Complete Story
07/29/2020
Printable Worship Companion for August 2-November 22 2020
Below are links to PDF versions of an August-November Worship Companion created by Pr. Dan Hille from the Southern Ohio Synod, with the help of many other faithful preachers of the Word, including our own Pr. Bob Abrams, for your congregations use. (The Worship Companion materials may also be accessed in the Worship Resources section of our website.) Even if you are already holding worship services in person or online, there are some in your congregation and community who would benefit from a hard copy or a printable copy of a worship service they can read through and share in their own home. Bishop Dillahunt, and the SOS Out of the Box Team, thanks Pr. Hille for his initiative and out-of-the-box thinking that helps bridge the divide between digital, in-person, and at-home-but-not-digital world we are now a part of.
Please read Pr. Hille's words below about how this companion came about and how to use this valuable resource.
Prior to Pentecost this year I was talking to a friend about the church’s ability to continue its work amidst the challenging times at hand. The very real threat of COVID19 had most, if not all, the churches in Ohio relegated to online arenas on Sunday mornings, and seeking to extend their virtual footprint to offer words of hope, gospel, and guidance to all who are seeking.
I suggested that Pentecost this year would mirror the familiar account in Acts when the church spoke in tongues to communicate the gospel. We may not be speaking the languages that the Apostles did, but now the church would be learning how to communicate through Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms. My friend said he thought Pentecost would mirror the New Testament story in a different way. He suggested it would be a beautiful example of the church learning how to work together in new ways, and creating a new sense of self, which has not been done on this scale since Luke’s account in Acts.
In truth, Pentecost this year was both of these things, a time of speaking in new ways, and working together in unprecedented ways to establish a new sense of church. For those where I serve, we began a series of touchless food drives, encouraging parishioners to drive by the church and drop off canned goods for the local food pantry. We also worked closely with a brewery and a food truck in our neighborhood to offer a free community meal program from our parking lot. The positive engagement of parishioners & community partners began to show us that worship could happen from our homes, as new ministries were blooming outside the building.
However, there are many who cannot join current online expressions of the church because of insufficient internet, lack of computer ownership, or other technological issues. This forces us to ask the question, how does the church continue to speak, and reach out, to those on the other side of the internet divide?
What you have before you is an offering to the church during this time of shifting, growing, and recalibrating. The goal is simple; to provide words of hope, gospel, and guidance to any who may be seeking them in a printable form.
Within these pages is a complete order of worship for each Sunday from August 2nd (the 9th Sunday After Pentecost) through November 22nd (Christ The King). There is a Call To Worship, Prayer of the Day, Reading(s), Sermon, Prayers of Intercession, the Lord’s Prayer, Thanksgiving for the Word, and Closing prayer for every Sunday.
These prayers, sermons, and other parts of worship have been contributed by a wonderful and diverse group of people I have the pleasure to call peers, colleagues, and most of all friends. By contributing their time and efforts, we have created this Worship Companion that is not limited or restricted by copyright or publication laws. Our hope is that this resource be shared with all seeking connection, hope, and the gospel during these isolating and challenging times.
Rev. Daniel W. Hille
Eighth Week After Pentecost, 2020
Worship Companion For SOS Aug Nov 2020
WC August-September 2020 Large Print
WC October-November 2020 Large Print
