you become aware of thoughts, physical sensations, or emotions, allow them to pass from your mind; return gently to your word.

We will continue this practice for three minutes.

Ring a chime to start the meditation.

After three minutes, ring a chime to end the meditation.

Read the following:

Now we will sit in silence for three minutes to see what comes up in the silence.

Ring a chime to end the silence.

Invite group members to share how they felt during that experience.

Sharing Around the Table

2 Corinthians 8:7–15 NRSVUE

Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.

I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my opinion: it is beneficial for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something. Now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. For I do not mean that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may also supply your need, in order that there may be equality. As it is written,

“The one who had much did not have too much,
    and the one who had little did not have too little.”

The Jerusalem church struggled to survive. Finances were slim, and needs were significant. The original apostles were based in Jerusalem. It was considered the mother-church, but many Jewish Christians were poor. They faced persecution from Romans and staunch Jews and often were misrepresented to their Gentile neighbors.

Paul began fundraising among Gentile churches. He used different words for the collection in various letters: relief efforts, blessing, priestly service, and in this letter, he refers to it as an act of grace and sacred community.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that their neighboring churches were not wealthy but responded generously despite their poverty to help with the collection. Now, it is the Corinthians’ turn.

The Corinthians had a passion for excellence, sometimes expressed in spiritual competition and conflicting goals. Paul directs their quest for excellence toward a new goal: generosity—not as a command, but as a voluntary response prompted by love.

The Corinthians promised funds for the Jerusalem church the year before, but something halted the process. Was it the pride and internal conflict Paul dealt with in other parts of his correspondence? Was it the rift between Paul and the leaders in Jerusalem? Did they disagree about the amount to give? The text doesn't specify the cause. But now is the time to complete what they began so eagerly.

The time may come when the Corinthian church may have needs that others can fill—financial or spiritual. Paul hastens to assure the Corinthians that he is not pressuring them, merely upholding fair balance and equity.

Questions

1. Where do you see God’s generosity at work?
2. When have you been generous to your true capacity?
3. What keeps you from being generous? What motivates you to be generous?

Sending

Generosity Statement

Beloved Community of Christ, do not just speak and sing of Zion. Live, love, and share as Zion: those who strive to be visibly one in Christ, among whom there are no poor or oppressed.

—Doctrine and Covenants 165:6a

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response.

The offering prayer is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:

Discipling God, as we navigate our world of debt and consumerism, help us save wisely, spend responsibly, and give generously. In this way may we prepare for the future and create a better tomorrow for our families, friends, the mission of Christ, and the world. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn

Community of Christ Sings 619, “For the Life That You Have Given”

Closing Prayer

 

Optional Additions Depending on Group

• Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
• Thoughts for Children

 

Thoughts for Children

You will need:

• treats to share

Split participants into two groups. Give one group most of the treats and the other only a few (not enough for each member). When they start to react…

Ask: What’s wrong? (Affirm all responses.)

Say: Ahhhh, so you are concerned because I didn’t give the treats equally. One group had more than it needed, and the other didn’t have enough. I can see how that would be frustrating. How could we fix this?

Affirm all responses, but help participants come to see that those with more need to share with those who have less.

Say: In today’s scripture we are reminded that when we have more than someone else, someone who needs something, we should share with them. We shouldn’t make excuses or give reasons for why we deserve to have more. We should just share so everyone has enough.

Our world is structured so that resources are not distributed evenly. Some people have too much: too much food, too much money, etc. Other people do not have enough. Our world has more than enough resources for everyone to have what they need; we just need to make sure we share.

Ask: What is something that you have enough of that you could share?

Say: Thank you for your willingness to share. Keep your eyes open for more opportunities to share.

Give each person a treat before sending them back to their seats.