September 1, 2013 "FIRE AND SALT"

*AN AFFIRMATION OF FAITH BASED ON THE TRADTIONAL APOSTLES’ CREED *** Adapted by Rev. Dr. Amanda J. Burr
I believe in God, the all-powerful Sovereign of the Universe, the loving Abba, Father, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, God’s only Son, who was conceived by The Spirit of God and born of Mary.
Jesus was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. He was crucified, died and was buried.
On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead.
I believe the risen Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God Almighty.
From this throne Jesus shall come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the church universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and eternal life. Amen.

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious God, we are gathered together on this Labor Day, many of us sporting the symbols of our work. Help us always to keep our eyes upon Jesus as we labor in your vineyard. We confess that we have a tendency to separate the work we are paid for from the labors we perform in your service almost as if one has merit and the other not. Even if our work is unglamorous or distasteful to many, even if our labor is the humblest of all and is the job that no one else will do — cause us to comprehend its importance. We are grateful, Lord, for our minds and our bodies. We do get flustered when these mental and physical instruments seem less able to carry out the same tasks they did in our younger days, nevertheless we seek always to honor you with our every effort. Whether we work at chores, a vocation, a profession, an assembly line, or a hobby we give you thanks for the tools you have given us to labor. We pray never to be ruled by pride in what we have accomplished, or braggadocio over our service, but humbly and quietly to give you thanks for ability and opportunity. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I was watching a movie made in 1949 in which, I think it was Joel McCrae, was very excited announcing that he would be earning $75.00 a week at his new job. As a very little girl maybe 8 years after that movie was released I learned that my father earned $94.00 a week at the New England Bolt Company where he worked with his father and his uncle. He may or may not have been the company’s Vice-President then, but the amount of his earnings meant nothing to me. “Why” you ask? Because I thought we should all be able to trade our stuff for what we wanted. If I wanted some bubble gum from the candy store, then I should be able to trade my shoes and socks never giving a moment’s thought to the walk home.