July 29, 2012 "PRAYERFULLY SPEAKING"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most Loving Creator we humble ourselves before you, grateful for this day and grateful to be in the embrace of your welcoming presence. We have come to worship, to sing, to listen, to ponder and to pray. We confess that we feel less awkward at prayer when we are inside this space. Out in the world we worry that our words aren't right. We worry that we might stumble through our prayer and embarrass ourselves. Forgive our insecurities and grant us strength in our inner being. Empower our spiritual engines with the fuel of your unfathomable grace and ever present Spirit. Remind us that the Christ dwells in our hearts through faith; that we are rooted and grounded by love. Let us, in this very moment, comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ. May we be filled to overflowing with your indomitable Spirit. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
One of the things I like best about the Guatemala experience is our habit of praying together as a group. We pray before each meal and can even be heard singing grace in restaurants. Folks who have never been on this kind of trip before can be a bit skittish about a group that has the word mission in their name. They may worry that they have gotten mixed up with a bunch bible pounding missionary types? But when they hear how we pray they know that we are all trying to figure out the journey we are on. None of us knows what to expect from one day to the next. We start and end the day putting our trust in God and each other. Our prayers aren’t fancy or highfalutin, but the changes that have taken place in each one of us can be heard and felt in the words that are spoken.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God hear our prayer of gratitude for all the gifts you have given us and the resources you have entrusted to our care. Bless this offering to strengthen and grow the ministries of our church. We pray, also that all the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.