Juneteenth Prayer Liturgy

I've written each part of this Juneteenth liturgy below including text copy for a projected SLIDE and cooresponding LEADER SCRIPT. Alternatively, slide elements can be printed in an order of worship for participants to follow. Click here for a document with a printable copy-paste version of the liturgy.

Teach the Song

LEADER

[Introduce the song: “I See the Love of God in You”]

I see the love of God in you,

the light of Christ comes shining through,

and I am blessed to be with you,

oh holy child of God.

SLIDE: LYRICS

I see the love of God in you,
the light of Christ comes shining through,
and I am blessed to be with you,
oh holy child of God.

[Song will be taught to the congregation.]

[Song will continue. Wait for verbal instruction to move to a blank or generic slide]

SLIDE: BLANK SCREEN

[Congregation will practicing singing without the lyrics in front of them]

Opening

SLIDE: EVENT TITLE

JUNETEENTH PRAYER SERVICE

INVITATION TO PRAYER IN 4 PARTS

written by Rev. Linda Furtado, Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference UMC

LEADER SCRIPT

Greatings beloveds. I am honored to invite us to engage with a journey reflection, and prayer. This moment of prayer is organized as inspired by Rev. John Varden. His words from the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of The United Methodist Church's Acts Continues Bible Study inspired Rev. Linda Furtado to write a liturgy that might help us to follow Paul’s journey to Fast, Confess, Examine, and Hold Fast to Fellowship and Community. I encourage you, at a later time, to read his reflection on pages 46-47 of the Bible study materials.

As we prepare to pray together, know that we will spend time in this service of reflection and prayer much as we might in Lent, but inspired by Juneteenth. Consider for a moment what we do when we remember the history of our church just as we would when we prepare to celebrate Easter.

We often reenact in worship, song, sermon, church plays, and the stations of the cross as we internalize and visualize every year, never forgetting the timeline and act of torture and pain that Jesus suffered on the cross. The cross, a weapon of pain that yet we have so redeemed by God's grace through Jesus Christ so much so that it is now even included in the symbol of our denomination.

So today, we make the most of an opportunity to experience the stories often relegated to civil rights and black history museums in the art of worship not through a sermon but through theatrical remembrances and reminders as they resonate within our hearts and minds.

PART 1: FAST

SLIDE:

PART 1: FAST

A moment of silence.

LEADER SCRIPT

Let us pause for 10 seconds of silence as we fast from comfort, text messages, and other distractions and listen for the still, small voice within.

Silent Prayer

[Swtich to next slide during the moment of silence]

PART 2: CONFESS

SECTION 1 on BODY

SLIDE:

PART 2: CONFESS (Body, Mind, Spirit, Self, Others)

Moment of prayer on BODY in confession.

LEADER

For this moment of prayer in confession,

SLIDE:

Leader: Let us pray in light of Body.

Consider the stories and history of slavery that come to mind. The lives, suffering, and deaths. Time focused so much on breaking and using shame and pain to oppress black bodies into submission.

LEADER SCRIPT [NOTE: This echos what is on the slide above. Moving forward, all spoken parts are also the slide parts unless otherwise specified.]

let us pray in light of Body.

Consider the stories and history of slavery that come to mind. The lives, suffering, and deaths. Time focused so much on breaking and using shame and pain to oppress black bodies into submission.

SLIDE:

Leader: It’s up to me to do the work.

People: It’s up to me to do the work.

SLIDE:

Leader: Did I cause Jesus’ suffering?

Did I chain, whip, and enslave African people?

People: No. But it’s up to me to do the work to make things right through the righteousness of Christ.

SLIDE:

Leader: Let’s pause for 10 seconds of silent prayer

[Switch to next slide during the moment of silence]

SECTION 2 on MIND

SLIDE:

PART 2: CONFESS (Body, Mind, Spirit, Self, Others)

Moment of prayer on MIND in confession.

LEADER SCRIPT:

For this moment of prayer in confession,

SLIDE:

Leader: Let us pray in light of Mind.

Consider the history of Jim Crow.

SLIDE:

Leader: Did I consciously make others second-class citizens to me?

People: No. But I’m sorry, and it’s up to me to do the work to make things right through the righteousness of Christ.

Leader: Let’s pause for 10 seconds of silent prayer

[Switch to next slide during the moment of silence]

SECTION 3 on SPIRIT

SLIDE:

PART 2: CONFESS (Body, Mind, Spirit, Self, Others)

Moment of prayer on SPIRIT in confession.

LEADER SCRIPT:

For this moment of prayer in confession,

SLIDE:

Let us pray in light of Spirit.

Consider the history of Red Lining, a practice in this country that prevented and still today impacts our ability to live into the spirit of “Ubuntu” – I am because we are.

SLIDE:

Leader: Consider your thoughts as you reflect by the Spirit on these next questions.

SLIDE:

Leader: Did I remember that we were one in the Spirit when I invested in systems built upon the backs of others that fuel my privilege? Or, did I turn a blind eye out of my actions or inactions, centering choices on myself, my home, my family, my job, and my comfort over the community?

SLIDE:

Leader: Answer aloud, Yes or No.

People: ________

LEADER SCRIPT:

Answer aloud, Yes or No.

SLIDE:

People: I must advocate for community transformation by the Spirit, say I’m sorry, and it’s up to me to do the work to make things right through the righteousness of Christ.

SLIDE:

Leader: Let’s pause for 10 seconds of silent prayer

[Switch to next slide during the moment of silence]

SECTION 4 on SELF

SLIDE:

PART 2: CONFESS (Body, Mind, Spirit, Self, Others)

Moment of prayer on SELF in confession.

LEADER SCRIPT:

For this moment of prayer in confession,

SLIDE:

Leader: Let us pray in light of Self.

Consider the nature of consumer culture. So much in this world is self-centered which is contrary to the history of fighting for justice and equality amidst the Civil Rights Movement, Black Consciousness, and Black Lives Matter movements.

[NOTE: The original script was revised for Annual Conference. Black Consciousness had read "Black Power," which is more acurate though potentially a more devisive for those unfamiliar with some history around the language.]

SLIDE:

Leader: Consider your thoughts as you reflect inwardly on this next question.

SLIDE:

Leader: Did I forget to consider the impact of holding on to my wealth and being overly concerned about my personal purchasing power, desires, and needs?

SLIDE:

Leader: Answer aloud, Yes or No.

People: ________

SLIDE:

People: It is my responsibility to seek out ways to value others across God’s creation so that all know that all are loved. I must advocate for community transformation by the Spirit, say I’m sorry, and it’s up to me to do the work to make things right through the righteousness of Christ.

SLIDE:

Leader: Let’s pause for 10 seconds of silent prayer

[Switch to next slide during the moment of silence]

SECTION 5 on OTHERS

SLIDE:

PART 2: CONFESS (Body, Mind, Spirit, Self, Others)

Moment of prayer on OTHERS in confession.

SLIDE:

Leader: Let us pray in light of Others on today, Juneteenth as we remember how important it is to tell others “I see you.”

SLIDE:

Leader: Consider your thoughts as you reflect outwardly on these next questions.

SLIDE:

Leader: Did I forget or just not know that this day of Juneteenth is a national holiday, just like Independence Day? Or, did I know and decided that it would be better to celebrate one over the other?

SLIDE:

Leader: Did I schedule time off, see family, celebrate the independence of July 4, 1776? What about celebrating the independence of enslaved Africans who gained their first taste of freedom June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the proclamation was made? Would I have even acknowledged this independence had I not attended this worship experience?

SLIDE:

Leader: As you wrestle in your hearts and minds with thoughts such as these, let us pray.

SLIDE:

People: Merciful God, just as we have not consistently served the least of these, so we seek your help as we confess in prayer. Help us see ways to be more like you as a community of faith. Help us to see the love of God in one another, in our neighbors, and in all of creation.

SLIDE:

People: It is my responsibility to seek out ways to value others across God’s creation so that all know that all are loved. I must advocate for community transformation by the Spirit, say I’m sorry, and it’s up to me to do the work to make things right through the righteousness of Christ.

PART 3: EXAMINE

SLIDE:

PART 3: EXAMINE

LEADER SCRIPT:

As noted in our Acts Continues Bible Study, Rev. John Varden invited us to consider the third of the four-part practice which is Examen. So, let us prayerfully reflect on the joys and sorrows of our daily lives.

SLIDE:

Leader: O Lord our God, when we see disparities, help us to seek more than the stories of history, the disparities to be pointed out, the change that needs to happen still. Help us to live into the processes, practices, and celebrations that bring new life.

SLIDE:

Leader: Today is Juneteenth. Much like when we grieve a lost loved one, so we grieve all that came before, the hurts and pains and losses that made this day possible in its roots even as we feel the love, connection, and community that the celebration of emancipation brings.

SLIDE:

Leader: Thank you for the gift of celebration, overcoming the past in anticipation of a bright future. May this time of confessional reflection impact how we see ourselves and our future as a church who seeks to be like Christ in the world.

Amen.

PART 4: HOLD FAST TO FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY

SLIDE:

PART 4: HOLD FAST TO FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY

I see the love of God in you,
the light of Christ comes shining through,
and I am blessed to be with you,
oh holy child of God.

LEADER SCRIPT:

Now, as we prepare to sing “I See The Love Of God In You” we will engage in the 4th and final part of the service. “Hold Fast to Fellowship and Community.”

We’ve taken Paul’s lead today by Fasting from self enough to seek greater understanding of our role in transformative freedom. We have confessed and looked at where we have failed and fallen short, we have taken joys and sorrows into account, and now look to one another for God in our midst, the hope that is alive in Christ in each of us today.

Sing together the first time through, sing to a neighbor the second time through, sing to another neighbor the third and final time through.