November 10, 2013 "DESTINATION WEDDINGS"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving and Compassionate God, thank you for investing in us your grace, love and mercy. We seek to honor your trust and confidence in us. Help us to realize that when we are feeling downtrodden, defeated, frightened and alone, you are at work endeavoring to relieve our distress. Open our eyes so that we may see the people you send into our lives to be our willing helpers and friends, challengers and counselors, supporters and guides. With all our hearts we accept that you are attentive to our prayers, listening to our confessions, our petitions and our hopes. Enlighten us O Lord, by your word, and wisdom. May our work and our efforts bring glory to your name and to the person of the Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
How many of you love to travel. Since the age of 22, I have traveled most continents with the exception of Australia and Africa. I haven’t been anywhere exotic since 2005. I am not feeling sorry for myself, I just couldn’t justify the expense. I know people who take extravagant adventures working on their bucket list of things they simply must see and do before they leave this earthly plain. Here’s my question: Does the church deserve to be considered equally with your bucket list? For example: I figure if I spend $3000.00 on my annual trip to Guatemala, I should plan to give, at least, that much to the church. I guess you could call it final destination thinking.
For Desert Hot Spirngs
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The destination wedding is seen as a new trend in the marriage business. They used to call leaving town to get married — eloping. Fewer brides and grooms seem interested in getting married in church let alone a church they were brought up in; perhaps because so few have a church home nowadays. Weddings today have become productions. Even the smallest weddings are the stuff of television reality shows. It is the reception that has become the primary focus not the ceremony in which one human being commits their life and love to another. Committing to anything or anyone is not made better or more lasting because of the geographical setting in which it occurs. When many of us made our confession of faith in Jesus we made it someplace else, but we carry that confession — that commitment— with us wherever we go even to our final destination. The ushers will come forward to collect the offering.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God keep us mindful of your part in our lives. Remind us that these gifts are not controlled by our will, but yours. Bless them O God. Empower these gifts for greater deeds, deeds of kindness, compassion and mercy. We pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.