Thanksgiving Worship Service for 70th Anniversary of Liberation Day

Transcription

1 Thanksgiving Worship Service for 70th Anniversary of Liberation Day Writer: Un Yong Kim (Professor of Worship/Homiletics at Presbyterian College and Theological University, Dean of the School of Ministry) * Worship Guidelines 1. This worship liturgy was designed for use by churches of our denomination on the occasion of the 70th year of national division, to give thanks for liberation and independence and to pray for reunification of our divided country, as we think about God s history leading to the return of the Babylonian captives. 2. This liturgy is designed for use at a morning or evening service on August 9th, Sunday of Thanks for Liberation. 3. This order of worship has four elements: 1) giving thanks for God s grace in granting us liberation and blessing us with the gospel when our country was small and weakened by imperialism; 2) giving thanks for our faithful ancestors, who kept their faith, resisted Japanese imperialism and its policy to obliterate the Korean nation, and built churches even in the midst of hardship and adversity; 3) praying for our divided country to be reunified; and 4) dedicating our church to God, by taking responsibility for our nation and people, and loving and setting the nation aright. 4. This liturgy may be modified to fit each church s individual situation.

2 * Thanksgiving Worship Service for 70th Anniversary of Liberation Invitation to worship Invitation to worship with the striking of a gong / Presider God has granted through special grace the liberation and independence of Korea when our people were immersed in deep sorrow. Heaven s grace was given us thanks to our faithful ancestors, who dedicated their lives to showing that God rules this world, and who prayed in tears on cold church floors early every morning in order to build God s church; and thanks to the independence fighters who courageously dedicated and sacrificed their lives for the liberation of our country. Now that 70 years have passed, we are blessed with a prosperity that was given by heaven, despite the war be tween North and South and continuous political chaos. Let us worship God at this time with all our hearts and minds, as we think about the countless blessings that God has given our people. (At this time strike a gong, or if that is not available, a bell.) Call to worship/ Psalm 117:1-2, 116:12-13/ Presider What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (NRSV) Hymn/ Choir Invocation/ Presider Father God, who leads and rules over this people with endless grace and love, we gather together to worship you on this day of the 70th anniversary of liberation, as we think about the boundless measure of grace you have granted us. Blessed Trinity, we glorify you alone through this worship. Grant your grace and mercy to all who worship here. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

3 Praise and Confession Hymn/ Come, Thou Almighty King (#10)/ Together Prayer of Confession/ Presider Let us ask for mercy and pray in confession as we go before God s throne. Although God s grace to us is overflowing, our ways of life have not made the Lord rejoice. Today God grants forgiveness and grace to all those who request mercy, repent of their sins, seek self-restoration, and return to God. We come to God, remembering and confessing the sins that our people have committed, that our churches have committed, and that we ourselves have committed. *Declaration of Forgiveness He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Hymn/ Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (#1)/ Together Responsive Reading #101/ Together Prayer/ Person assigned The Word Scripture reading/ Person assigned Anthem/ Choir Sermon/ Preacher Prayer after sermon/ Preacher

4 Sending forth Hymn/ The Lord God Keep This Country (#581)/ Together Intercessory prayer/ Peace Be With You (a song by Hyung Sun Ryu, song leader & congregation/ together) * Presider: Our faithful ancestors dreamed of liberation, prayed, and fought passionately for independence. God granted us this blessing, and gave us this nation and people, for the realization of our mission. Let us pray for our country and people. Fill us with the story of peace, and end the story of war in the Korean peninsula after these 70 years of division. Give us the blessing of reunification in this time. Shine the light of the gospel in the land of North Korea. Let us pray for the small land of the Korean peninsula, which struggles amongst the powerful nations just as it did 100 years ago, that we may have God s peace and sovereignty. Let us pray for God s justice to be realized. Let us pray together for leaders at all levels to be righteous, so that our nation heads in the right direction. (After praying together, the song leader will sing Peace Be With You. ) * Presider: Let us pray for this world that the Lord loves so much. Let all lands and nations know about God s love and peace through the cross and resurrection. Let us pray for the people that are undergoing suffering and pain, those who are in the midst of conflict and war, those in lands troubled by religious conflict, and especially for the people of Palestine, Syria, Ukraine and other countries rent by war, and for North Korea, the wilderness of the gospel. Let us also pray for Nepal, where people are suffering due to disaster. (After praying together, the song leader will sing Peace Be With you. ) * Presider: Let us pray for the church, which the Lord loves so much. Let us pray for the church that shares the gospel of the blood of the Cross and the resurrection. Let us pray for the Korean church to revive its glory as a church that moves in the power of the Gospel. Let us pray for our denomination, the Presbyterian Church of Korea, and for the churches that belong to the PCK. Let us pray for persons who have chosen to be leaders for the gospel and the church, and who seek God s joy with sincere hearts. Let our church be used to share the gospel and to actualize God s kingdom in this world. Let our church be a community that shares love with our neighbors and serves the Lord sincerely. Let our church be a mis sion community of love. (After praying together, the song leader will sing Peace Be With You.

5 * Presider: Let us pray for our neighbors. Let us pray for the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry victims, for fired and unemployed workers, for migrant workers, marginalized people, the sick, and those in prison. Let us pray for church members who are dealing with pain and difficulty, for those who are overcome by sorrow and loneliness, for young adults who are in military service or studying abroad, and for church members who live abroad. (After praying together, the song leader will sing Peace Be With You. ) * Presider: Let us pray for the next generation. Let us pray for the whole church, its members, and the Sunday school teachers who devote time and effort to teaching God s word to the next generation. Let us pray for the seven theological seminaries (Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Honam Theological University and Seminary, Daejeon Theological Seminary College, Youngnam Theological College and Seminary, Busan Presbyterian University, Hanil University & Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and Seoul Jangsin University and Theological Seminary), which are in charge of training spiritual leaders. (After praying together, the song leader will sing the first part of the song Peace Be with You, followed by the congregation singing the whole song.) * Together: Peace be with you Peace be with you/ Heaven s peace will be with you all/ cheer up/ cheer up/ My peace will be with you to the end of the day. Hymn/ River and Mountain, Streams Flowing Clear (#580)/ Together

6 * Word of Commission/ Head pastor Friends, go out into the world now. Be workers who build up your families, work places, country, and nation according to God s word. Be people who share God s blessings and make peace in the world. May the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, NRSV) *Benediction/Head pastor *Postlude/ Choir **Sing National Anthem/ together 1. Till the East Sea dries up and Mt. Baekdu wears down, God will protect us; hail to our nation. 2. On Mt. Namsan, like that armored pine tree, Unchanging against wind and frost is our spirit. 3. The autumn sky is far and wide, high and cloudless, The bright moon is our heart, single-hearted. 4. With this spirit and heart, be loyal, and In pain or in joy, let s love Korea. Refrain Rose of Sharon, beautiful land of Korea, Daehan people, as Daehan, let s go on forever.