for February 8, 2026
We Gather
A Moment of Personal Reflection Before Worship Begins
Before we begin, let’s take a moment to notice something together.
If you have a phone, take about thirty seconds and look up “the most powerful people in the world” in a search engine. Then click on images.
If you don’t have a phone, simply imagine who you expect to see.
What do you notice?
What names or images come to mind?
What do they have in common?
What seems to count as power?
Now, bring that question closer to home.
What kind of power do you find yourself paying attention to—
or longing for—
or resisting?
You don’t need to answer out loud.
Just hold the questions. It is okay to wrestle internally, as we all wrestle with God.
We gather today with those questions still open,
listening for a different way of understanding power
and what it means to live within it.
Let us begin worship.
Opening Prayer
A Prayer for the Ones God Notices
God of truth,
we come from a world that is loud—
full of voices competing for our attention,
full of images telling us what power looks like.
(Silence)
We confess that we often notice power
when it is flashy,
forceful,
or hard to ignore.
Teach us to listen more deeply.
We notice power in success,
in certainty,
in control—
and we feel its pull, even when we resist it.
(Silence)
Yet your word speaks of a different kind of power:
power that frees the oppressed,
feeds the hungry,
and brings light without shouting.
Turn our attention toward your way.
When our minds are crowded
and our hearts are pulled in many directions,
(Silence)
quiet us enough to hear what matters.
When we confuse noise with strength,
and volume with truth,
Center us in your wisdom.
As we begin worship,
strip away what distracts us,
soften what is hardened,
and sharpen our attention to your presence among us.
Not all power gives life.
Not all voices speak truth.
Teach us to listen for the power that heals,
liberates,
and endures.
We offer ourselves to you—
still questioning,
still learning,
still listening.
Amen.
Grace Spoken
God’s faithfulness always precedes our action.
Hear the good news.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that
“God’s power and God’s wisdom are revealed by the Spirit”
and that this power does not come from human strength or clever words,
but from God alone.
(cf. 1 Corinthians 2:4–10)
Jesus says,
“You are the salt of the earth…
You are the light of the world.”
(Matthew 5:13–14)
This light does not shout.
It does not overwhelm.
It shines.
God’s mercy is not louder than our failures—
it is stronger.
God’s grace is not proven by force—
it is shown in faithfulness.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven,
freed from the need to justify ourselves,
and given new life to live quietly and boldly in God’s way.
Believe the good news of the gospel.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Response to God’s Grace
A Prayer of Reorientation: You may look at the image, close your eyes, simply listen, or join others in verbal prayer.
As we prepare to pray, let this image hold before us the kinds of power that shape us—often without our noticing—and the ways we live beneath their light.
Image made by artlist.io
God of mercy,
we come to you from a world that rarely stops talking.
We live surrounded by alerts,
opinions,
headlines,
and demands—
and we confess that we often mistake noise for strength
and urgency for importance.
(Silence)
We confess that we reach for power
that makes us feel secure or visible,
even when it leaves us restless and divided.
We scroll instead of listening.
We react instead of discerning.
We speak quickly,
and listen shallowly.
(Silence)
We confess that we want influence without responsibility,
certainty without patience,
and control without trust.
We want light that makes us stand out,
not light that helps others see.
(Silence)
In our hunger to matter,
we neglect the quiet power of faithfulness,
justice,
and care for those pushed aside.
We turn away from the hard work
of loosening injustice,
sharing bread,
and paying attention to the wounds in front of us.
(Silence)
Forgive us, O God,
for the ways we confuse being loud with being faithful,
and being seen with being true.
Quiet our hearts.
Strip away what distracts us.
Return us to the power that heals,
the power that serves,
the power that endures.
We offer you what we cannot fix,
what we have hidden,
and what we are tired of carrying.
(Longer Silence)
Hear us now,
not because we have the right words,
but because you are faithful.
Amen.
Passing of the Peace
An Embodied Sign of God’s Grace in Christ Jesus
In a world where power is often loud,
competitive,
and demanding,
Jesus offers a different kind of power—
one that heals instead of overwhelms,
that steadies instead of controls,
that makes room rather than taking it.
The peace of Christ is not something we force or perform.
It is a gift we receive
and a presence we share.
As you share Christ’s peace today,
do so gently—
with words or gestures that honor one another
without pressure or display.
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
(Share Christ’s peace in ways fitting to your community.)
Scripture
God’s Vision of Power
Today’s scriptures speak about power—
not as control or volume,
but as faithfulness lived in the open.
They ask us to listen for the power that frees,
sustains,
and gives light without demanding attention.
Let us hear what God is saying among us.
Reading may be shared by multiple voices.
Congregations may choose whether is it is beneficial to read all or some of the scripture readings.
Reflection
Power That Heals
Across today’s readings, a pattern emerges.
Power shows up not where we expect it,
but where faithfulness takes root.
Isaiah speaks of power that loosens injustice
and restores lives, not appearances.
Paul reminds us that God’s wisdom does not rely
on impressive speech or dominance,
but on the quiet work of the Spirit.
And Jesus calls his followers salt and light—
small things that change everything without drawing attention to themselves.
These scriptures do not deny that power exists.
They question which kind of power we trust.
These readings invite us not to reject power, but to relearn it—together.
Shared Reflection
Take time to reflect together. Let the conversation unfold. As a Christian community, you may want to start this discussion during worship, and finish it over a meal, bible study, or community time later in the week. Alternatively, these questions can easily be transformed into a sermon.
You are free to listen quietly, to speak honestly, or to pass.
When Power Shapes Us
As we begin, it is important to embrace the truth that in most cases we all live in a way that benefits and is harmed by power. In what ways does power shape your life for better and for worse? While being honest, be gentle with yourself and others.
When God’s Way of Power Disrupts Ours
The scriptures we read today describe power very differently than the world often does.
Isaiah speaks of power that loosens injustice and restores dignity.
Paul speaks of power that does not rely on forceful words or status.
Jesus speaks of power that preserves, illuminates, and serves.
What forms of power do these scriptures seem to question, resist, or quietly undermine?
Where do these visions of power feel distant from the way power usually operates in your life or in the world around you?
Which of today’s images of power—justice that heals, wisdom that does not shout, light that serves rather than dominates—feels most challenging or unsettling to you?
When Power Is Redefined
Paul insists that God’s power is revealed not through success or domination, but through the crucifixion of Jesus.
How does the death of Christ—not his resurrection—challenge our usual assumptions about what real power looks like?
Isaiah speaks of power that loosens injustice, breaks yokes, and sets people free. How does the cross help us understand this kind of power as costly, faithful, and life-giving rather than forceful?
If the cross is the pattern of God’s power, how does that reshape Christian triumphalism—and what might it mean to be “a city on a hill” that bears light without domination?
Living the Gospel Together
Practicing Power That Gives Life
We do not live this power all at once.
We practice it in ordinary, faithful ways.
Choose one invitation below—or name another small practice that fits your life this week. During a time of prayer, you may reflect on how God is forming us as a community and individuals. You may also want to share your struggles and how you feel God moving you as you enter into prayer together.
Invitation 1 — Practice Relinquishing Control
Notice one situation this week where you normally assert control—through urgency, certainty, or having the last word.
Practice restraint instead: pause, listen longer, or allow someone else’s pace to set the moment.
Ask yourself: What kind of power am I trusting right now?
Invitation 2 — Practice Repair
Isaiah names power that loosens injustice and restores dignity.
Identify one small place where harm can be repaired—an apology offered, credit shared, a burden lightened, a boundary respected.
Do not explain yourself. Let the act itself speak.
Invitation 3 — Practice Quiet Faithfulness
Choose one faithful action that will likely go unnoticed:
showing up consistently, doing unglamorous work, keeping a promise, or caring for someone without recognition.
Resist the urge to make it visible. Trust that God’s power does not depend on being seen.
Invitation 4 — Practice Solidarity
Pay attention to where power presses down on others.
This week, stand with someone who has less voice or leverage—by listening, advocating quietly, or making room at the table.
Let your presence be a form of strength.
You may wish to hold a brief silence, asking God for courage and clarity to practice one of these invitations—
not perfectly, but faithfully.
Affirmation of Faith
The Beginning of the Brief Statement of Faith, 1983
In life and in death we belong to God.
Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit,
we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,
whom alone we worship and serve.
We trust in Jesus Christ,
fully human, fully God.
Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:
preaching good news to the poor
and release to the captives,
teaching by word and deed
and blessing the children,
healing the sick
and binding up the brokenhearted,
eating with outcasts,
forgiving sinners,
and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.
Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition,
Jesus was crucified,
suffering the depths of human pain
and giving his life for the sins of the world.
God raised this Jesus from the dead,
vindicating his sinless life,
breaking the power of sin and evil,
delivering us from death to life eternal.
Prayers of the People
From False to Faithful Power
How to Participate
In this prayer, we will use our hands and our voices.
You are welcome to participate in whatever way feels comfortable.
Children are invited to join in by watching, listening, and copying the simple hand movements.
Adults may quietly help children by modeling the gestures or whispering the response if needed.
No one is required to move or speak—listening is also prayer.
Leader:
As we pray, you’re invited to use your hands.
You may keep them closed or open them—either way is fine.
False Power
(Hands gently closed, if you wish)
God of love,
we think about power that hurts.
Power that pushes others down.
Power that takes instead of shares.
(Silence)
All:
Teach us a different way.
Power that ignores people who are small,
quiet,
or left out.
(Silence)
All:
Teach us a different way.
Power that makes us tired,
afraid,
or feel like we’re not enough.
(Silence)
All:
Teach us a different way.
Faithful Power
(Hands slowly open, if you wish)
Now we think about your power, God.
Power that heals.
Power that helps.
Power that makes room.
(Silence)
All:
Teach us this way.
Power that shares food,
protects the weak,
and tells the truth with love.
(Silence)
All:
Teach us this way.
Power we see in Jesus—
love that gives,
love that stays,
love that does not hurt back.
(Silence)
All:
Teach us this way.
God,
help us use our strength to help others,
our voices to speak kindly,
and our lives to bring light.
We trust your power—
quiet,
strong,
and full of love.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
We pray together, saying:
(The Lord’s Prayer is prayed in the words familiar to the community.)
Communion (Optional)
A Table That Unites Us in Christ
Invitation to the Table
This is not a table of force or spectacle.
It is a table of quiet power.
Here, no one is made great at the expense of another.
Here, no one must prove their worth or raise their voice to be heard.
At this table, Christ does not take power—
he gives himself.
Bread is broken, not hoarded.
The cup is shared, not guarded.
If you are weary from the noise, come.
If you are hungry for justice, come.
If you long for strength that does not harm, come.
Come, not because you are powerful,
but because Christ’s power is made known in love.
The table is ready.
(Communion may be celebrated according to the practice of the community.)
Sending
Matthew 5:16 (NRSV), in unison
“Let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Go now,
not to be loud,
but to be faithful;
not to dominate,
but to give life;
trusting that God’s power is already at work
through justice, mercy, and love.
Reflections for Later
For Newcomers
If you are new here, you may still be sorting out what church is—and whether it has room for you.
Today’s worship names a truth that often gets lost:
God’s power is not loud, coercive, or earned. It does not depend on having the right words, the right background, or the right confidence.
If church has ever felt overwhelming, performative, or noisy, you are not alone.
The way of Jesus offers a quieter strength—one that meets people where they are and invites them to grow over time.
You do not need to have everything figured out to belong.
Listening, wondering, and paying attention are already faithful responses.
For Those Rooted in This Community
If you have been part of the church for many years, you may carry both gratitude and weariness.
This service invites a gentle but honest question:
What kinds of power have shaped our faith over time—and which kinds have we trusted most?
Experience and leadership can be gifts, but they can also become loud in ways we do not intend.
The cross reminds us that Christian maturity is not about control, certainty, or influence, but about faithfulness, humility, and care for others.
The invitation here is not to abandon responsibility, but to hold it differently—
to practice a power that heals, listens, and makes room.
Even long-standing faith can be re-centered by the quiet wisdom of Christ.
For Churches Without a Pastor
If your community gathers without a regular pastor, you may sometimes wonder whether something essential is missing.
This service offers a different reminder:
God’s power is not tied to position, credentials, or one authoritative voice.
Throughout Scripture, God’s work unfolds through ordinary people—listening together, acting faithfully, and learning as they go.
Shared prayer, shared discernment, and shared responsibility are not second-best forms of church; they are deeply biblical ones.
Leading together requires patience and trust, but it also creates space for the Spirit to work in unexpected ways.
Quiet faithfulness, practiced week by week, is a powerful witness.
You are not waiting for the “real” work of ministry to begin.
God is already at work among you.
Suggested Songs (Optional)
Songs may be sung, listened to, or replaced with silence, depending on the needs and gifts of the community. Participation matters more than perfection.
Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service (GTG 767)
When the Poor Ones (GTG 762)
Christ of the Upward Way (GTG 344)
Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love (GTG 203)
God of the Poor (GTG 443)
O Day of Peace (GTG 450)
Will You Come and Follow Me (The Summons) (GTG 726)
Here I Am, Lord (GTG 69)
Need Help?
Follow the link for tips and pointers to help you lead and design worship using this resource.
Rights and Use
© Church Commons. 2026
Written by Rev. Matthew J. Skolnik. All rights reserved.
These materials may be used and adapted for worship and educational purposes within Christian communities. They may not be sold or redistributed for commercial purposes without permission.
Resource Details
Date: February 8, 2026
Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12); Psalm 112:1-9 (10); 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16);Matthew 5:13-20
Theme: Power in a World of Noise
Lectionary: RCL Year A