We believe in God, the creator of heaven and earth, the giver of light and truth, life and breath. We believe that nothing can separate us from the grace, love and mercy of God who never hesitates to forgive the repentant heart.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God in human vesture, who desired to walk among us, reaching out to love us into new life.
We believe that he took upon himself our sin and regret, carrying these to the cross, where he gave his own life for our sakes.
This was his ultimate gift to us.
We believe that the Christ triumphed over death and will come to us again one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who speaks God’s truth to all people, in every language.
Embracing the Holy Spirit, our hearts are warmed, and we become living proof
of God’s transforming presence.
We believe in the church, the body of Christ to which we belong,
and through which we are called to serve and to make a difference in God’s world.
OFFERING INVITATION
I ‘m spiffing-up a house to sell, painting it inside and out and putting in new light fixtures. It was built in 1958 so it is now 57 years old….older than this sanctuary. I remember trying to convince a congregation I once served to spiff-up the church. They resisted the facelift, saying that the church looked just fine the way it was. It was beige and brown, with cracked leather cushions on the old used theater seats. The carpet was brown. Everything was brown. Well, that’s what I saw. It was like pulling teeth, but we did it and the church looked so much nicer and more inviting, but that was nearly 20 years ago now and nothing more has been done. I am grateful to those of you who shared what you saw needed spiffing-up in our recent church survey. There is much to be done. We have an extensive spiffing-up list in the most recent newsletter. If you look up you will see the number of lights that are out in the sanctuary. We don’t plan on replacing the burned out bulbs, rather we are replacing all of them. Doing that requires a cherry picker and some nimble electricians. If this is your church home for a few Sundays, a few months or always, the spiffing-up is for you and for those who will come after you. Please give generously.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we offer these gifts of thanksgiving and praise, understanding that they are instruments of goodwill. Let these gifts proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard it, whether in word or deed. As we labor side by side we offer our hearts and our hands to lead the lost out of darkness, to touch the untouchable and to heal those wounded by the world. Empower us to build ministries that transform and restore the souls of your people, giving glory to Christ’s name in everything. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment