We believe in one true God, the beginning of all that is, the gracious and merciful creator of the Universe, beyond planets, galaxies, solar systems, time and space.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born the Son of God, the light of the world, the prince of peace, the bread of life. We believe Jesus was the incarnation of God, the living message of redemption for all and that by his willing sacrifice we have been given new life.
We believe that Jesus was raised from the dead as the radiant sign of God’s promise fulfilled. We believe that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who breathes life into the body of Christ, the church, prodding us ever onward toward the fulfillment of God’s kingdom upon the earth.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving God our most Gracious Creator, we give you thanks for the days you grant us of life upon this earth. Through the years we will and do experience joy, laughter, and triumph coupled with the sorrow, which accompanies loss. When we dare to embrace the full range of human emotions, we discover who we cherish and what we treasure. We confess our aversion to the pain of grief, but realize that the remembering helps us call up the faces of those we keep ever close in our hearts. Isolating ourselves from the world, will not keep pain and sorrow from knocking on our door, but trusting in your presence and unfailing friendship can help us greet tomorrow. Bless us today, O LORD, we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
“Abstract thinking is the final most complex stage in the development of cognitive thinking.” We no longer make decisions based on our experiences, rather our thinking is characterized by adaptability, flexibility and the use of concepts and generalizations. Abstract thinking helps us look at the big picture and problem solve. I have some very lovely friends who cling to the concrete and literal, and less to abstract concepts. When I share dreams and big ideas, often the expression on their face becomes one big question mark, a distant blank stare, or a raised eyebrow, that screams doubt wondering just what out-of-control notion I am hatching now. There are moments when It seems as if I am speaking a foreign language. I think Jesus may have had like experiences and that may be the very reason he started using the phrase: “Very truly I tell you,” when he saw those blank stares and distant looks coming his way.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious and loving God, we are moved by the praise filled voices of those singing all around us. Our hearts are warmed, and our spirits quickened. Recognizing that every blessing we have is a gift from you, we humbly acknowledge your bounty. You have placed your trust in our willingness to share what we have with others, so that all may come to know the bounty to be found in Christ Jesus. We believe that no gift given in love is small, and all gifts sustain the church and its ministries. May our church live on as a vital, and magnetic presence for all those who come after us. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
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