Glorious God of Hope and Promise, we stand in awe of the abundance of your love for humankind. Your endless mercy confounds us truly. Just when we think we have committed the ultimate error, you call us to try yet again, a better way. We want to live your example— to live how you showed us to in the life and work of Jesus. We confess that we have fallen short of that goal and so we ask you to work on us. Open our hearts, Lord, to the brokenness around us, and give us the will and way to care. Open our eyes to see clearly the fear and prejudice that fuels unjust systems, in our society. Give us courage to speak for those who cannot. Give us the strength to stand up for those who may not. Give us the daring to advocate for those who are given no voice; Let us not only live the gospel, but teach us to BE the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
Jasper and gold clear as glass describe the New city, the New Jerusalem, God’s city where God will dwell with God’s people. John of Patmos’ luxurious description of the foundations of the new city of promise and hope bejeweled with jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chyrsoprase, jacinth, and amethyst is indeed a wondrous sight for the weary mind’s eye and a sign of the abundance that awaits the faithful souls who have persevered and stood their ground in the face of injustice.
Showing posts with label Prayer and offertory thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer and offertory thought. Show all posts
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A COVENANT PRAYER IN THE WESLEYAN TRADITION FOR the Sermon February 28, 2010
Gracious God, I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low by thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. In the name of the Christ, let it be so. Amen.
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
The word for parodidomi is the Greek word which translated surrender in the English. But surrender is a French word which was first used in 1487. The Greek word appears numerous times in the New testament, but only once is it translated surrender. The other words used to translate it are: to deliver, deliver up, to give over, commend, commit, entrust and betray. During lent we are called to deliver ourselves up, to give ourselves over to commit to God’s leading even to the discipline of tithing.
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
The word for parodidomi is the Greek word which translated surrender in the English. But surrender is a French word which was first used in 1487. The Greek word appears numerous times in the New testament, but only once is it translated surrender. The other words used to translate it are: to deliver, deliver up, to give over, commend, commit, entrust and betray. During lent we are called to deliver ourselves up, to give ourselves over to commit to God’s leading even to the discipline of tithing.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Prayer for the Sermon January 17, 2010 (renamed) "THE SPIRIT OF TODAY"
Glorious God, our Creator and Sustainer, we are awed by your steadfast love for humankind, not because we imagine your love might fail, but because we are ever aware of how our love fails. We imagine that the world would be a harmonious place if everyone thought the same way, worked the same way, and perhaps looked the same, but in our most rational thoughts we know that harmony in human relationships is only achieved with great effort. Create in us righteous hearts and willing ears ready to listen, ready to hear and slow to judge. Call into our consciousness patience and true reason, compassion and tenacity. Let us never give up on the path of reconciliation, which shall lead to the equality of all persons, the dignity of all persons and the well being of the world in the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
It is no accident that Human Relations Sunday is coupled with the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. In his adaptation of J. Wallace Hamilton’s Sermon the Drum Major Instinct he wrote: “Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness.” Since its designation in 1986 MLK day has come to be called the King Day of Service when all are invited to volunteer time to help others, making it A Day ON, not a Day Off.
This Sermon was originally titled R.E.S.T. (changing the order of the Wesleyan quadrilateral formula: R=reason, E=experience, S=Scripture, T=tradtion
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
It is no accident that Human Relations Sunday is coupled with the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. In his adaptation of J. Wallace Hamilton’s Sermon the Drum Major Instinct he wrote: “Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness.” Since its designation in 1986 MLK day has come to be called the King Day of Service when all are invited to volunteer time to help others, making it A Day ON, not a Day Off.
This Sermon was originally titled R.E.S.T. (changing the order of the Wesleyan quadrilateral formula: R=reason, E=experience, S=Scripture, T=tradtion
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