CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Faithful God, we are grateful for this glorious day, for this opportunity to commune with you and with our family of faith. Let us remember today when and where we first heard your name. Did our parents whisper it to us in the words of a loving lullaby, or in a goodnight prayer spoken as they tucked us safely into our beds? Did we hear your name in a blessing or a curse? Where were we when we first spoke your name. Was it in a prayer? When was it that the name of Jesus first fell from our lips spoken as if we had always known him? Who was the dear, dear one who gave us your name and the name of your son? It has been many years since some of us have thought about our first words of faith, or the first hymn we sang, or the first prayer we uttered. Let us never forget that these first things —second nature to us now —were taught to us so we’d know you loved us no matter what and would forgive us often through our lifetime. We pledge, today, to teach our children well these first and most important things, in the name of the Christ. Amen
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
At our Ad council meeting the church leaders had all sorts of great ideas about how to stimulate folks to join in the giving frenzy that is supposed to take place when the offering plate is passed. Some folks who give electronically are not seen to be putting anything in the plate on and so visitors or newcomers may be following their lead or lack of it. There are folks who give when the mood strikes them, and there are those who don’t give because they consider what they can give to be too meager to matter. It isn’t the amount you give that is important. Look at it this way, you are sharing your assets in support of the work of the church and It is meant to be a habitual practice.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept our tithes and offerings as they support the work of the church in the world feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, educating the poor, giving comfort to the broken. Let faith and trust abide in our hearts as we seek to live in response to your never ending and abundant grace. Empower us, further, O Lord, to continue our ministries of care to those in need in our community and around the world spreading the good news through the work of our hands and the commitment of our hearts. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
September 16, 2012 "BLAZING TONGUES"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving God, we sing your praises and offer our thanks for your grace, mercy and unending patience. As we, your children, contend with each other and wrangle for control over the smallest of things, remind us that we have pledged ourselves to serve you, to serve your church and to serve each other. Keep us from keeping our distance in these days when we are self-conscious about political ideologies. Stop us from branding each other conservatives or liberals or something even worse. Help us to see that we are Christians first, seeking to love one another in all the circumstances of life. We pray to be kindly wise. Let us not suspect brother or sister because our opinions differ. Let us not stand afar off from one who is living in the same world we live in, but who expresses their hopes and dreams in words different from our own. We will strive to be your peacemakers and peacekeepers in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
About a week after I moved into my house, Ismael knocked on my door and asked me if I needed a gardener. I sort of thought Omar the gardener came with the house, but he never returned my phone calls. Ismael was about to walk away when I called him back and we negotiated what it would cost to care for my yard each month. Ismael is a real caretaker tending to the whole property, the lawn, the trees, the flowers, the sprinklers. I am grateful he knocked on my door. God has hoped that we would be Ismaels of the earth so to speak, real caretakers of the creation, stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Offering to support the church financially is just one of the things on our caretaking list.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept our tithes and offerings not only for the care and support of Christ’s church, but the care and support of your creation. Let faith and trust abide in our hearts as we seek to live in response to your never ending and abundant grace. Empower us, further, O Lord, to continue our ministries of care to those in need in our community and around the world spreading the good news through the work of our hands and the commitment of our hearts. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Loving God, we sing your praises and offer our thanks for your grace, mercy and unending patience. As we, your children, contend with each other and wrangle for control over the smallest of things, remind us that we have pledged ourselves to serve you, to serve your church and to serve each other. Keep us from keeping our distance in these days when we are self-conscious about political ideologies. Stop us from branding each other conservatives or liberals or something even worse. Help us to see that we are Christians first, seeking to love one another in all the circumstances of life. We pray to be kindly wise. Let us not suspect brother or sister because our opinions differ. Let us not stand afar off from one who is living in the same world we live in, but who expresses their hopes and dreams in words different from our own. We will strive to be your peacemakers and peacekeepers in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
About a week after I moved into my house, Ismael knocked on my door and asked me if I needed a gardener. I sort of thought Omar the gardener came with the house, but he never returned my phone calls. Ismael was about to walk away when I called him back and we negotiated what it would cost to care for my yard each month. Ismael is a real caretaker tending to the whole property, the lawn, the trees, the flowers, the sprinklers. I am grateful he knocked on my door. God has hoped that we would be Ismaels of the earth so to speak, real caretakers of the creation, stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Offering to support the church financially is just one of the things on our caretaking list.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept our tithes and offerings not only for the care and support of Christ’s church, but the care and support of your creation. Let faith and trust abide in our hearts as we seek to live in response to your never ending and abundant grace. Empower us, further, O Lord, to continue our ministries of care to those in need in our community and around the world spreading the good news through the work of our hands and the commitment of our hearts. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
September 9, 2012 "LIVING THE HANDS-ON GOSPEL"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Our Loving Creator, we are blessed today and every day that we can raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for your steadfast love and mercy. We cannot imagine what it would be like, to be removed from your presence, disconnected and out of touch. We cannot imagine an existence in which we are prevented from turning to you in times of joy or trouble; of not being allowed to speak your name, to sing hymns of praise, or to clasp our hands together in prayer. Most Gracious Redeemer, empower us, with the strength of spirit we need to be lifelong workers in your vineyard. When our bodies tire and we are unable to carry on with the hand callousing labor, let us be coaches and encouragers offering continuous spiritual refreshment to those who have come after us to keep the vineyard vital and alive. In all the ways we can with all of the resources we have let us be edifiers, of your church and our community of faith. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Some folks learn with their eyes. Some folks learn with their ears. Some folks learn with their hands. Some of us need all three senses working overtime to figure things out. For example: If we are going to learn how to water-ski, no matter how many videos we watch or instruction manuals we read, eventually we will have to put on a pair of water skis and get dragged around behind a high-powered motor boat. The same can be said about learning how to be generous. We can read the scriptures that tell us how important it is to be generous; we can listen to sermons that urge us to be generous, but until we put our hands to the task of giving generously, there is no evidence of learning.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept the gifts we bring before you. Fill us with the knowledge of your abundance. Keep our minds from wallowing in the angst of scarcity. Let faith and trust be what is overflowing in our hearts as we seek to live responsively. We embrace your love given in abundance and ask your blessing upon these offerings intended to spread and further the good news of the gospel. May our gifts bring relief to those in need. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Our Loving Creator, we are blessed today and every day that we can raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for your steadfast love and mercy. We cannot imagine what it would be like, to be removed from your presence, disconnected and out of touch. We cannot imagine an existence in which we are prevented from turning to you in times of joy or trouble; of not being allowed to speak your name, to sing hymns of praise, or to clasp our hands together in prayer. Most Gracious Redeemer, empower us, with the strength of spirit we need to be lifelong workers in your vineyard. When our bodies tire and we are unable to carry on with the hand callousing labor, let us be coaches and encouragers offering continuous spiritual refreshment to those who have come after us to keep the vineyard vital and alive. In all the ways we can with all of the resources we have let us be edifiers, of your church and our community of faith. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Some folks learn with their eyes. Some folks learn with their ears. Some folks learn with their hands. Some of us need all three senses working overtime to figure things out. For example: If we are going to learn how to water-ski, no matter how many videos we watch or instruction manuals we read, eventually we will have to put on a pair of water skis and get dragged around behind a high-powered motor boat. The same can be said about learning how to be generous. We can read the scriptures that tell us how important it is to be generous; we can listen to sermons that urge us to be generous, but until we put our hands to the task of giving generously, there is no evidence of learning.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept the gifts we bring before you. Fill us with the knowledge of your abundance. Keep our minds from wallowing in the angst of scarcity. Let faith and trust be what is overflowing in our hearts as we seek to live responsively. We embrace your love given in abundance and ask your blessing upon these offerings intended to spread and further the good news of the gospel. May our gifts bring relief to those in need. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
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