*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
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
Ever Creating and Redeeming God, you are the bright spot in the universe, the light that shines out of the great darkness capable of filling every void. Where there was chaos, your spirit sorted it all out bringing forth from it life and a sense of order. Help us realize that you exist as a part of our every breath. Your Holy Spirit is an integral part of our very being. We confess some angst as we gather years. Maybe it is a longing for contentment in this wearisome world. Please understand, it is not that we long to live comfortable lives —although that is always nice — rather we long to feel comfortable in our own skin. Perhaps it is more truthful to say, we hate making mistakes, making poor choices, putting our feet in our mouths. These faux pas make us feel unworthy of your patience, and love. We don’t relish the days of wondering what we are meant to do and be. Are we just taking up space, acting as place holders for those more deserving. Help us realize that even before we were born you called us by your grace to be your witnesses, nothing more. Give us, then, the words to proclaim the gospel, the will to live into it, and the spirit to love through it. All this we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I confess that I watch the TV show “Justified.” In our society we tend to use the word justified when condoning the harsher actions of someone who wages revenge or takes the law into his or her own hands. She was justified in taking him for every last dime, because he cheated on her. He was justified in shooting the neighbors dog, because the dog bit him. To justify means to administer justice, to show something to be just or right. Justification for Christians is by faith. It means that our active ongoing faith in Jesus shows us to be just or right, to be A-OK in the sight of God. This is the better context for being justified and the reason we give thanks for the church which makes an effort to remind us of these truths.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Pour out your glorious Spirit of Blessing upon these our offerings most loving and gracious Lord. May every ministry they support, every program they nurture, every comfort they provide glorify your name. We are indebted to you for our every breath and blessing, however we give not because of our indebtedness, but because of our gratefulness. We offer our thanks in the name of the Christ. Amen.
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