James the Greater (Summer Series)
I am using the sundaysandseasons.com resources for prayers and am not writing my own. I will still list hymn suggestions and other resources for any others thinking about using this summer series.
Festival Day: July 25
Color: Red or Green
Readings: Acts 11:27-12:3a; Mark 10:35-45
Resources: anglican.com, satucket.com, Wikipedia
James and John left all that they had known and the future they had prepared for to follow Jesus on a path they couldn’t predict. When during that journey they asked Jesus for the places of honor in the coming kingdom, Jesus knew that once again they didn’t know what they were in for. Yet James did indeed drink from the same cup as Jesus when he became the first apostle to be killed for his faith. We, who also want to pin down God’s promise to us, pray that we will have the faith to follow Jesus into a future that is not the one we would have planned.
Suggested hymns based on the texts:
ELW #302. As with Gladness Men of Old
ELW #421. By All Your Saints (esp. v. 17)
ELW #626. By Gracious Powers
ELW #431. O Christ, What Can It Mean for Us
ELW #304. Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized
ELW #729. The Church of Christ, in Every Age
ELW #804. Come Down, O Love Divine
ELW #532. Gather Us In
ELW #428. Give Thanks for Saints
ELW #526. God Is Here!
ELW #708. Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love
ELW #712. Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service
ELW #818. O Master, Let Me Walk with You
ELW #322. Oh, Love How Deep
ELW #843. Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
ELW #418. Rejoice in God’s Saints
ELW #590. Salvation unto Us Has Come
ELW #497. Strengthen for Service, Lord
ELW #667. Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said
ELW #614. There Is a Balm in Gilead
ELW #666. What Wondrous Love Is This
ELW #659. Will You Let Me Be Your Servant
LBW #114. There Is a Green Hill Far Away
W&P #96 Make Me a Servant
Various Hymnals “Are Ye Able,” Said the Master (1926) by Earl Marlatt
Various Hymnals From Heaven You Came (1983) by Graham Kendrick
Various Hymnals He came to earth, not to be served (1990) by John Pantry
Various Hymnals James and John Once Came to Jesus (2008) by Paul Davidson
Various Hymnals Now in This Banquet (1986) by Marty Haugen
Various Hymnals Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee (1524) by Martin Luther
(ELW=Evangelical Lutheran Worship; LBW=Lutheran Book of Worship)
Other (mostly contemporary) options:
“Blessed Be Your Name” By Matt Redman, Beth Redman.
“My Lighthouse” As performed by Rend collective
“The Servant King” By Graham Kendrick.
“You Are Worthy” By Darlene Zschech.
More options here.
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