June 21, 2015 "OPEN WIDE AND SAY: AHHHHH!"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought into being the world.
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 meant 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, the creator of life, raised him from the dead.
It was the Spirit of God who poured into the hearts, minds and mouths of the Apostles
the language of salvation empowering them to tell the stories of Jesus 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
Loving and gracious LORD, you have made room in your heart for all of humankind, keeping that space ready, safe and comforting even when we ran from you. When we close our hearts to you, and fail to comprehend your will and way for us, you still keep your heart wide open. When we hear those who preach doom and gloom, predicting the demise of Christ’s church, let us not be undone or cowed by their predictions. Rather let us be the exuberant, spirited witnesses following the lead of the Christ, inviting growth, by opening wide the heart of the church, a promised safe harbor for all. Let no one feel like a stranger in our midst, O God. Let us be the heart of the Christ, a place of sanctuary, a place of hope. In his name we pray. Amen.

OFFERING INVITATION
What melts your heart? I confess my heart breaks and my eyes tear up when I see those ASPCA ads on television. And too, my heart delights every time I watch the Android Ad “Friends Furever.” The gentle whimsy of dogs and orangutans posing as buddies, a black Labrador diving into the water off the back of his elephant pal, the bear and the tiger nuzzling muzzles, all to the tune of Roger Miller’s “Robin Hood and Little John,” just makes me smile. The only message appearing on the screen at the very end of the ad is: “Be together, not the same.” Mismatched in every way, these creatures bond nevertheless. They model for us what should be the nature of a church that boasts open hearts, minds and doors.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we believe you are at work in each of us. It is your Holy Spirit that moves us to be generous, and so we ask you to pour our your blessing on the gifts we set before you. We give to support the ministries of the church. These tithes and offerings are an act of worship and a thankful response to your incredible generosity. May this church continue to thrive and grow as each of us seeks to mature as true disciples of Jesus. Help us recognize your empowering and gracious presence at work, and let us bring glory to your name. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

June 14, 2015 "THERE IS A NEW CREATION"

AN AFFIRMATION FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought into being the world.
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 meant 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, the creator of life, raised him from the dead.
It was the Spirit of God who poured into the hearts, minds and mouths of the Apostles
the language of salvation empowering them to tell the stories of Jesus 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
Loving Lord, we believe in the power of prayer, knowing that you are present with us, attentive and listening in the very moment we call upon your name. Your Apostle, Paul taught us to be persistent in prayer, never letting go of it’s power to link our own spirits with yours. We confess the clumsiness of our prayers. All too often they sound like wishes, but we are assured by your word that the Holy Spirit translates the best sense and intention of our prayers. We ask you now, to pour out your Spirit of comfort, and all things possible upon each member of this congregation. Ease the burdens they carry and empower them for ministry. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
Mark tells us that Jesus was not didactic in his approach to teaching, but taught through the use of parables. Parables may seem simple in their content, but their truth is compelling. It wasn’t new way of teaching in Jesus’ day. Storytelling was one of the staples of Rabbinic Judaism. All of us have learned life and object lessons through stories written by the Brother’s Grimm, Mother Goose and Aesop. Some of their yarns were funny, filled with magic and whimsy, others were full of danger and foreboding and still others were full of hope and goodness. Parables use the seemingly ordinary to reveal the extraordinary. The parable of the mustard seed teaches us that what seems ever so miniscule and tiny is NOT of no consequence. You may see your gift as small, but in God’s hands it has mustard seed potential.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we believe you are at work in each of us. It is your Holy Spirit that moves us to be generous and so we ask you to pour our your blessing on the gifts we set before you. We give to support the ministries of the church. These tithes and offerings are an act of worship and a thankful response to your incredible generosity. May this church continue to thrive and grow as each of us seeks to mature as true disciples of Jesus. Help us recognize your empowering and gracious presence at work and let us bring glory to your name. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

June 7, 2015 "CONSTRAINED BY THE SPIRIT"

AN AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought into being the world.
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 meant 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, the creator of life, raised him from the dead.
It was the Spirit of God who poured into the hearts, minds and mouths of the Apostles
the language of salvation empowering them to tell the stories of Jesus 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
Most wondrous and loving LORD, as we greet each new day and sort out our daily tasks, help us, first and foremost, to be grateful for your mercy and love. We confess our desire to be seen as diligent disciples who never drop or fumble the ball. Our prayer this morning is simple: Let us be ever-cheerful, responsible servants who delight in working for your kingdom. Lord, fill us daily with the Spirit’s power and energy. When we strive after much, and become frustrated by our own faults and foibles, remove the dross of disappointment from our soul. Make us new in our own eyes, so that we may better reflect the Christ who is seeking to shine through us. In his name we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
During the past weeks I have received get well cards and notes from my church family that were uplifting, funny and some suitable for framing. Our expressions of remembrance of each other are meant to be heart-warming, heart-filling and heart-healing. People still love to get cards whether they come via the internet or snail mail. Since we are made in the image of God, I will conclude that God loves expressions of love and remembrance too. I think some of us tend to think that our expressions of thanks and love to God have to equal the majesty and magnanimity of our Sovereign God, but I think the regularity of our thanks and remembrances is what matters most. Just think of your offering as a thank you note and imagine the smile on God’s face.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we believe you are at work in each of us. It is your Holy Spirit that moves us to be generous, now we ask that you pour out your blessing upon the gifts we set before you. We give to support the ministries of the church. These tithes and offerings are an act of worship and our thankful response to your incredible generosity. May this church continue to thrive and grow as each of us seeks to mature as true disciples of Jesus. Help us recognize your empowering and gracious presence at work, and let us bring glory to your name. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

MAY 31, 2015 TRINITY SUNDAY GOD cubed

*THE SYMBOL OF FAITH The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed of 381 C.E.
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made:
Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made human; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets; and we believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the Resurrection of the dead, and the Life of the age to come. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious Creator, Beloved Christ, Empowering Spirit, we know you are ever near. We pray that you will help us love the days of this life, to treasure the moments we have with loved ones and friends, to luxuriate in the kindness, and thoughtfulness of others, and learn from them. Let us lift one another up with respecting our differences, and honoring our similarities. Remind us that there are moments in life much greater than recounting our own personal accomplishments. Teach us to be attentive to your presence with us and attentive to each other’s needs. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
“Good things come in threes.” “The third time is a charm.” “It’s like a three ring circus around here.” “He’s three sheets to the wind.” “That guys is as phony as a three dollar bill.” “Three cheers for the Red White and Blue.” “Three strikes, you’re out at the old ball game.” “They didn’t exchange more than three words all night.” “They’re in there giving him the third degree.” The Bishops meeting at the Council of Nicea in the year 325 CE sought to compose a creed to give clarity to Christian beliefs. Their task was complicated as they tried to sort out how the essence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were three consubstantial hypostases — that is three distinct expressions of one "substance, essence or nature". Most of us can simply embrace the mystery by believing that Good things come in threes.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we believe you are at work in each of us. Your Holy Spirit whispers words of generosity to our hearts and we ask your blessing on our gifts. These tithes and offerings are an act of worship and a thankful response to your incredible generosity. May our congregation continue to thrive and grow as each of us seeks to mature disciples of Jesus. Help us recognize your empowering and gracious presence at work in us and let us bring glory to your name. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

May 24, 2015 PENTECOST SUNDAY "WORKING WITH THE SPIRIT"

AN AFFIRMATION FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought into being the world.
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 meant 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, the creator of life, raised him from the dead.
It was the Spirit of God who poured into the hearts, minds and mouths of the Apostles
the language of salvation empowering them to tell the stories of Jesus 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
Loving and Merciful God we are grateful for your presence with us, acknowledging that you are more than present; you abide in us. You are in our every breath, our every movement, our every thought and expression. You are with us when we are awake and when we are asleep offering us peace of mind, and spirit. We do not believe that you seek to control us by your constancy in our lives, but are hopeful on our behalf, encouraging us to choose goodness, love and compassion toward our fellow humans over evil, hate and indifference. We confess a tendency to get caught up in the woes and challenges that confront us everyday. Keep us mindful of the blessings that often accompany them. We pray for patience and stamina when confronted by, and with change. When we are in distress, guard our hearts and minds against bedeviling panic. When we are in pain, guard us against despair. When we suffer loss, remind us of your abundant love and the promise of a new day. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
When do you feel the Spirit of God at work in you? Some would answer that question with “never,” some with “always,” and still others with, “I don’t know.” I believe this to be true: Every breath of life is manufactured by the God who created us all. The Spirit of God is always at work in the human soul, more often than not, trying to break through the walls of resistance we build. We want to be the captains of our own soul, the wizards of our own destiny. Many of us think that if we align ourselves too closely with the Holy Spirit, everything we have, all of our possessions, all of our accomplishments, will somehow be usurped or repossessed by that same Spirit. I think God notices when we flinch or get our noses out of joint because we haven’t been properly thanked for our invested efforts, gifts, and talents, or acknowledged for all we have done and do for the church. Do you ever wonder if God’s nose gets out of joint when any of us turns away or disregards God’s presence? I assure you, God is better than that, and only persists in trying to tear down the walls we put up.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we believe you are at work in each of us. It is your Holy Spirit that moves us to be generous and so we ask you to pour our your blessing on the gifts we set before you. We give to support the ministries of the church. These tithes and offerings are an act of worship and a thankful response to your incredible generosity. May this church continue to thrive and grow as each of us seeks to mature as true disciples of Jesus. Help us recognize your empowering and gracious presence at work and let us bring glory to your name. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

May 17, 2015 WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE RISEN CHRIST?--GLORIFY HIM!

AN EASTERTIDE AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
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.
Thanks Be To God! Amen
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
God of Grace and glory, we bask in the brightness of your presence, confident that your will for us is to see clearly the path of discipleship that is open before us. Embracing the teachings of your Christ we seek to glorify your name in all that we do and say. We confess that it is not easy following in the neighbor-loving footsteps of Jesus. Too often, we stumble over our own impatience, trip over our own pride, and find ourselves caught in a whirlpool of righteous indignation, certain that we are right and everyone else is wrong. Remind us, gracious LORD, that the bottom line of all that we do, is to glorify your name. Let your light shine upon us and within us. Let us be a beacon to those searching for new life, for purpose, or a way to serve you. Let us be the spiritual home that offers renewal for those spent or disillusioned by the demands of this world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
The word “glorify” comes from the Latin verb glorificaré meaning, to praise honor and extol, but the Greek word that appears in the scripture, translated into the Latin and anglicized to glory and glorify is δοξάζω pronounced doxadzo also meaning to honor, to extol to praise, to make illustrious, to clothe in splendor, and to cause the dignity and worth of someone to become manifest and acknowledged. On the vast majority of Sundays, following the receiving of the offering, we sing what is called the Doxology a relatively young song of praise written in 1674. The Gloria Patri that became dominant during Nicaean Christianity of the 4th century was known as the lesser doxology praising, extoling and acknowledging in equal measure the members of the Trinity. Our offerings equate with sacrifices presented to the Lord and are intended to put God in a blessing mood. I am confident that song singing helps our cause.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we ask your blessing upon the gifts we set before you today. We view the presentation of these tithes and offerings as an act of worship and a thankful response to your incredible generosity. Through these gifts the ministry of Christ’s church can thrive and grow as we thrive and mature in our discipleship. Your empowering and gracious presence is ever at work in our midst and by this we shall glorify your name. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

May 3, 2015 WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE RISEN CHRIST?--BEAR FRUIT IN HIM!

AN EASTERTIDE AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
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.
Thanks Be To God! Amen
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving God you have breathed into us the breath of life and to each you have given gifts, skills and creative talents. Through the days of our life you strive to nourish us by your goodness, to supply our needs, and to build within us a spirit of generosity and selflessness. Guard our ways and keep us from cultivating a sense of entitlement, or pride of place that seeks to exclude others from your goodwill. Remind us always that all that we have and all that we are has not been accomplished solely through our own devices. Apart from you we have nothing, and cannot endure the drought of the soul that comes with being disconnected, marginalized or cut off from your grace, mercy and love. Let us forever bear the fruit of your wondrous love inviting all to partake of it and be nourished into to the joy and abundance of life in Jesus Christ. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
How many of you remember when fruit had a season. Rev. Amanda grew up in Massachusetts where you couldn’t get every kind of fruit all year round. Watermelon was a summer fruit. Fresh oranges accompanied by “fruit spoons” were a gift sent from the grandparents who wintered in Sarasota, Florida. Apples were picked, polished and eaten from trees in the backyard in the fall, and ripe, juicy cantaloupe appeared on the breakfast table in the spring. We are well aware that trees bear fruit in their season. Depending upon the weather and the soil the fruit can be sparse or plentiful. Those whose spirits are nourished by their faith in Jesus Christ, are empowered to bear fruit abundantly in every season. Share what you bear with the Lord. The ushers will come forward to collect the offering.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we ask your blessing upon the gifts we set before you today. Presenting these tithes and offerings is an act of worship as well as our best response to your incredible generosity. May those we minister to through these gifts come to recognize and embrace your empowering and gracious presence at work in the world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.