October 30, 2016 "HE KNEW MY NAME!?"

AFFIRMATION OF PERSISTENCE
We believe in God, the creator of heaven and earth.
We accept God’s abundant grace granted while we were being made in secret.
We believe that God’s testimony is written upon our hearts,
and that God forgives our rebelliousness cleansing us of all regret.
We believe in Jesus Christ, anointed to bring good news to the poor,
proclaim release to the captives, bind up the brokenhearted, heal the sick, and comfort those who mourn.
Because he loved us, he gave his life for us, and then God restored his life.
We believe the Holy Spirit comes to all who are in Christ, Jesus.
The Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us according to the will of God.
We believe in the church, the body of Christ in the world, called to bring good news to the poor,
proclaim release to the captives, bind up the brokenhearted, heal the sick,
and comfort those who mourn.
We believe persistent prayer, in the name of Jesus,
can heal the body and the soul.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious and loving Lord, it is only when we worship together that we join our hearts, minds and voices, lifting them as if singing a weekly anthem of praise to your most holy name. Ours is a corporate song, as we who are many are transformed into the one body giving thanks for your grace, mercy, forgiveness, and your persistent presence in our lives. In worship we remember all the good you have bestowed upon us, offering in response our love, devotion, and a commitment to follow your will and way for us. It is in our worship that we find the courage and stamina to rededicate ourselves, and to affirm our faith as servant disciples of Jesus Christ. In the name of our savior, redeemer and Lord, we pray. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Mrs. Dyer, who lived next door, when I was a little girl, had the most terrific apple tree in her back yard. She would let me climb it whenever I wanted to. I loved to sit in its ample branches watching the robins and squirrels pecking and scurrying. The higher I’d climb the taller I felt. I remember watching my nephew climb a tree like a monkey at the age of 4. He would shout, “See how tall I am.” I knew then, he was destined to be an athlete. He is a linebacker at the University of Washington. Zacchaeus, the star of today’s scripture, was a diminutive man, who climbed a giant sycamore tree, not to feel taller, but to catch a glimpse of the man everyone was talking about. By the time he descended his perch, after meeting Jesus, he had grown in stature by virtue of his changed heart and a new found generosity.
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.

October 23, 2016 "MORE HEART, LESS ATTACK" Part 2

AFFIRMATION OF PERSISTENCE
We believe in God, the creator of heaven and earth. We accept God’s abundant grace granted while we were being made in secret.
We believe that God’s testimony is written upon our hearts and that God forgives our rebelliousness cleansing us of all regret.
We believe in Jesus Christ, anointed to bring good news to the poor,
proclaim release to the captives, bind up the brokenhearted, heal the sick,
and comfort those who mourn. Because he loved us, he gave his life for us, and then God restored his life.
We believe the Holy Spirit comes to all who are in Christ, Jesus.
The Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us according to the will of God.
We believe in the church, the body of Christ in the world,
called to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, bind up the broken hearted, heal the sick,
and comfort those who mourn.
We believe persistent prayer, in the name of Jesus,
can heal the body and the soul.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious and Everliving God, pour out your blessing on all those who enter your sanctuary: the curious, the hopeful, the solid, the repentant, the redeemed, the searching, the sure, the unsure, the prepared and the unprepared. Assure us of your presence always, and your eagerness to be a part of our lives. Let your light shine through us as we count the blessings of each day. We long to embrace a positive outlook on life believing that the light at the end of that proverbial tunnel is not a train headed in our direction. Give us moments of laughter so as not to take ourselves too seriously, and lead us into a future full of hope. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Remember those test questions on exams in school that started out Compare and Contrast? You were supposed to answer how two things were alike and how they were different. I remember my mother instructing me not to compare myself to others, I think she said that because she knew I would see myself as less able or not in any way comparable to whoever I was comparing myself to. I think church people compare themselves with others in their ability to support the church financially and see themselves as less able and not in anyway comparable to the amounts given by those they are comparing themselves to. Don’t compare the generosity of your heart to dollars and cents given by others. If your heart is in your giving, that is all that counts in the eyes of God.
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.

October 16, 2016 "MORE HEART, LESS ATTACK" Part 1

AFFIRMATION OF PERSISTENCE
We believe in God, the creator of heaven and earth.
We accept God’s abundant grace granted while we were being made in secret.
We believe that God’s testimony is written upon our hearts and that God forgives our rebelliousness cleansing us of all regret.
We believe in Jesus Christ, anointed to bring good news to the poor,
proclaim release to the captives, bind up the brokenhearted, heal the sick, and comfort those who mourn.
Because he loved us, he gave his life for us, and then God restored his life.
We believe the Holy Spirit comes to all who are in Christ, Jesus.
The Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us according to the will of God.
We believe in the church, the body of Christ in the world,
called to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, bind up the broken hearted, heal the sick,
and comfort those who mourn.
We believe persistent prayer, in the name of Jesus,
can heal the body and the soul.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most Loving and persistent Lord, let us be aware of your desire to be a part of each and every one of us. Remind us that your word is written upon our hearts even before we take our first breath. Our challenge in this life is to devote ourselves to you. We confess how easy it is to make politics, or money, or social rank and position, our religion, as we debate over our opinions, obsess over our investments and bank balances, or climb and claw our way to the top of some recognition ladder constructed by humans. Even in our devotion to you we can get caught up in what we think is the only and right way to do something. We can forget to consider the many who make up the body of Christ; fragile, flawed, imperfect, at times impatient, humans who are striving at every cross-roads to choose life and love in the name of Jesus. Restore us Lord, when we are weary and revive our spirits daily; in the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
I find it interesting that it seems to be women who stand out in the scriptures as persistent, determined and willing to risk: The woman with the hemorrhage, the Syrophoenician/Canaanite Woman, the Woman with the Alabaster Flask, Mary Magdalene, and the widow of today’s text. The word persistence when broken into its root words means “thoroughly come to stand.” Its definition in modern verbiage is firm or obstinate, continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition; the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult, or opposed by other people. As Christians we are called to be persistent in many things: faith, trust, prayer, devotion to God, each other and to Christ’s church. Let your persistent offerings be an act of devotion to your church.
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.