We believe in God, the creator of heaven and earth, granter of grace and life.
We believe that nothing in all the world, can separate us from the love of God
who always forgives a repentant heart.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God in human vesture, who came to love us into new life.
We believe that Jesus took the burden of our sins upon himself,
and carried that burden to the cross where he relinquished his own life for our sakes.
This act was his ultimate gift to us.
We believe that his death was not the end, but that he was raised from the dead,
and he will come again one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who speaks truth to all people, in every language.
Our hearts are warmed when we embrace that Spirit, and God’s presence within us is revealed.
As the church, and as members of the body of Christ in the world,
we believe we are called to make a difference in this world.
Thanks be to God.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Glorious God, what a joy it is to sing your praises, surrounded by such tender company. We are lifted up and drawn in by what seems to be the mere combination of notes, yet they are capable of reaching deep into our core, touching the heart. Beloved music, strange music, new music can trigger our emotions evoking feelings of awe and reverence, joy and triumph, laughter and lament. Let your presence permeate the sanctuary, with every breath we take. Let us treasure every moment of our time together, as we gather strength for our journey into our future. Like Jesus’ first followers, we embrace our mission and purpose to serve you, moving ever onward toward your kingdom goal. We thank you always in the name of the Christ. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Are you a good navigator? I mean, do you have a natural sense of direction, or do you get lost backing out of your driveway? Are you one who likes the turn by turn directions that your GPS app provides, or do you like to wing it? Do you prefer landmarks, or are you good with the old standbys of north, south, east and west? If the directions to the church read about a mile east of the mountains, does that resonate with you, or is just west of the intersection at Sunrise and Alejo more helpful? Some folks have to see the map, some folks work well with two lefts, a right and another left, while still others want every street name at every intersection they will encounter all along the way. As different as our directional preferences are, so too are the different directional preferences of the church. While we may be in the driver’s seat, let’s not forget that God is our navigator.
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