Disability Awareness Sunday Order of Worship (Rev. Rebecca Holland)
A complete, richly detailed order of worship for Disability Awareness Sunday — with a full call to worship, opening prayer, scripture selections with preaching guidance, a prayer of confession inspired by the ten lepers, and a closing litany and benediction. Includes a note to preachers cautioning against "inspiration" framing, plus a link to a printable pew card.
Order of worship
by Rev. Rebecca Holland
Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 66)
Leader: Make a joyful noise to God! Sing glory to the One who made all things!
People: How awesome are the deeds of the Great Creator! We are all God's children. We all have unique gifts and graces.
Leader: On this Disability Awareness Sunday, we especially give thanks for the gifts and graces for the disability community. May we learn from one another
People: Holy Spirit, please enter our hearts and our time of worship. Help us to be a truly inclusive and welcoming place for all God's children. Let all the earth worship the Lord in love and unity!
Opening Prayer (Inspired by Psalm 111)
Leader: O Holy One, you are the King of All Creation. Your praise endures forever. You created all things. The works of Your hands are faithful, just, glorious and beautiful. We pray this day that You would help us to welcome the diverse gifts and abilities that You have given to Your people.
Response: May we welcome everyone into the body of Christ. Help us to show mercy to those who are in need and not cast judgement upon the downtrodden. May we thirst for righteousness when we see the marginalized being mistreated. May Your house be an accessible and inclusive home for all people. Amen.
Opening Hymn: Joyful, Joyful United Methodist Hymnal #64 (Written by L.Van. Beethoven after becoming d/Deaf)
Affirmation of Faith: The Apostles' Creed (Unison)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (universal) church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Sharing our Joys and Concerns
Prayer for Illumination:
O Holy One: May Your Word be a lamp to our feed that guides our way. May your Holy Wisdom nourish our hearts and feed our hungry souls. As Your Scriptures are read and Your Word is proclaimed, may we receive with joy what you have to say to us this day. Amen.
A note on preaching and texts: The following are suggested texts for recognizing Disability Awareness Sunday in your own Local Church. While preparing your message, please keep in mind that there are many of us within the Disability Community who view our disabilities as an important part of our identity. Please also be aware that many within the Disability Community have been injured by sermons that focused on the concept of, "If you believe strongly enough, God will heal you." When preaching on texts related to Disability, we encourage you to consider the work of Disability Theologians.
Old Testament Lesson: Leviticus 19:11-16
The rules and commandments God gives instruct us to treat one another with love and human dignity. This includes people with disabilities.
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
All parts of the body of Christ are important. This includes people with disabilities.
Psalm: Psalm 73
The Psalmist expresses dissatisfaction with the way it seems the wealthy are rewarded and the downtrodden suffer. God can handle the Psalmist's questions, pain, and sorrow. In the end, the Psalmist finds comfort with God. All people (not just those of us with disabilities) sometimes struggle with questions regarding the state of the world and our place in it.
Gospel: John 9:35-41
It is not a sin to be physically blind. People who are blind often "see" more clearly than those with physical sight. If a person is physically blind, they may only find themselves in situations where their physical body is in danger because they are unable to see their surroundings. In contrast, the true danger is SPIRITUAL blindness, because spiritual blindness imperils our immortal souls.
Homily:
Please, dear Preacher, craft a sermon that recognizes the gifts and graces of people with disabilities that does not simply hold us up as "inspiration fuel," for the able bodied masses. Our disabilities often define us, but we are all more than our disabilities. We are all children of God.
HYMN: #369 "Blessed Assurance," by Fanny Crosby. Franny Crosby was a gifted and prolific hymn writer who was blind.
Prayer of Confession (Inspired by Luke 17:11-19)
O God, we confess that we have sinned. We have all made mistakes. We have all fallen short. There have been times in all of our lives when we have forgotten to give thanks for the blessing of salvation. Wash us, O God, and make us clean.
People: We confess that we are tempted to judge the nine people with leprosy who did not return and give thanks for their healing. But we are more like them than we would like to admit. Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus.
Leader: O God, help us to turn back toward You. May we fall at the feet of Christ and give thanks for Your mercy, compassion, and grace.
People: Forgive us for the times we have judged others because they were different from us. Have mercy on us for the times we have been quick to judge others based on their appearance, ability level, age, gender, or skin color. Help us to welcome all of those who society views as "different" into the family of God. Amen.
Words of Assurance and Forgiveness
Hear these words of assurance and forgiveness: Jesus said, "Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you (Luke 17:19, CSB)." God forgives and saves all of those who earnestly repent and turn to Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
Response: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Thanks be to God! Amen.
GLORIA PATRI #71
PASSING THE PEACE
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY #95
Litany for Disability Awareness Sunday (Inspired by 2 Timothy 2:8-15)
Leader: O God, we remember Jesus, who was raised from the dead. Death could not claim him and the grave could not hold him. The word of God cannot be chained.
People: We give thanks that true freedom comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We pray this day for everyone, everywhere, who is held in bondage. We pray for those who are bound by the chains of addiction, depression, and mental health struggles. We pray for anyone who is held captive by a world that does not recognize the worth of their basic humanity.
Leader: May we see the face of Christ reflected back at us whenever we encounter another human being. Please preserve us from the sins of ableism, racism, sexism, and xenophobia.
People: O God, please help us not to judge others on the basis of ability, appearance, or socioeconomic status. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Make us truly wise. Help us not to see as the world sees but instead to look with the eyes of our hearts. Amen.
HYMN: #98"To God Be the Glory," by Fanny Crosby
Benediction for Disability Awareness Sunday (inspired by Luke 17:11-19)
Siblings in Christ: Let us give thanks and rejoice! God loves all of God's children! Everyone is an important part of the body of Christ.
When Jesus healed the ten people with leprosy, they were restored to their community. They were no longer ritually unclean. They could once more rejoin their friends and family. They were welcomed home.
For many people, the worst part of having a disability is the feeling of being isolated and excluded. There are many hungry hearts out there with disabilities, both visible and invisible, who yearn to be welcomed home.
Let us welcome all of God's children into the body of Christ. May we, through the power of the holy Spirit, make our places and our spaces warm, welcoming, and inclusive. May we tear down the walls that divide us and build bridges that unite us.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
A Pew Card for Disability Awareness Sunday can be found here:
https://www.resourceumc.org/-/media/umc-media/2021/03/23/15/48/2021_annual_conf_woffering_ss_disability_awareness_sunday_pew_card_3up_final.pdf