WELCOME, LOGISTICS AND EXPLANATION OF THE EVENING
Welcome to Dinner Church and Prayers around the Cross at Treehouse! We are thrilled you are here. If it is new to you, not to worry! We will guide you through everything.
Things to know about your time with Treehouse…
You are welcome here and we are blessed by your presence!
Come and go as you need.
Restrooms are all-Gender and located in the hall to the right.
Communion: bread is gluten-free, wine (red) & white grape juice (clear) are available.
WELCOME TO THE TABLE
L: As we gather at this dinner table, we welcome one another to the community we share.
L: We celebrate that each person is of sacred worth.
All:We honor the divine image in every human life.
L: We embrace all people, affirming the gifts of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and faith.
All: We affirm and welcome all people.
L: We are committed to working for racial equality and equality for all.
All: We commit ourselves to justice and equality.
L: No matter where you are on your journey, and regardless of who you are or who you love,
All: You are welcome here.
PRAYER:
Let us Pray…
Opening Song – All Are Welcome
Let us build a house where love can dwell
and all can safely live,
a place where saints and children tell
how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes and dreams and visions,
rock of faith and vault of grace;
here the love of Christ shall end divisions:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
Let us build a house where love is found
in water, wine and wheat:
a banquet hall on holy ground
where peace and justice meet.
Here the love of God, through Jesus,
is revealed in time and space;
as we share in Christ the feast that frees us:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
Confession & Forgiveness
L: Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
L: Gracious God,
All: we confess that we have sought worldly delights that deceive us and dishonor you, and have desired self-reliance instead of hungering for your Word.
We have failed to recognize your coming reign and have hindered the work of your Spirit among us.
We have drawn from the well of self-serving ambition and disdained the living water Christ offers.
We have disregarded voices from the margins and distrusted signs of your healing and hope in the world.
We have dwelt in tombs of self-pity and discontent and ignored Christ’s call to come forth into abundant life.
Have mercy on us according to your steadfast love;
forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
God’s steadfast love, grace, and forgiveness abound. Through faith, the free gift of God, you have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. The Spirit of the One who raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, pours God’s love into your hearts, and gives you life and peace.
Amen.
Sharing of the Bread
L: In this meal is found the greatest promise we have of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Here God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks,
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the 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.”
All are welcome to taste the mercy of God.
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.
L: Let us Pray,
God of our salvation, We thank You for this holy meal that restores us, reconciles us to You, and strengthens us for the journey.
Through the body and blood of Christ, make us one in Him and send us into the world as witnesses to Your redeeming love. Through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
All: Amen.
We’ll spend the first part of our meal in conversation hearing about our week. You are invited to share stories from your highs and lows from the week as well as where you saw Jesus at work in our world.
6:45 PM – The Word
The Lord be with you
and also with you
Matthew 4:1-11
[Jesus said to the disciples:] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Reflection & Discussion
- What stands out or makes you wonder/question in this text?
- Which of the three temptations feels most relatable to you right now — and why?
- Turning stones to bread (physical needs, comfort, instant gratification)
- Testing God (seeking proof, control, or dramatic reassurance)
- Power and glory (success, recognition, influence)
- Where are you most tempted to prioritize comfort over trust in God?
- What would it look like to trust God fully rather than grasping for control?
Song A Mighty Fortress is Our God
A mighty fortress is our God,
a sword and shield victorious;
he breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod
and wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
has sworn to work us woe!
With craft and dreadful might
he arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.
No strength of ours can match his might!
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
whom God himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is he!
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God’s only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.
Prayers
As we reflect on what we long for and need, you’re invited to share—aloud or in your heart—a word or name after each question, so that together we may hold one another before God in prayer as a community.
Let us Pray…
L: Reconciling & MercifulGod, You are our hope in times of turmoil, our justice when oppression prevails, our peace amid conflict and unrest. Bring comfort to those who suffer, courage to those who work for justice,
wisdom to leaders and decision-makers, and compassion to us all.
+ Where in our community, country or world do you wish to see a sign of hope justice, and Peace
Lord in your Mercy,
All: Receive our Prayers
L: Loving & Compassionate God, you are the source of life and the giver of wholeness and you know our needs before we speak them. We come before you in need of your healing grace. Lay your gentle hand upon those who suffer. Ease their burdens, calm their anxieties, and surround them with your loving presence.
+ Who do you know that needs a touch of care, hope and healing from God?
Lord in your Mercy,
All: Receive our Prayers
L: Gracious & Generous God, For the gift of life and breath, for the beauty of creation that surrounds us, for the love of family and friends, and for the quiet mercies that meet us each day, we give you thanks. Receive our gratitude not only in words, but in lives that reflect your love. Make us mindful of your blessings, generous in spirit, and eager to share the gifts we have received.
All: +What do we have to give thanks for and celebrate this evening?
Lord in your Mercy,
All: Receive our Prayers
Lord’s Prayer
L: Now Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit we pray now the prayer Jesus taught us.
All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Sharing the Cup
As we gather at this table, joining in the meal our Lord Jesus shared with His disciples, let us give thanks and praise to God, who brings us salvation and restores us through this holy feast.
L: Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.”
Here again Christ meets us with mercy, nourishes us with grace, and gathers us into one Body through His love.
And so together, we take the cup of wine, sharing those sacred words with one another, “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.
Text: African American spiritual
Post-Wine Prayer/Blessing
L: 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.
L: Let us Pray, God of our salvation,
All: we give you thanks for this meal that restores our souls, reconciles us to you, and strengthens us for the journey. Through the body and blood of your Son, may we become Christ’s body in the world, bearing witness to your love for all creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Blessing & Sending
L: Receive this Blessing
May you be marked with the sign of repentance and walk steadfastly in the way of the Cross toward the joy of Your Resurrection.
All: Amen.
Song – Just As I Am
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
L: Go In Peace, Love ands Serve the Lord
All: Thanks be to God and Weeee Will!