June 2, 2013 "DESERTING THE GOSPEL???!!"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST *** By Rev. Dr. Amanda Burr
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters and brought the world
into being. That same Spirit breathes life into us today.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and beloved One.
His very name, Jesus, signified salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, he entrusted his Spirit to God’s hands and God raised him from the dead.
It was the Spirit of God who poured the language of salvation in Jesus into the hearts, minds and mouths of the Apostles empowering them to tell their story to all the world.
And it is the Spirit of God who moves in and through the Church, the Body of Christ,
empowering us to witness to the truth of Christ, in loving service to all.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Dearest Lord, in this moment of prayer, focus our every thought upon you, upon these words we speak and upon those we are loathe to utter. We relish the comfort of a familiar liturgy and at the same time confess how the sameness of the format can put us into auto-worship mode. We want to be active in this time of prayer so we say with intention and clarity: “Lord, hear our prayer.” We are awake and attentive in this moment, hearing, the words our mouths are forming. Thank you for your eternal love and care. You never falter in it and you never give up on us even when we give up on ourselves. Thank you, dear Lord, for your grace and mercy; may it always give us strength and Christian character. Help us make good decisions knowing that what we do, how we respond and what we say effects the lives of others and those we love. Give us the courage to accept help when we need it and offer help to those who lose their footing on the rocky road of life. In the name of our beloved Christ we pray. Amen.

PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I met a man the other day who had a compulsion to clean and wash his hands after he touched anything, food, furniture or another human being. It reminded me of how Pontius Pilate washed his hands, in a symbolic gesture washing the blood of Jesus off his hands and by doing so seeking to wash away any connection with the crucifixion of Jesus. For his conscience the symbolic act may have worked, but as far as we are concerned the name of Pontius Pilate is ever connected with that event. May we never wash our hands of the Jesus story, rather let us open our hands in a literal gesture of giving.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Lord, bless all the gifts and tithes we set before you today. Remind us that we share in a ministry to all the world when we participate in this offering. Pour out the better measure of your Spirit upon these tokens of our thanks. May they empower and energize our ministry as servants of your Christ. Let everything we do and everything we are give witness to your steadfast mercy and love bringing light into someone’s darkness and relief to the hopeless. We are grateful indeed for every opportunity to serve you in the name of the Christ. Amen.