Wednesday, May 28, 2014
May 18, 2014 "TRUST THAT I AM, IT'S ALL GOOD"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Dearest “ I AM,” most gracious and loving Lord, you have given us the gift of your presence through the eons. You have invited us to partake of your mercy and forgiveness offering these to people from all walks of life; to the righteous and the unrighteous, to the successful and the faltering, to the bereft and those who lack for nothing. We confess that we have fallen short of your glory, visiting our criticism, or impatience upon one another. But we relish those warmed-heart moments that come to us when we discover the lengths to which you have gone to prove your love for us and be part of our lives. Jesus sought to show us how to love by his example and we pray everyday that you will empower us, as his followers, to inspire others by our example. Give us the will and means to serve one another patiently anticipating the coming of your kingdom upon the earth. In the name of the beloved, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
A few years ago I began renaming this part of the worship service calling it Preparing for the offering. I decided to use the present participle of “prepare” as an invitation for you to take these few moments to rummage through your pockets, purses or wallets to locate whatever gift you were preparing to place in the offering plate when it passes through your hands — in another moment or two. I know there are those of you who are eternally unprepared for this point in the service and there are those who don’t really have a clue about offerings and the whole plate-passing business. The uninformed will figure it out eventually —we need your offering not only to help others but to pay the bills. I am only thankful that I have never, yet, seen anyone caught so unawares that they pull away throwing their hands up in the air to avoid touching the money plate as it goes by. And too, though I have heard people joke about it, I have never seen anyone trying to make change. I hope these few words have given you the time you needed to prepare for the offering.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, grateful for the day of resurrection, we continue in this Eastertide to rejoice in your promise fulfilled. There is no clearer message of goodwill — no more graphic demonstration of your love — no greater assurance of your hope for humanity, than the resurrection of your Christ. May our tithes and offerings, succeed in bringing the message of your love and goodwill to those who have never known it. In the name of the risen Christ we pray. Amen.
Dearest “ I AM,” most gracious and loving Lord, you have given us the gift of your presence through the eons. You have invited us to partake of your mercy and forgiveness offering these to people from all walks of life; to the righteous and the unrighteous, to the successful and the faltering, to the bereft and those who lack for nothing. We confess that we have fallen short of your glory, visiting our criticism, or impatience upon one another. But we relish those warmed-heart moments that come to us when we discover the lengths to which you have gone to prove your love for us and be part of our lives. Jesus sought to show us how to love by his example and we pray everyday that you will empower us, as his followers, to inspire others by our example. Give us the will and means to serve one another patiently anticipating the coming of your kingdom upon the earth. In the name of the beloved, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
A few years ago I began renaming this part of the worship service calling it Preparing for the offering. I decided to use the present participle of “prepare” as an invitation for you to take these few moments to rummage through your pockets, purses or wallets to locate whatever gift you were preparing to place in the offering plate when it passes through your hands — in another moment or two. I know there are those of you who are eternally unprepared for this point in the service and there are those who don’t really have a clue about offerings and the whole plate-passing business. The uninformed will figure it out eventually —we need your offering not only to help others but to pay the bills. I am only thankful that I have never, yet, seen anyone caught so unawares that they pull away throwing their hands up in the air to avoid touching the money plate as it goes by. And too, though I have heard people joke about it, I have never seen anyone trying to make change. I hope these few words have given you the time you needed to prepare for the offering.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, grateful for the day of resurrection, we continue in this Eastertide to rejoice in your promise fulfilled. There is no clearer message of goodwill — no more graphic demonstration of your love — no greater assurance of your hope for humanity, than the resurrection of your Christ. May our tithes and offerings, succeed in bringing the message of your love and goodwill to those who have never known it. In the name of the risen Christ we pray. Amen.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
May 11, 2014 Mother's Day "BY THIS EVERYONE WILL KNOW"
AN AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EASTERTIDE Written by Dr. Burr
We trust and affirm that each of us is created in the image of God.
God’s Grace is immeasurable and God’s will for us is always Goodwill.
We believe that Jesus Christ lived to forgive, to heal the broken hearted and proclaim God’s love to the world.
We believe Jesus bore our shame carrying our sins to the cross where he surrendered his own spirit to God in order to set our spirits free.
God promised that Jesus would not be given up to death and, true to that promise, God raised him from the dead.
We trust in the counsel of The Holy Spirit who guides us in our efforts to live out the commandment to love one another as Christ loved us.
We believe the Holy Spirit moves us ever onward toward perfection and for this we give thanks to God. Amen
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Sovereign of the universe, how very good it feels to be in your presence gathered together to worship you. We confess that we get into a rut when it comes to addressing you in prayer. We don’t use adjectives or superlatives when we call upon your name, rather we repeat the names we have heard or were taught, Almighty God, Our Father, Mother/Father God, Dearest Lord, or Abba — the name Jesus used. Oh, most glorious author of LIFE and LOVE, bring us closer to your heart of grace. Give us new visions of your engaging presence in our lives and empower us to be inspiring, passionate, ever-inviting, followers of Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I learned a lot in my travels last week. For example the cheapest airline ticket cost $356, but a comfortable seat in coach costs extra — anywhere from $20 to $35 more per flight. Checking “a” bag — carry-on or larger — costs $25, but if I am willing to drag my carry-on all the way to the gate, the airline will beg me to let them check that same bag for free. I learned at 11:45 PM, that no matter when I reserved that special deal midsized rent-a-car, it would not be available. They had a mini-van available for the deal price or the good people at Budget would let me rent one of their premium cars for just $20 more a day. I needed the GPS to find my way around costing me another $15.64 a day; the liability —only— insurance cost me $16 a day, plus a bunch of taxes and something called concessions. So the 5-day-$338-midsized-car-deal escalated in to a $626 push-button-ignition-red-Taurus. Perhaps the most important lesson I learned was never to arrive late at night unless armed with plenty of chutzpah. I think we should be grateful for the predictability of Tithing. There are just no add-ons in the church.
We trust and affirm that each of us is created in the image of God.
God’s Grace is immeasurable and God’s will for us is always Goodwill.
We believe that Jesus Christ lived to forgive, to heal the broken hearted and proclaim God’s love to the world.
We believe Jesus bore our shame carrying our sins to the cross where he surrendered his own spirit to God in order to set our spirits free.
God promised that Jesus would not be given up to death and, true to that promise, God raised him from the dead.
We trust in the counsel of The Holy Spirit who guides us in our efforts to live out the commandment to love one another as Christ loved us.
We believe the Holy Spirit moves us ever onward toward perfection and for this we give thanks to God. Amen
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Sovereign of the universe, how very good it feels to be in your presence gathered together to worship you. We confess that we get into a rut when it comes to addressing you in prayer. We don’t use adjectives or superlatives when we call upon your name, rather we repeat the names we have heard or were taught, Almighty God, Our Father, Mother/Father God, Dearest Lord, or Abba — the name Jesus used. Oh, most glorious author of LIFE and LOVE, bring us closer to your heart of grace. Give us new visions of your engaging presence in our lives and empower us to be inspiring, passionate, ever-inviting, followers of Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I learned a lot in my travels last week. For example the cheapest airline ticket cost $356, but a comfortable seat in coach costs extra — anywhere from $20 to $35 more per flight. Checking “a” bag — carry-on or larger — costs $25, but if I am willing to drag my carry-on all the way to the gate, the airline will beg me to let them check that same bag for free. I learned at 11:45 PM, that no matter when I reserved that special deal midsized rent-a-car, it would not be available. They had a mini-van available for the deal price or the good people at Budget would let me rent one of their premium cars for just $20 more a day. I needed the GPS to find my way around costing me another $15.64 a day; the liability —only— insurance cost me $16 a day, plus a bunch of taxes and something called concessions. So the 5-day-$338-midsized-car-deal escalated in to a $626 push-button-ignition-red-Taurus. Perhaps the most important lesson I learned was never to arrive late at night unless armed with plenty of chutzpah. I think we should be grateful for the predictability of Tithing. There are just no add-ons in the church.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
April 27, 2014 "MISSING OUT"
AN AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EASTERTIDE written by Rev. Dr. Amanda J. Burr
We trust and affirm that each of us is created in the image of God.
God’s Grace is immeasurable and God’s will for us is always Goodwill.
We believe that Jesus Christ lived to forgive, to heal the broken hearted and proclaim God’s love to the world.
We believe Jesus bore our shame carrying our sins to the cross where he surrendered his own spirit to God in order to set our spirits free.
God promised that Jesus would not be given up to death and, true to that promise, God raised him from the dead.
We trust in the counsel of The Holy Spirit who guides us in our efforts to live out the commandment to love one another as Christ loved us.
We believe the Holy Spirit moves us ever onward toward perfection and for this we give thanks to God. Amen
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most loving and mysterious Creator hear our prayer. Let not the wonder of Easter slip too quickly away, making it just another holiday that is over and done for this year. Let our amazement at the radiance and lightning-like appearance of the angel at the tomb linger for weeks to come. We confess our desire to touch some tangible proof of the resurrection, and to rest in the substantive truth of it. But then we realize how you would not have us rest, until the race is finished. In the days ahead, as we follow in the footsteps of Christ’s disciples, we shall seek to grow in faith, as they did. They will show us how being in prayer together gave them a spiritual strength and stamina they had never thought possible. Our faith looks up to thee. Show us the way. In the name of the Christ we pray.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Some of the Trustees and I went on a field trip the other day to the Coachella Valley Water District’s Garden of Desert Flora. We saw the lush and vibrant colors of desert plants many of which brought me back into the mood and spirit of Holy Week; the purple passion flower vine, the red flowered crown of thorns bush, the butterfly iris. The fiery red blossoms that adorn the spiny core of the barrel cactus reminded me of the coming day of Pentecost. The Trustees’ hope and mine is to gradually introduce these conservation conscious plants onto the church’s campus and into our memory garden. Indeed their colors and their names promise to remind us of the creative spirit of God that is ever in our midst.
We trust and affirm that each of us is created in the image of God.
God’s Grace is immeasurable and God’s will for us is always Goodwill.
We believe that Jesus Christ lived to forgive, to heal the broken hearted and proclaim God’s love to the world.
We believe Jesus bore our shame carrying our sins to the cross where he surrendered his own spirit to God in order to set our spirits free.
God promised that Jesus would not be given up to death and, true to that promise, God raised him from the dead.
We trust in the counsel of The Holy Spirit who guides us in our efforts to live out the commandment to love one another as Christ loved us.
We believe the Holy Spirit moves us ever onward toward perfection and for this we give thanks to God. Amen
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most loving and mysterious Creator hear our prayer. Let not the wonder of Easter slip too quickly away, making it just another holiday that is over and done for this year. Let our amazement at the radiance and lightning-like appearance of the angel at the tomb linger for weeks to come. We confess our desire to touch some tangible proof of the resurrection, and to rest in the substantive truth of it. But then we realize how you would not have us rest, until the race is finished. In the days ahead, as we follow in the footsteps of Christ’s disciples, we shall seek to grow in faith, as they did. They will show us how being in prayer together gave them a spiritual strength and stamina they had never thought possible. Our faith looks up to thee. Show us the way. In the name of the Christ we pray.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Some of the Trustees and I went on a field trip the other day to the Coachella Valley Water District’s Garden of Desert Flora. We saw the lush and vibrant colors of desert plants many of which brought me back into the mood and spirit of Holy Week; the purple passion flower vine, the red flowered crown of thorns bush, the butterfly iris. The fiery red blossoms that adorn the spiny core of the barrel cactus reminded me of the coming day of Pentecost. The Trustees’ hope and mine is to gradually introduce these conservation conscious plants onto the church’s campus and into our memory garden. Indeed their colors and their names promise to remind us of the creative spirit of God that is ever in our midst.
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