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.