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.
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