God of Grace and Mercy we have come here to give you thanks and praise and to find our way in the complex world. We have been searching for peace in our souls, inspiration in our work and courage in our witness to the Christ in our lives. We confess that we are often fearful nervous witnesses often feeling inadequate in our attempts to talk about the work and words of your son Jesus Christ. We feel self-conscious trying to tell others about our faith, or praying out loud in the company of others. If the truth were told, we would probably say that we are really more worried about embarrassing you, than embarrassing ourselves. Help each of us today to trust in your awesome ever-presence, listening intently for the whispers of your most Holy Spirit. Lord, our confidence is in you. We have faith that you will fill us with your good thoughts. You will provide us with the means to speak rightly, faithfully, and graciously, always doing honor to your name. Amen.
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
I heard a story the other day about one of the United Methodist Relief Workers who was trapped in the collapsed hotel in Haiti. Aware that both of his legs were broken and that his 3 friends were nearby also injured trapped in the wreckage, he began to sing: “I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.” When we have nothing left but the breath within us, not even our legs, we have God. We always have God, in this case lying right next to us. Let us give thanks.
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