July 10, 2016 "LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE" Dr. Eddy McLachlan Preaching

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought the universe and this earth into being.
That same Spirit breathes life into human creation.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and Beloved One.
The very name, “Jesus,” meant salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, at the last he commended his own Spirit into God’s hands, and God, the creator, 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 Gracious God, we have proclaimed throughout our faith journey that you are the God of Love. Descriptions of your Love and how you Love us fill our hymn books. We sing of our desire to love as you love, to love as the Christ loved us, and yet we confess how often we are cowed in our efforts by those who perpetrate evil, those who engage in acts of cruelty and violence, and those whose indifference allows hatred to reign. We pray for the courage to be selfless and fearless as we engage in acts of justice, mercy and compassion. Let us not fuss over details, worrying about how we will be perceived or judged by others. Free our hearts, our minds, and our consciences, O Lord that we may sow seeds of love, in the garden of your earth. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
It is important to us to feel moved to go the extra mile, to be generous, to sacrifice our own wants and desires for the wellbeing of another. It is important also, for us to feel the exhilaration that comes with meeting a challenge, with putting our best and most daring foot forward. It is important to all of us to feel good about our investment of self and substance in the kingdom of God. Thus it is important to trust that the decisions we make, are inspired by God’s spirit moving in and through us, whether those decisions are well thought out, and meticulously planned, or made on the spur of the moment. The Spirit’s inspiration is not always forthright or blatant in its insistence. Sometimes the Spirit is like a persistent fly buzzing about as if trying to get our attention. No matter how the Spirit speaks to us; it is right, and a good and joyful thing to listen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

July 3, 2016 "WE HAVE WORK TO DO" Dr. Eddy McLachlan Preaching

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought the universe and this earth into being.
That same Spirit breathes life into human creation.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and Beloved One.
The very name, “Jesus,” meant salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, at the last he commended his own Spirit into God’s hands, and God, the creator, 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
Gracious God of Love and Mercy, speak to us of possibility. Fill us with the hope that is born of true faith in your promises. We confess to interpreting your promise of prosperity in such a way as to justify the accumulation of earthly treasures. But we are ever aware that you did not promise humanity, riches or power, or health, or happiness. From the beginning you have offered us blessing, truth, peace, mercy and love, hoping that we would embrace those gifts and share them abundantly amongst our fellows. This weekend we celebrate a fought for independence as a nation, but let us, at the same time, acknowledge our dependence upon your grace and goodwill. If not for your grace, we would envision little beyond our days spent upon this earth. If not for the life and word’s of your Son and Beloved One, we would not be aware of your promises. We embrace those promises as true, because of Jesus’ resurrection. For all this and more, we give you thanks in his name. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
Colonialism is the “policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.” On this Independence Day weekend, we celebrate our independence from colonialism. Two hundred and forty years ago we declared ourselves a stand-alone nation, establishing our own constitution, bill of rights and laws, as well as building our own economy. Colonialism is perhaps not as blatantly obvious today as it was three centuries ago, however we must confess that poorer nations and peoples dependent upon richer nations for protection, clean water, food, medicine, and more, also have the potential for being exploited by their patrons. May the help we offer others, as a nation and a people, come from hearts of conscience full of the goodwill of Christ Jesus.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

June 26, 2016 "AN INVESTMENT IN STRATEGY" Rev. George Crisp Preaching

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought the universe and this earth into being.
That same Spirit breathes life into human creation.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and Beloved One.
The very name, “Jesus,” meant salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, at the last he commended his own Spirit into God’s hands, and God, the creator, 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
O, Most Loving and Merciful God, you have sought to guide the steps of your children, through threatening waters, barren unending wildernesses, times of hardship and prosperity, times of hostility and tranquility, times of great sorrow and great joy. We confess wrestling with ourselves in the face of controversy and challenge. Will we hang our heads in defeat or can we muster the spiritual stamina it takes to meet the challenge and work out a solution. With Paul we must proclaim that you have not given us a Spirit of fear, but a Spirit of power and love and self-control. We pray to be instruments of your peace, messengers of your goodwill, and ambassadors of Christ’s love for all. Teach us the ways of welcome and hospitality always, daring us to open wide the doors of our hearts and Christ’s church. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
This is a quote from Spiderman: The Battle Within: “Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice. My friend Harry taught me that. He chose to be the best of himself. It’s our choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what’s right.” In our society we have a tendency to look at choices as something akin to selections on a menu, or which color will bring out the blue in our eyes. The statement “You always have a choice,” is on the verge of becoming a platitude, because it is so often repeated. Whenever we make a choice in this life, there are costs, benefits, and often consequences that ensue. Choosing to follow Jesus, is neither a single, nor a final step. The choice requires us to put our trust in the rightness of his teachings, and invest ourselves in service as his disciples. It’s just not something you can turn on and off at will; it is the choice of your life.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

June 19, 2016 "AND WHAT OF FAITH"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought the universe and this earth into being.
That same Spirit breathes life into human creation.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and Beloved One.
The very name, “Jesus,” meant salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, at the last he commended his own Spirit into God’s hands, and God, the creator, 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
Eternal God, we pray always to be grateful for the earth upon which we dwell, for life, the love of friends and family, and the freedom we have to worship together in this sanctuary. Instinctively we look up when we call upon your name, not because we believe you exist in the clouds above our heads, but because we are in awe; you are bigger than life to us, more majestic that the highest mountain peak, more expansive than the blue seas, and more intricate than the tiniest particles of matter. When we were just babes we looked up into the faces of those grown-ups, who loved us. Whether fathers or mothers, grandfathers or grandmothers, we had to reach up to find the strong hand to guide us. No matter how many years we have lived upon this earth we are still toddlers walking along the path of faith, unsure of our steps, wanting to run, still reaching up for a strong hand to hold us steady. Lead us away from the path of prejudice, scapegoating and blame and show us the way of fairness, equality and peace. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
In 1970, as a commentary on soldiers who were losing their lives in battle and protestors who were losing their lives on campuses like Kent State, Stephen Stills wrote: Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground. Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down. For so many the cost of freedom is life itself. Down through the centuries, living the commandment to love has cost people of faith their lives as well, in places where civil rights are reserved only for the wealthy and powerful. Paul invites us to clothe ourselves with Christ, to be imprisoned no longer by labels, social standing or the rules of gender. I wish Stephen Stills would add a final line to his haunting lyrics: Father, God will raise you up, lift your spirits high.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

JUNE 12, 2016 "THE WOMEN"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought the universe and this earth into being.
That same Spirit breathes life into human creation.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and Beloved One.
The very name, “Jesus,” meant salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, at the last he commended his own Spirit into God’s hands, and God, the creator, 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
O, most Gracious Creator, as your Spirit moved over the face of the waters and urged the earth into being, you made change and transformation part of the essence of every life form. Each one of us carries this transformative essence, which is you within and with us. We are given the choice to wrestle against change, fearful, trying to resist it, or we can embrace it, and the promise it brings. Spirit of Love and wisdom, help us make the choices that will heal your creation, not harm it further. Let us not be quick to chastise or punish those who resist as you urge us toward change and transformation. Show us the way of genuineness and excellence, unafraid, and working daily to be obedient to the commandment to love one another as the Christ loved us. We pray to be the people who embrace the promise transformation brings. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
The word Transform from the Latin transformare means "change in shape, metamorphose." Metamorphosis is a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means. The entity is so changed that it no longer resembles any part of its old self. God is not only a force of creation, but of transformation. We humans can be slow to respond to the Holy Spirit’s urgings to be transformed, nevertheless the Spirit is persistent, and we shall all be changed. It took 42 years before a clergywoman stood in this pulpit. It may seem as though it happened in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and after 12 years no longer seems strange. But the full inclusion of women as leaders in Christ’s church has transformed the church and she is better for it.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

June 5, 2016 "KEEP AWAKE TO LOVE" Rev. Galen Goben Preaching

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR PENTECOST
It was the Spirit of God who moved over the face of the waters,
and brought the universe and this earth into being.
That same Spirit breathes life into human creation.
It was the Spirit of God who conceived a Messiah, the Son and Beloved One.
The very name, “Jesus,” meant salvation. He was our Emmanuel; God with us.
When Jesus gave up his life for ours, at the last he commended his own Spirit into God’s hands, and God, the creator, 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
O, most loving and patient Abba Father, we are as in awe of your grace and mercy as we are of your might and power. You hold back nothing from us, unlike us who so often withhold our mercy, kindness and affection from one another. We confess to digging in, often closing ourselves off in frustration, when things don’t go the way we think they ought to. We can get so wound up that we forget to remind ourselves to tackle one problem, one obstacle, one mountain, or even one obstreperous individual at a time. Trying to take them on all at once is simply an exercise in futility. Lead us, Lord, by your gentle persuasion. Open our eyes and our minds to discover how best to be of service to you, helping to heal the earth, humanity and ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
OFFERING INVITATION
The word “forlorn” has a long history. It is the joining of the two Latin words  for- "completely" + leosan "to lose." Forlorn is a past participle, and since the 1500s has come to mean: "completely lost, forsaken, abandoned, wretched, and miserable.” We don’t use the word much anymore; grief has taken its place. However “forlorn” describes perfectly how we feel inside when we are anticipating or experiencing devastating loss. In moments of forlornness, many will encourage forbearance, moving forward, forging ahead whether we are ready emotionally or not. How fortuitous for all of us, that the Holy Spirit has come, and holds out a hand to lead us in the way of promise when we are ready. How fortunate we are. Let us give thanks. The ushers will now come forward to accept your gifts and offerings.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.