LITURGY AS ANTIRACISM SPEECH

TURNING ROUTINE INTO LIBERATION

Far too often we move through the liturgy of a worship service waiting for an anthem, a hymn or the sermon to address our needs for spiritual nourishment. We forget that the service of worship is structured to incorporate our true self into the nurturing relationship with the God who created us in the Divine image.

When we seek to participate in anti-racism ministry, we need to revitalize our participation in the parts of worship that can give us courage and vision.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Both the PRELUDE and the CALL TO WORSHIP are an invitation to leave daily routine behind and spend some time renewing our relationship with God who created us and loves us into a future that reflects God’s intention for all of creation. Jesus often refers to this as the Kingdom of God. Frequently we pray the Lord’s Prayer and petition God that “God’s Kingdom Come and God’s WILL BE DONE ON EARTH as it is in Heaven.” For a brief period of time, we are to focus our attention and our whole being on participation in God’s answer to that prayer. While it is not the only focus, it would be good if the pastor occasionally structured the Call to Worship to draw attention to the anti-racism aspect of our spiritual journey. What does it mean for us to focus on God’s will with respect to the consequences of racism in God’s beloved world?

PRAYERS OF PRAISE

Our Prayers of Praise offer us to step beyond the finite and often damaged reality of our world. Here we have the opportunity to affirm the rich diversity of our world that is a mirror reflecting God’s infinite love. The last five Psalms are a rich resource to stimulate our imagination. It speaks of snow, grass, hills, fruit trees, monsters, birds, stars, trumpets, and clanging symbols. It also speaks of humans who are broken hearted, prisoners, the stranger, the orphan, and all who are bowed down. As we are invited to let a spark of eternity into our lives, we can let the diversity of God’s creation reflect God’s beauty. Our very acts of praise are a challenge to the division, prejudice, and systemic oppression that distorts God’s image in creation.

Here is my attempt to offer you a sample

CALL TO WORSHIP

Adapted from Psalm 140-142

Leader: We call upon you, O Lord; . . . Let our prayers be counted as incense before you. (141:1-2)

People:   Do not turn our hearts to any evil that separates us from the beauty of your diverse humanity.

Leader: Bring us out of the prison of racism so that we may give thanks to your name. (142:7)

People: Let us join you in maintaining the cause of the needy and executing justice for the poor and those divided by race.  (140:12)

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CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

The very contrast between what reflects God’s beautiful love and the narrow fears, greed, and oppression that we accept in our lives moves us towards confession. For those involved in addressing racism in our society, it is accepted that we who are White experience advantages in our society that is structured against Blacks and other People of Color. This is not because we are mean or evil, but because we are humans that have advantages because of our color. Too often, when we hear that voiced, we become defensive or paralyzed by guilt.

Our worship provides us an alternative direction in our journey. We participate in a faith that enables us to confess our guilt because we know through Christ, and the experience of the disciples, that by honestly confessing, God offers us a forgiveness that enables us to grow in our faith. If you are aware of Alcoholics Anonymous, you witness an example that the opportunity to grow into wholeness begins with the confession, “I am an alcoholic.” Imagine that same redeeming and healing power being present as we confess, “I am a racist.”  Again, a pastor could structure such an invitation into prayers of confession in our worship services.

Prayers of confession are not opportunities to wallow in guilt but to open ourselves to the astonishing grace that liberates us to reflect the power of God’s love that gave birth and continues to give birth to the diversity of creation. Each prayer of confession is like a small version of Israel’s ritual of the scapegoat. Each year they would load their sins on the goat and drive it into the wilderness. They were liberated to start fresh to relate to the universe in all its beauty and freshness.

Imagine the release of creative energy that the forgiven worshipper could spread over God’s universe.

Here is a sample prayer of confession:

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God, we want to reflect your beautiful diverse universe with each part bearing a gift that reflects your loving image. We confess that we bear the racial sins of our ancestors and continue to accept the systemic divisions in both church and society. Whether from fear, greed, or ignorance, we fail to reflect your healing love that seeks to reconcile the world to yourself. Liberate us from our small vision of your will being done and set us free to strive for your kingdom coming on earth. 

SCRIPTURE AND SERMON

The prayers of confession are frequently followed by stepping beyond narrowness of our lives and being addressed by the Word of God proclaimed in the sermon.  We are connected with something greater than our finite lives. We are liberated to reflect eternity, knowing that there is more to life and creation than we often perceive.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

When we come to the prayers of thanksgiving and intercession, we have another opportunity to nurture our spiritual journey. When we offer thanksgiving to God, we are not saying, “I thank you God for recognizing that I am a superior person and rewarding my faithful activity,” as Jesus illustrated in the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. The truth is the exact opposite. We are standing in wonder (or kneeling) and acknowledging a powerful experience of GRACE. We are witnessing to how grace has worked in our “sinful lives,” and how that displays how a Graceful God operates in our world. Therefore, we dare to also petition God on behalf of other conditions in the world. This includes the toxic pattern of racism that destroys the beautiful rainbow of diversity that God offers us.

OFFERING

Too often we respond to the offering opportunity with the mindset that this is a necessary practice that interrupts true worship because it helps fund the activities of the church. Yet the offering invites us to take an action that testifies to our relationship with the Divine reality and can effect grace even through small actions with grateful intentions. The act of giving releases one of the cores of our true self as we reflect the image of God from whom generous love flows. While it does help fund the activities of the church, that church is enabled to both act to nourish grace among members and reach out to display that grace in our larger community both in the neighborhood and throughout the world. In effect, we are recognizing a Divine act of reparation.

BENEDICTION

If you feel a little overwhelmed by all of this, stand and receive the benediction. This is the final blessing that petitions God to empower us through both big and small ways to live a life that reflects our faith that God was in Christ reconciling the world to God’s self and not counting our sins against us.  We are ready for the week ahead.

IMMAGINE EXPERIENCING ANTI-RACISM WORSHIP EACH WEEK