CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Our Loving Creator, we are blessed today and every day that we can raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for your steadfast love and mercy. We cannot imagine what it would be like, to be removed from your presence, disconnected and out of touch. We cannot imagine an existence in which we are prevented from turning to you in times of joy or trouble; of not being allowed to speak your name, to sing hymns of praise, or to clasp our hands together in prayer. Most Gracious Redeemer, empower us, with the strength of spirit we need to be lifelong workers in your vineyard. When our bodies tire and we are unable to carry on with the hand callousing labor, let us be coaches and encouragers offering continuous spiritual refreshment to those who have come after us to keep the vineyard vital and alive. In all the ways we can with all of the resources we have let us be edifiers, of your church and our community of faith. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Some folks learn with their eyes. Some folks learn with their ears. Some folks learn with their hands. Some of us need all three senses working overtime to figure things out. For example: If we are going to learn how to water-ski, no matter how many videos we watch or instruction manuals we read, eventually we will have to put on a pair of water skis and get dragged around behind a high-powered motor boat. The same can be said about learning how to be generous. We can read the scriptures that tell us how important it is to be generous; we can listen to sermons that urge us to be generous, but until we put our hands to the task of giving generously, there is no evidence of learning.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept the gifts we bring before you. Fill us with the knowledge of your abundance. Keep our minds from wallowing in the angst of scarcity. Let faith and trust be what is overflowing in our hearts as we seek to live responsively. We embrace your love given in abundance and ask your blessing upon these offerings intended to spread and further the good news of the gospel. May our gifts bring relief to those in need. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
August 26, 2012 "FINDING YOUR GOSPEL FOOTWEAR"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous God, we take a deep breath, breathing into our bodies your essential presence. We are grateful and we know that we are not presumptuous in our thanksgiving and our praise, because you keep your promises. From the beginning of all things, you have kept faith and covenant with us. You have always sought us out, beckoned to us, called to us, held out your hand to us. You became covenant in the person of Jesus, a hands-on savior taking on the world, to teach us and ultimately show us the better way. In your final hours you said: “Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives.” Give us the courage to be the good news. Help us get our feet in gear to proclaim the gospel of peace in this troubled world for the cry for peace and justice echoes down the centuries in the voices of the lost, the abused, the imprisoned and the oppressed. Hear our prayer, O Lord, in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The other day, a friend showed me his selection of counterfeit men’s and women’s Rolex watches for sale. I bought a counterfeit Rolex in Hawaii about 20 years ago, but I ended up giving it to my brother since it was a man’s watch and just too heavy for me to wear. My friend assured me that his counterfeits are automatic with the trademark sweep hand. I decided against buying a new fake Rolex, for all sorts of reasons not the least of which is, the fact that I am armed with numerous devices eager to remind just what time it is. Thank God we don’t need Rolexes to remind us, it is never too late to give and pledge our support to Christ’s church.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God it feels good to bring our tithes and offerings before you. The love and grace you bestow upon us is the genuine article and so too is our commitment to live in response to your gracious gift. Our prayer is that all of the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring them ever closer. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Wondrous God, we take a deep breath, breathing into our bodies your essential presence. We are grateful and we know that we are not presumptuous in our thanksgiving and our praise, because you keep your promises. From the beginning of all things, you have kept faith and covenant with us. You have always sought us out, beckoned to us, called to us, held out your hand to us. You became covenant in the person of Jesus, a hands-on savior taking on the world, to teach us and ultimately show us the better way. In your final hours you said: “Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives.” Give us the courage to be the good news. Help us get our feet in gear to proclaim the gospel of peace in this troubled world for the cry for peace and justice echoes down the centuries in the voices of the lost, the abused, the imprisoned and the oppressed. Hear our prayer, O Lord, in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The other day, a friend showed me his selection of counterfeit men’s and women’s Rolex watches for sale. I bought a counterfeit Rolex in Hawaii about 20 years ago, but I ended up giving it to my brother since it was a man’s watch and just too heavy for me to wear. My friend assured me that his counterfeits are automatic with the trademark sweep hand. I decided against buying a new fake Rolex, for all sorts of reasons not the least of which is, the fact that I am armed with numerous devices eager to remind just what time it is. Thank God we don’t need Rolexes to remind us, it is never too late to give and pledge our support to Christ’s church.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God it feels good to bring our tithes and offerings before you. The love and grace you bestow upon us is the genuine article and so too is our commitment to live in response to your gracious gift. Our prayer is that all of the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring them ever closer. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
August 19, 2012 "LIGHT FRUIT"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious and Everliving God, hear our grateful prayer. We have come to worship and to praise your name, to lift ourselves out of the affairs of the world and focus all our thoughts upon you, and upon the indwelling of your Spirit in each of us. Encourage our understanding of our part in your kingdom come. We confess our tendency to be ruled by the world’s visions of scarcity, of lack of not enough. We put our whole trust in human institutions and depending upon the guarantees individuals offer us for just for just a few dollars more. Make us wise, O Lord. When we start looking for guarantees; when we are desperate to have the world revolve at the rate we require; when we cannot be satisfied unless all of our needs are met, remind us that your love, grace and mercy have been, from the beginning, designed to supply all of our needs. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I love Nectarines. I am so glad that God created a furless peach just for me. If not for the nectarine I would have to confine myself to eating canned peaches, or peach pie, or drinking peach nectar. I look forward to August when the nectarines arrive at Costco all perfect, and juicy and sweet. Of course it’s hard for one person to eat a dozen nectarines, so I have become a sort of nectarine evangelist, sharing the fruit with others. One nectarine proselyte declared that these nectarines were addicting. He keeps coming back for more. Oh that people would find the gospel as tasty.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God we are glad to work for the transformation of the world through our support of the church and its ministries. Our prayer is that all of the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Gracious and Everliving God, hear our grateful prayer. We have come to worship and to praise your name, to lift ourselves out of the affairs of the world and focus all our thoughts upon you, and upon the indwelling of your Spirit in each of us. Encourage our understanding of our part in your kingdom come. We confess our tendency to be ruled by the world’s visions of scarcity, of lack of not enough. We put our whole trust in human institutions and depending upon the guarantees individuals offer us for just for just a few dollars more. Make us wise, O Lord. When we start looking for guarantees; when we are desperate to have the world revolve at the rate we require; when we cannot be satisfied unless all of our needs are met, remind us that your love, grace and mercy have been, from the beginning, designed to supply all of our needs. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
I love Nectarines. I am so glad that God created a furless peach just for me. If not for the nectarine I would have to confine myself to eating canned peaches, or peach pie, or drinking peach nectar. I look forward to August when the nectarines arrive at Costco all perfect, and juicy and sweet. Of course it’s hard for one person to eat a dozen nectarines, so I have become a sort of nectarine evangelist, sharing the fruit with others. One nectarine proselyte declared that these nectarines were addicting. He keeps coming back for more. Oh that people would find the gospel as tasty.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God we are glad to work for the transformation of the world through our support of the church and its ministries. Our prayer is that all of the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
August 12, 2012 "CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH?"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Glorious God, we have come to praise you, to focus our minds and hearts upon your gracious bounty given into our care. We confess that we bring with us our grief, our fear, our doubt, our frustration, our pain, our illness and our worries. Help us to let go the things that weigh us down. Lighten our spirits and fill our hearts with your truth. You have fulfilled your promises and given us the earth and its ability to produce abundantly. We pray for the ability to utilize the earth’s resources to benefit all of the people of the earth. Help us to stop the violence done to your creation by those who are ruled by selfishness and greed, need and desperation. Let us live as Jesus taught us; for truth is in Jesus. Let us live truthfully, then, speaking truth to our neighbors always in the name of the Christ. Amen.
Glorious God, we have come to praise you, to focus our minds and hearts upon your gracious bounty given into our care. We confess that we bring with us our grief, our fear, our doubt, our frustration, our pain, our illness and our worries. Help us to let go the things that weigh us down. Lighten our spirits and fill our hearts with your truth. You have fulfilled your promises and given us the earth and its ability to produce abundantly. We pray for the ability to utilize the earth’s resources to benefit all of the people of the earth. Help us to stop the violence done to your creation by those who are ruled by selfishness and greed, need and desperation. Let us live as Jesus taught us; for truth is in Jesus. Let us live truthfully, then, speaking truth to our neighbors always in the name of the Christ. Amen.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
August 5, 2012 "KNIT TOGETHER"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
O Lord, Our Lord, full of majesty and power, you are our rock and our redeemer. But you are strength and innocence, Lord and servant, unshakable yet moving, calling each one of us to an intimate relationship with you. You already know our every thought, our every fear, our every doubt without our speaking the words out loud. You know our delights and sorrows, our triumphs and the often cruel disappointments the world dishes out. Open our ears to hear your repeated whispers of encouragement given to enlighten our thinking, comfort our fears and allay our doubts. Let us not be afraid to live the disciple life, confident of your ever-presence; trusting that your hand is held out to guide us through any darkness, into your light. May we always find respite for our souls here as we intertwine our thoughts, our voices, our prayers, our hands and hearts as the whole body of Christ. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Credit Cards are not the personification of the “tempter,” nevertheless I look very closely at my statements, since discovering something called “pre-paid” and “automatic” renewals. These charges can appear annually (surprise!) for things like a card membership or monthly for something you purchased — God only knows when — because the demon inside your computer or your cell phone said: “You NEED this!” Perhaps, you needed it at the time, back in May 2011, in order to perform some task, once. Since then you have been paying $20.00 a month for the on-going privilege of doing, what, exactly, you can’t quite remember. Canceling the payment can be done quickly, but the $300 you paid for something you never used is gone forever. John Wesley reminds us that we need to be alert and responsible with money, where it goes and who receives it.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Loving and Merciful God, bless these offerings, given with a cheerful heart. Teach us the ways of frugal living, inspired by a spirit of sufficiency and enough. Help us O Lord, be good stewards of what we have. Help us to speak out on behalf of those who have naught and give us the wisdom and strength to be workers for economic equanimity and transformation in this society and the world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
O Lord, Our Lord, full of majesty and power, you are our rock and our redeemer. But you are strength and innocence, Lord and servant, unshakable yet moving, calling each one of us to an intimate relationship with you. You already know our every thought, our every fear, our every doubt without our speaking the words out loud. You know our delights and sorrows, our triumphs and the often cruel disappointments the world dishes out. Open our ears to hear your repeated whispers of encouragement given to enlighten our thinking, comfort our fears and allay our doubts. Let us not be afraid to live the disciple life, confident of your ever-presence; trusting that your hand is held out to guide us through any darkness, into your light. May we always find respite for our souls here as we intertwine our thoughts, our voices, our prayers, our hands and hearts as the whole body of Christ. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Credit Cards are not the personification of the “tempter,” nevertheless I look very closely at my statements, since discovering something called “pre-paid” and “automatic” renewals. These charges can appear annually (surprise!) for things like a card membership or monthly for something you purchased — God only knows when — because the demon inside your computer or your cell phone said: “You NEED this!” Perhaps, you needed it at the time, back in May 2011, in order to perform some task, once. Since then you have been paying $20.00 a month for the on-going privilege of doing, what, exactly, you can’t quite remember. Canceling the payment can be done quickly, but the $300 you paid for something you never used is gone forever. John Wesley reminds us that we need to be alert and responsible with money, where it goes and who receives it.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Loving and Merciful God, bless these offerings, given with a cheerful heart. Teach us the ways of frugal living, inspired by a spirit of sufficiency and enough. Help us O Lord, be good stewards of what we have. Help us to speak out on behalf of those who have naught and give us the wisdom and strength to be workers for economic equanimity and transformation in this society and the world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Monday, July 30, 2012
July 29, 2012 "PRAYERFULLY SPEAKING"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most Loving Creator we humble ourselves before you, grateful for this day and grateful to be in the embrace of your welcoming presence. We have come to worship, to sing, to listen, to ponder and to pray. We confess that we feel less awkward at prayer when we are inside this space. Out in the world we worry that our words aren't right. We worry that we might stumble through our prayer and embarrass ourselves. Forgive our insecurities and grant us strength in our inner being. Empower our spiritual engines with the fuel of your unfathomable grace and ever present Spirit. Remind us that the Christ dwells in our hearts through faith; that we are rooted and grounded by love. Let us, in this very moment, comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ. May we be filled to overflowing with your indomitable Spirit. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
One of the things I like best about the Guatemala experience is our habit of praying together as a group. We pray before each meal and can even be heard singing grace in restaurants. Folks who have never been on this kind of trip before can be a bit skittish about a group that has the word mission in their name. They may worry that they have gotten mixed up with a bunch bible pounding missionary types? But when they hear how we pray they know that we are all trying to figure out the journey we are on. None of us knows what to expect from one day to the next. We start and end the day putting our trust in God and each other. Our prayers aren’t fancy or highfalutin, but the changes that have taken place in each one of us can be heard and felt in the words that are spoken.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God hear our prayer of gratitude for all the gifts you have given us and the resources you have entrusted to our care. Bless this offering to strengthen and grow the ministries of our church. We pray, also that all the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Most Loving Creator we humble ourselves before you, grateful for this day and grateful to be in the embrace of your welcoming presence. We have come to worship, to sing, to listen, to ponder and to pray. We confess that we feel less awkward at prayer when we are inside this space. Out in the world we worry that our words aren't right. We worry that we might stumble through our prayer and embarrass ourselves. Forgive our insecurities and grant us strength in our inner being. Empower our spiritual engines with the fuel of your unfathomable grace and ever present Spirit. Remind us that the Christ dwells in our hearts through faith; that we are rooted and grounded by love. Let us, in this very moment, comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ. May we be filled to overflowing with your indomitable Spirit. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
One of the things I like best about the Guatemala experience is our habit of praying together as a group. We pray before each meal and can even be heard singing grace in restaurants. Folks who have never been on this kind of trip before can be a bit skittish about a group that has the word mission in their name. They may worry that they have gotten mixed up with a bunch bible pounding missionary types? But when they hear how we pray they know that we are all trying to figure out the journey we are on. None of us knows what to expect from one day to the next. We start and end the day putting our trust in God and each other. Our prayers aren’t fancy or highfalutin, but the changes that have taken place in each one of us can be heard and felt in the words that are spoken.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God hear our prayer of gratitude for all the gifts you have given us and the resources you have entrusted to our care. Bless this offering to strengthen and grow the ministries of our church. We pray, also that all the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
July 22, 2012 "TEAR DOWN THAT WALL"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Glorious God, how wonderful it is to be worshiping together once again, embraced by the presence of your most Holy Spirit. Speak your word of grace and possibility into our hearts today. Soften us, O Lord, but keep us from getting too comfortable with ourselves. Keep us, also from being cowed in our efforts, stopped in our tracks, by what we think we do not possess. Don’t let us erect walls to protect ourselves. If you hear us saying, in our hearts, we are not suitable pray-ers, or preachers, or callers, or visitors, or servers because we are too shy, or too persnickety, or too busy, or too tired, please change us. Let us not be partial Christians, but full-bodied Christians. Remove the spirit of sarcasm when it invades us. Carry off those know-it-all seeds that get embedded in our stiff necks. If they are allowed to take root, they grow, becoming weedy hedges of resentment that will surely divide the body of Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The Great Wall of China, Hadrian’s Wall, The Berlin Wall, The Vietnam Memorial Wall are all well known walls. The Great Wall which construction began in the 7th century BCE was intended to protect the Chinese Empire from nomadic invaders. Historians only guess at why The Emperor Hadrian built his 80 mile wall in England in 120 CE — perhaps as a statement of the Roman Empires power more than a defense against Barbarians. The Berlin Wall called also the Wall of Shame and the Iron Curtain was a political wall. Built in 1961, it was the symbol of the Cold War — a barrier to freedom. The Vietnam Memorial Wall stands as a reminder that walls not constructed of stone and bricks can be just as divisive and thoroughly devastating to the world.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God we are glad to work for the transformation of the world through our support of the church and its ministries. Our prayer is that all of the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Glorious God, how wonderful it is to be worshiping together once again, embraced by the presence of your most Holy Spirit. Speak your word of grace and possibility into our hearts today. Soften us, O Lord, but keep us from getting too comfortable with ourselves. Keep us, also from being cowed in our efforts, stopped in our tracks, by what we think we do not possess. Don’t let us erect walls to protect ourselves. If you hear us saying, in our hearts, we are not suitable pray-ers, or preachers, or callers, or visitors, or servers because we are too shy, or too persnickety, or too busy, or too tired, please change us. Let us not be partial Christians, but full-bodied Christians. Remove the spirit of sarcasm when it invades us. Carry off those know-it-all seeds that get embedded in our stiff necks. If they are allowed to take root, they grow, becoming weedy hedges of resentment that will surely divide the body of Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The Great Wall of China, Hadrian’s Wall, The Berlin Wall, The Vietnam Memorial Wall are all well known walls. The Great Wall which construction began in the 7th century BCE was intended to protect the Chinese Empire from nomadic invaders. Historians only guess at why The Emperor Hadrian built his 80 mile wall in England in 120 CE — perhaps as a statement of the Roman Empires power more than a defense against Barbarians. The Berlin Wall called also the Wall of Shame and the Iron Curtain was a political wall. Built in 1961, it was the symbol of the Cold War — a barrier to freedom. The Vietnam Memorial Wall stands as a reminder that walls not constructed of stone and bricks can be just as divisive and thoroughly devastating to the world.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God we are glad to work for the transformation of the world through our support of the church and its ministries. Our prayer is that all of the children of creation can come to know you and experience the abundance of your love and mercy. May our offerings help to bring relief to those in dire circumstances, oppressed, imprisoned, isolated, and forgotten, be they close at hand or far away. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
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