Since beginning pastoral ministry in 2003, it has always been my tradition to celebrate, not just Mother's Day, but "Festival of the Christian Home," which is a beautiful way to consider the inclusiveness of this particular day. This is a United Methodist term, and our tradition believes that we can use this as an opportunity to strengthen our homes as a place for living justly, celebrating the fullness of our creation as individuals and families of all compositions.
It has always been true - from Biblical times until today - that families have had a variety of ways in which they are expressed. Many of us have dear and close relationships with our families of origin, but so many of us do not. In light of that, we have found ways to create families of choice, form covenant relationships with spouses and partners, and become loving and caring people to children of all ages.
This Sunday at Laguna Beach United Methodist Church, we will offer a Blessing of Families liturgy, in which we, as individuals, couples, families of choice and families with children, are invited to come forward to be anointed and blessed. This ritual serves a dual purpose, both to honor the people who have mothered and loved us, as well as to honor the many ways in which we have created our families. I wrote this liturgy in 2008 for use at Saint Mark United Methodist Church, as a way to recognize the covenant relationships that existed, but had never had the opportunity of being blessed or recognized in the church.
I pray that you will bring those dear to you to our service of worship, so that we can celebrate this special day together.
BLESSING OF OUR
INDIVIDUAL CREATION
Fathering God,
you have searched us and known us. You know when we lie down and when we rise
up; you discern our thoughts from far away.
It has always been true - from Biblical times until today - that families have had a variety of ways in which they are expressed. Many of us have dear and close relationships with our families of origin, but so many of us do not. In light of that, we have found ways to create families of choice, form covenant relationships with spouses and partners, and become loving and caring people to children of all ages.
Mothering God,
it was you who formed our inward parts, you who knit us together in our
mother’s womb. We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Holy Son, you
have come into the world as the Word made flesh and dwelling among us, as a
constant and abiding reminder that God is always with us, even to the ends of
the earth. You are the light that has shined in the darkness, and the darkness
did not overcome it.
Creating
Spirit: Where can we go that you are not with us? If we ascend to heaven, you are
there. If we make our bed in the depths, you are there. If we perceive the
darkness overwhelming us, we know that even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. You hem us
in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon us. When we come to the end, you
are still with us.
Let us pray:
Loving God, in your wisdom you have created us and given
us many gifts. Today, we thank you for
all that we mean to each other and to our friends and families. We thank you for the love that has brought us
to this time and place, and for your love which abides to tie us all together.
Where you are, O God, there is love. Amen.
BLESSING OF OUR
RELATIONSHIPS
God, in your
wisdom and love, you have created us and called us good. You have created us in
your image, and blessed us as men and women. Today we celebrate the joy that we
have found in relationship with one another. As you have created us and called
us good, so have you said that it is not good that we should be alone, so you
have given us helpers as partners. You have given us choice in who we build our
relationships with, and we are able to say to one another, as Ruth said to
Naomi:
Where
you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people, and
your God, my God.
Let us pray:
God, your strength is sufficient for us all. We have
committed ourselves one to the other in your presence, so we pray that you will
continue to be with us in the unfolding of our future. Give us strength and courage in times of
difficulty, wisdom and love in times of opportunity and challenge, and the
sharing of joy in times of happiness and success. May we continue to grow in your love; through
the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.
BLESSING OF OUR
FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILIES OF CHOICE
Incarnate
Christ: You have modelled to us what it is to be in relationship with one
another. You have broken bread with the weary, comforted the lonely, healed the
sick, and wept with friends. We see in your witness what it means to love one
another as God has loved us. We thank you for calling us friends, because you
have made known to us everything that you have heard from our Father in heaven.
Thank you for sharing in relationship with us as equals, and help us to
continue to love our friends as you have loved us. Bless us as we form
relationships with one another that, as we speak, our souls will be bound up in
one another, so that we may love our friends as our own souls, just as Jonathan
loved David.
Let us Pray:
God of friends and families, we are linked together in a community of friendship and support. We pray for one another. We remember those
who cannot be with us today. May we all continue to share in your gifts of
love, strength, courage and wisdom, and to know your joy. Give us growing understanding, sympathy with
each other's difficulties, patience with each other's faults, and grace to walk
in your ways. Amen.
BLESSING FOR
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN
Creator Spirit:
You have worked in us to make us open to loving one another in selfless and
life-giving ways. For some of us this means the responsibility and joy of
raising children. For these lives, which have touched us and blessed us, we
thank you. Today we bring to you our children in order that they may be blessed
as Christ blessed the children of his day saying, “Let the little children come
to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God
belongs.” And he took them up in his arms and blessed them. Help us to bless
them as they have blessed us.
Let us pray:
Loving God: We come today carrying children and youth
in our hearts – the children we brought into this world, the children we
parent, our grandchildren, nieces, nephews, Godchildren, mentees, the children
we care for in our work, and the children we speak out for in our witness.
Lord, help us not to be so preoccupied with our purposes that we fail to hear
their voices or see their special vision of truth. Keep us with them, ready to
listen and to love even as you have loved us, your grown-up and sometimes
wayward children. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
And now, with the confidence of the children
of God, let us pray:
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. Amen.
THE ANOINTING
All are welcome to come forward to be anointed
individually. If you like, you may come as an individual, or with your spouse or partner, children, or with friends and family of choice.
