Worship

We invite you incorporate the work of resisting harm into the worship life of your church or group. Here, you will find resources for use during regular Sunday worship, small group meetings, or vigils and special services. In the faithful postures of worship, we invite God to work with us as we resist harm and proclaim the expansive grace of Jesus Christ.

If you have a resource you have created for your own community during this season, we hope you will consider sharing it with others here.
Add a Worship Resource

Monthly Planning Guides

We invite you to incorporate the work of resisting harm into the worship life of your church or group. These worksheets are for use by individuals or groups, as a starting point for finding ways to incorporate #ResistHarm into regular Sunday worship, small group meetings, or vigils and special services; they include starting points, lectionary tools and more.

Worship Ideas

Filter by type of post:

Song Suggestions

Author: Resist Harm Worship Team
Free to use or adapt

These suggestions are of songs and song books that give voice to our January theme: Resist.

Read More

Liturgical Greetings

Author: Rev. Nelson Cowan
Free to use or adapt with attribution to the author

These liturgical greetings are to be used at the beginning of a worship service and can be led by a liturgist or a clergyperson. Each greeting contexts the service with inclusive words of hospitality.

Read More

January Sermon Series: Resisting Evil, Injustice and Oppression in 2020

Author: Chris Jorgensen and Omaha clergy colleagues
Free to use or adapt

A group of six Omaha-area Reconciling (or actively discerning) churches have joined together to promote a shared sermon series in January 2020. We will all share advertising/promoting, based on our United Methodist baptismal covenant.

Read More

Act of Resistance Rainbow Processional

Author: Melinda Teter Dodge
Free to use or adapt

This idea comes from Los Altos UMC in Long Beach, California, USA.

Read More

Wesley’s Covenant Prayer, revised

Author: Jeremy Smith
Free to use or adapt with attribution to the author

This prayer was designed for use in a post-Christian context, with updated, accessible language. You can read more behind the author's intent on his blog, http://hackingchristianity.net/2016/12/wesleys-covenant-prayer-in-a-post-christian-context.html.

Read More

Blessing for a New Year

Author: enfleshed.com
Free to use with attribution to the author

This Blessing is a part of the library of free liturgical resources available on enfleshed.com.

Read More

Collection of hymns at queersacredmusic.com

Author: Amanda Udis-Kessler
Free to use or adapt with attribution to the author

These hymns may be used as appropriate in worship; some of the rounds could be sung at protests. Congregations are welcome to modify lyrics to enhance inclusion as desired.

Read More

God Rest Ye: New Verses

Author: Jeffrey Wilsor
Free to use or adapt

New inclusive words for a traditional hymn. Hollywood UMC found these words and used them in worship, to great response.

Read More

Great Thanksgiving for Pride Season

Author: Will Ed Green
Free to use or adapt with attribution to the author

This liturgy was originally written for use at the 2019 National Capital Pride Coalition witness at the Washington, D.C. Pride Parade. Participants were queer-identified clergy from across the Baltimore-Washington Conference, alongside Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling.

Read More

Blessing for Marriages (during Sunday worship)

Author: Taylor Fuerst
Free to use or adapt

First UMC in Austin, TX uses this blessing during Sunday worship to as a way of praying for all couples. It's designed for use with same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples.

Read More

Recommitment of Baptismal Vows

Author: Discipleship Ministries (Modified for greater inclusivity)
Free to use with attribution to the author

Reaffirming our baptismal commitments to resisting evil, injustice and oppression is a powerful way to ground our call to resist harm sacramentally; we think it would be especially powerful at the start of the new year.

Read More

Prayer of Lament

Author: M Barclay
Free to use with attribution to the author

This prayer is shared by permission of M Barclay, Co-Founder and Executive Director of enfleshed, a nonprofit creating and facilitating resources of spiritual nourishment for collective liberation. Visit enfleshed.com for additional resources.

Read More

Song: "We Are"

Author: Rev. Jeannie Himes & Teresa J. Morton
Free to use with attribution to the author

This song was written for St. Stephen's Norman, a Reconciling congregation, as a Benediction song.

Read More

Three Prayers of Lament

Author: Rev. Dr. Carol Cook Moore
Free to use with attribution to the author

These three prayers of lament may be used in the same service or separately.

Read More

Call To Worship: No Such Law

Author: Reconciling Ministries Network
Free to use or adapt

This Call to Worship prayer was shared by the Reconciling Ministries Network as part of the #NoSuchLaw guide, designed for use in local churches in anticipation of a Judicial Council ruling regarding several issues of consequence to LGBTQ+ clergy, including the election of Bishop Karen Oliveto.

Read More

Worship Tips & Resources

blog

Theological Declaration from the Western Jurisdiction

Affirmed at a Western Jurisdiction Summit in November 2020, this theological declaration uses rich biblical and liturgical language, and can be adapted for use in local settings. Read the declaration here.

See Resource
document

Songs for the Holy Other

The Hymn Society has edited and shares this free volume of hymns affirming the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Visit their site to download.

See Resource
blog

Liturgy from enfleshed

With a commitment to spiritual and theological depth and the centering of marginalized experiences, conversations, and communities, enfleshed seeks to provide liturgy, devotionals, curriculum, preaching, training, and pastoral care that addresses honestly, tenderly, and directly, the beauty and pain of living enfleshed lives.

See Resource

Add a Worship Resource

Please fill out the form below to submit your resource.

We are grateful to everyone who is willing to create or share original worship resources for use by congregations, small groups and other gatherings of United Methodists in the ResistHarm movement.

Worship resources submitted here will be collected and curated by a team of leaders from across the US. By submitting them here, you are indicating that you have and give permission to share them as a free, public web resource, for free use in worship gatherings.

What type of usage is this resource best suited for?

If your resource is enhanced by having a downloadable PDF or JPG, please attach that here. Maximum file size: 3 MB.

File name:

File size:

Tell us a little about this resource. How should it be used? What inspired it? etc. (Limit 300 characters.)

If you are the author, please type your name. If you are NOT the author, please be sure you have the author's permission to share the resource.

This is not shown to users – it's only for administrative purposes.

This is not shown to users – it's only for administrative purposes.

Join the Resistance

Enter your email address for Resist Harm news and events.
Please share this site on social media and invite others to support the Resist Harm movement.

Give to Resist Harm

Resist Harm is not an organization or a coalition. It has no employees, offices, or overhead. However, it does incur expenses for web infrastructure, promotion, printing, and organizing. We are a movement of volunteers and 100% funded by people and churches like you. Anything you give helps to make this movement more effective. To give, donate at Reconciling Ministries Network’s website and designate “Resist Harm.” 100% of your gift will pay for Resist Harm’s direct costs. RMN has graciously agreed to administer the funds donated for the Resistance movement for no charge.

Give Now

Resist Harm Partners

Resist Harm is organized by everyday United Methodists in every corner of the connection and is supported by a number of organizational partners.* To learn more about our partners, visit their websites:
Become a Partner
*The tools, resources, and opportunities posted on Resist Harm have been suggested by people or organizations associated with the movement. They are not necessarily endorsed by all of the partners.
cloud-downloadangle-rightlong-arrow-right linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram