Welcome to Dinner Church at Treehouse! We are thrilled you are here. Tonight’s worship mirrors a form of worship known by the earliest Christians. If it is new to you, not to worry! We will guide you through everything. Take a moment in prayer to settle yourself and recognize the presence of God already at your table. Then relax and enjoy this night!
Welcome, Introductions and Explanation of the Night
To long-time Lutherans, Christians from every tradition, and people new to the faith.
We welcome you
To all who have no church home, want to follow Christ, have doubts or do not believe.
We welcome you
To people of every age and size, color and culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, and marital status, ability, disability, and challenge.
We welcome you
To believers, non-believers, questioners, and questioning believers.
This is a place where you are welcome to: celebrate and struggle, rejoice and recover.
AMEN
Candle Lighting
Gathering Prayer
The Lord be with you!
And also with you.
Let us pray…
Opening Song – 10,0000 Reasons
Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
Worship Your holy name
Lord I’ll worship Your holy name
Sing like never before O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
Worship Your holy name
Worship Your holy name
© 2011 Atlas Mountain Songs; sixsteps Music; Thankyou Music Ltd; worshiptogether.com songs
Sharing of the Bread
The greatest promise we have of God’s mercy and forgiveness is found in this meal. Here God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. Know that EVERYONE is welcome at this table.
On the night before Jesus was to die, he gathered together with his friends for dinner. And on that night, he took the bread, broke it, and gave it to them saying, “Take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
And so tonight, we do the same. We take bread, broken for us, and share it with one another with those sacred words, “The body of Christ given for you.”
Bread is passed to your neighbor, saying: “The body of Christ given for you.”
Communion Song – Let Us Break Bread Together
Let us break bread together on our knees;
let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees,
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
Post-Bread Blessing
Be strengthened this night by the presence of Christ made known to you in the bread and in one another. Amen.
We’ll spend the first part of our meal in conversation.
Reading – Luke 5:27-32
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. Then Levi gave a big dinner for Jesus. The dinner was at Levi’s house. At the table there were many tax collectors and other people, too. But the Pharisees and the men who taught the law for the Pharisees began to complain to the followers of Jesus. They said, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor. It is the sick who need a doctor. I have not come to invite good people. I have come to invite sinners to change their hearts and lives!”
Reflection
Table Discussions
As you share the meal tonight you are invited as you feel comfortable to choose from the discussion prompts below.
* What stands out to you most about this story of Jesus calling Levi?
* How does this story maybe challenge the idea that we need to “fix ourselves” before following Jesus
* Have you ever felt called to step away from something familiar to follow a new opportunity or purpose, like Levi did?
* When do you feel most loved?
Prayers
Gracious God, we come to you in prayer for the church, the world, and all in need.
As we pray reflecting upon these questions about what we long for and need, please feel free to share out loud or in your heart,
a few words or a name after each question, so that we might pray together, holding one another before God as a community of care.
God of All, grant wisdom and integrity to our leaders. May they govern with justice, compassion, and humility, seeking the good of all. Protect our nation and guide us in unity and peace.
Where in our country and world do you desire to witness a sign of God’s hope, justice, and peace?
God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Heavenly Father, bring healing and comfort to those who are sick. Strengthen their bodies, calm their hearts, and surround them with Your peace and love. Be near to all who care for them.
Who do you know that needs healing and hope from God.
God of grace,
receive our prayer.
Gracious God, thank You for the blessings You pour into our lives each day. For life, love, and the gift of today, we praise You. Help us to live with grateful hearts.
What do we have to give thanks for and celebrate this evening?
God of grace,
receive our prayer.
We entrust these prayers to you, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ, our redeemer and friend.
All God Children say
Amen
Sharing the Cup
When supper had ended that night, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this as often as you drink in remembrance of me.”
And so tonight, we take the cup of wine, and we drink together, “The blood of Christ shed for you.”
Wine/Juice is passed to your neighbor, saying: “The blood of Christ shed for you.”
Communion Song
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees,
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.
Post-Wine Blessing
Now that you have tasted the goodness of God in bread and wine, let us be the body of Christ, blessed and broken for the whole world. Amen.
Closing Song – Canticle of the Turning
1. My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
and my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
so from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
3. From the halls of pow’r to the fortress tow’r,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
ev’ry tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
there are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
4 .Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
Text: Rory Cooney, b. 1952, based on the Magnificat. Text © 1990 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.
Blessing and Sending
The God of righteousness,
who gives justice to the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry,
who sets the prisoners free,
bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God. And Weee Will!