We believe in God, the giver of life and grace, whose wondrous deeds
bring hope and healing to people of all nations.
We believe that God’s decision to be with us, in the person of Jesus,
manifested God’s immeasurable love for humankind.
We abide in Jesus, the Beloved One, whose name is written upon our hearts.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is at work whispering words of hope, peace, joy and love
to ALL people.
We believe in the church, the living body of Christ in the world, to which we belong.
As members of the body, we are called to minister to all people in Jesus’ name
seeking transformation for ourselves, the church, and the world.
And so it begins. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most loving and gracious God, we come before you this morning pondering our own notions of the meaning of the word LOVE. We confess that living up to love’s expectations is one of life’s greatest challenges. We distance ourselves from making commitments to for fear of being hurt, or let down. We are often too busy with lots of things going on in our lives, too much on our plate, to invest ourselves in the one thing that just might renew us. And then what if too much is expected of us; what then? Open our hearts and minds in this Advent season to ponder your decision to come to us, to be with us, one like us, experiencing life and love as we experience it. What wondrous LOVE IS THIS, O my soul, that caused the Lord of Life to lay aside his crown for MY soul, for MY soul, to lay aside his crown for MY soul. For this LOVE, we give you thanks and praise. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
During this consumer season all of the jewelry and department stores promise that buying the gifts they proffer for your loved ones and friends, will be the purest expression of your love and the absolute proof of your love for the recipient. It’s almost as if they are suggesting that the gift itself possesses love. I suppose that’s true if we honor the notion that it is the spirit in which a gift is given that endows the gift with its “mojo,” its charm, its power. Think about it, we treasure heirlooms handed down to us from parents or grandparents, mostly because they remind us of the loved ones who cherished them, whether plates, jewelry, or battered antiques we just can’t part with. The spirit of that beloved ancestor somehow lingers in the heirloom. God’s LOVE Lingers here, as a presence born in each of us. That presence endows your gift with its “mojo,” its charm, its power.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment