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By action of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly (Orlando, 1993), Celebrate the Gifts of Women appears
in the Presbyterian Planning Calendar each year on the Sunday closest to March 8, International Women's Day.

This day is set aside for two reasons: to celebrate and honor individual women who contribute their gifts to church and community, and to lift up issues of women's rights. The occasion provides an opportunity for congregations to recognize particular women whose faithful service makes a difference in the church's life. It also gives congregations a chance to lift up specific issues of concern to women locally, nationally and internationally.

A Service in the Worship of God

Call to Worship
We gather to celebrate God's call; God's call to phenomenal women whose stories are told in the scriptures and God's call to women throughout time.

We celebrate Eve whose name means life because she became the mother of all generations.
We celebrate the mothers of Israel: Sarah, Hagar, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, whose descendants became a nation called by God.
We celebrate the wilderness women: Jael, Rahab and Ruth, famous for their courage in war and in peace.
We celebrate women who were prophets: Miriam, Deborah, Huldah and Anna.
We celebrate Shiphrah, Puah and Vashti, who dared to stand against tyrant kings.
We celebrate the first evangelist, the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at a well and whose testimony brought an entire village to see him with their own eyes.
We celebrate the sisters of Bethany-Mary, the disciple who anointed Jesus' feet, and Martha, who proclaimed, "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."
We celebrate Mary of Magdala, who followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, watched at the cross, went to the tomb and became the first disciple to announce the Easter news: "I have seen the Lord."
We celebrate the gifts of Tabitha and Phoebe, called as deacons to serve, and of Lydia and Priscilla and the other "women of high standing" whose homes became the first sanctuaries of the Christian church.
We celebrate the phenomenal women of the scriptures and we celebrate the phenomenal women of our community-women who have proclaimed the faith, taught the children, sung the anthems, fed the hungry, prayed for the sick, comforted the bereaved and volunteered countless hours to Christian service.
As we call ourselves to worship, let us celebrate God's call.

Suggested Hymns
PH #343, Called as Partners in Christ's Service
PH #461, God Is Here!
PH #275, God of Our Life

Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, we confess that there are times when we fail to hear your call; we pray that you will give us a chance to listen for it again. There are times when we have said no to your call when we should have said yes; we seek forgiveness and a chance to respond again. There are times when we have agreed to serve the church in some way, but are overcommitted and too tired to serve you well; we are humbled and pray that we may learn that it's OK to say no sometimes. Help each of us, Lord, to discern your call for our lives, to know our gifts and our limitations, and to pray daily for your guidance and strength. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
Throughout the scriptures, when God calls women
and men to serve in a special way, God assures that person with the promise, "I will be with you." Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was himself called Immanuel, God-with-us, also promised his disciples, "I am with you always, to the end of the age." Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel: we do not go into the world alone. Christ is with us, leading and sustaining us, forgiving our sins and giving us his peace. Give thanks to God for this gift of grace.

Scripture Lessons
(Based on the Common Lectionary for Sunday, March 10, 2002)
1 Samuel 16:1--13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8--14
John 9:1--41

Prayers of the People
Loving God, we celebrate life. We rejoice that we are alive today and that we have everlasting life in Jesus Christ. We thank you for this great gift and pray that we may be worthy and faithful stewards, caring for the world you have made. You have also given us gifts to serve you; may we use these gifts wisely, sharing our resources and reaching out to those in need. We pray your blessing on our church and on all who come here seeking you. Together may we become as phenomenal in our faith and witness as were the women of Bible times long ago. (Here you may add concerns specific to your congregation.)

Suggested Hymns
PH #435, We All Are One in Mission
PH #391, Take My Life
PH #419, How Clear is Our Vocation, Lord
PH #354, Guide My Feet
PH #369, I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me

Charge and Blessing
(PH) All suggested hymns are from The Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 1990).

Worship Notes:
The Call to Worship may be read in many ways
· responsively, with a leader and the congregation reading alternate lines
· chorally, with a different woman reading each line, reserving the first and last lines for the congregation to read together
· dramatically, with a procession of women costumed as the women named throughout, coming down the aisle as their names are read by a liturgist; these women could form a line in the chancel area, facing the congregation, and with one voice they could say the final line of the Call to Worship. They could remain in the chancel through the singing of the opening hymn, recessing on the final verse.
Psalm 134, Come All you Servants of the Lord, PH #242, might be performed by a soloist as a charge preceding the benediction.

Program Suggestions
Celebrate the phenomenal-ness of Presbyterian Women by selecting program activities from the following choices.

Eve and Huldah were seekers of wisdom.
· Add to or improve your church library.
· With encouraging notes or financial contributions, support a woman seminarian from your church or presbytery.
· If your congregation is not yet supporting the Theological Education Fund of the PC(USA), talk with your church session about the possibility of doing so.
· Write a newsletter article about what your PW circles are learning from Horizons Bible study.

There were three generations of mothers of Israel, women called to give birth, literally, to a nation.
· Celebrate the continuing generations in your congregation-great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers and daughters who worship together on Sunday and serve together throughout the week. Honor them in the worship service, post their photos on a bulletin board, ask them to write their memories of your congregation for your newsletter or to read as a joy in worship.

Two of the prophets, Miriam and Deborah, were remembered for the way they sang when times were difficult.
· Invite women to share the songs they have sung on difficult days, such as a hymn that has been significant to them. If you want to have some noisy fun, provide instruments and let them be creative.
Midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, refused to let Hebrew baby boys die, even though it meant defying Pharaoh's order. Queen Vashti of Persia refused to submit to King Ahasuerus's order to display her beauty to a group of drunken men.
· Talk with women leaders in your community about issues relevant to women and families today. Communicate with them via mail, email or fax and post their responses on the church bulletin board.
· Study issues of social justice that matter to women around the world (e.g., land mines, child trafficking, AIDS and poverty) and get involved.

The woman at the well was the first evangelist, for she brought a new community to see Jesus-the people of Samaria.
· Check with your presbytery to see how newcomers to your communities are being welcomed by the church. Is there an opportunity for members of your congregation to become evangelists like the woman at the well, witnessing to your faith in Christ and reaching out with his love?

Mary of Bethany was a disciple of Jesus, known for sitting at the Lord's feet-a hallmark of a disciple.
· Ask someone to read the words of Jesus from scripture (perhaps a parable, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' words spoken at the Last Supper, etc.). Have the women in your group close their eyes and imagine sitting as disciples at Jesus' feet, listening to his words. Some may want to share what they experience, while others may not. Close with a time of quiet prayer.

Mary's sister Martha is well-known for her hospitality to Jesus, but she was also the very first follower to utter a three-fold confession of faith, "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world" (John 11:27).
· Try your hand at writing a statement of faith beginning with "I believe . . ." or say together the words of the Brief Statement of Faith found in the Book of Confessions, a statement written by a committee, many of whom were women.

Mary of Magdala became the first apostle to proclaim the Easter news.
· Invite those who participated in the worship service to share the experience of being apostles today.

Tabitha and Phoebe were deacons, known by name. There were many others whose names have been lost to us.
· Honor the deacons of your church, men and women, by bringing refreshments to their next meeting or by writing thank you notes.

Ruth cared for her aging mother-in-law, Naomi.
· There may be women in your congregation or at a local nursing home who have no family living close by-see if someone needs a visit.

Lydia and Priscilla were businesswomen.
· Invite women with careers outside the home to come to your meeting to share how their faith influences the way they do business.

Deborah, Jael and Rahab were women involved in warfare.
· If you have past or current servicewomen in your congregation, invite them to your meeting to share how their faith influences their view of warfare and military service.

In biblical times and in our own time, women suffer abuse. The stories of Tamar, Dinah, Jephthah's daughter and the Levite's concubine may still be lived out today in parts of the world, including our own backyards. These women were not celebrated in the Call to Worship, but their lives should not be forgotten or ignored.
· Volunteer at your local women's shelter.
· Assist with community programs aimed at preventing homelessness for women and children.
· Encourage your congregation to contribute financial help and resources to programs helping victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Celebrate the Gifts of Women was written by Dale Lindsay Morgan, pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Santa Barbara, California and author of the 2004--05 PW/Horizons Bible study, What She Said.

Additional free copies of this resource (PDS # 72-700-02-001)may be obtained from
Presbyterian Distribution Service
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202-1396
800/524-2612
www.pcusa.org

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