August 5, 2012 "KNIT TOGETHER"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
O Lord, Our Lord, full of majesty and power, you are our rock and our redeemer. But you are strength and innocence, Lord and servant, unshakable yet moving, calling each one of us to an intimate relationship with you. You already know our every thought, our every fear, our every doubt without our speaking the words out loud. You know our delights and sorrows, our triumphs and the often cruel disappointments the world dishes out. Open our ears to hear your repeated whispers of encouragement given to enlighten our thinking, comfort our fears and allay our doubts. Let us not be afraid to live the disciple life, confident of your ever-presence; trusting that your hand is held out to guide us through any darkness, into your light. May we always find respite for our souls here as we intertwine our thoughts, our voices, our prayers, our hands and hearts as the whole body of Christ. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Credit Cards are not the personification of the “tempter,” nevertheless I look very closely at my statements, since discovering something called “pre-paid” and “automatic” renewals. These charges can appear annually (surprise!) for things like a card membership or monthly for something you purchased — God only knows when — because the demon inside your computer or your cell phone said: “You NEED this!” Perhaps, you needed it at the time, back in May 2011, in order to perform some task, once. Since then you have been paying $20.00 a month for the on-going privilege of doing, what, exactly, you can’t quite remember. Canceling the payment can be done quickly, but the $300 you paid for something you never used is gone forever. John Wesley reminds us that we need to be alert and responsible with money, where it goes and who receives it.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Loving and Merciful God, bless these offerings, given with a cheerful heart. Teach us the ways of frugal living, inspired by a spirit of sufficiency and enough. Help us O Lord, be good stewards of what we have. Help us to speak out on behalf of those who have naught and give us the wisdom and strength to be workers for economic equanimity and transformation in this society and the world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.