CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Faithful God, we are grateful for this glorious day, for this opportunity to commune with you and with our family of faith. Let us remember today when and where we first heard your name. Did our parents whisper it to us in the words of a loving lullaby, or in a goodnight prayer spoken as they tucked us safely into our beds? Did we hear your name in a blessing or a curse? Where were we when we first spoke your name. Was it in a prayer? When was it that the name of Jesus first fell from our lips spoken as if we had always known him? Who was the dear, dear one who gave us your name and the name of your son? It has been many years since some of us have thought about our first words of faith, or the first hymn we sang, or the first prayer we uttered. Let us never forget that these first things —second nature to us now —were taught to us so we’d know you loved us no matter what and would forgive us often through our lifetime. We pledge, today, to teach our children well these first and most important things, in the name of the Christ. Amen
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
At our Ad council meeting the church leaders had all sorts of great ideas about how to stimulate folks to join in the giving frenzy that is supposed to take place when the offering plate is passed. Some folks who give electronically are not seen to be putting anything in the plate on and so visitors or newcomers may be following their lead or lack of it. There are folks who give when the mood strikes them, and there are those who don’t give because they consider what they can give to be too meager to matter. It isn’t the amount you give that is important. Look at it this way, you are sharing your assets in support of the work of the church and It is meant to be a habitual practice.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept our tithes and offerings as they support the work of the church in the world feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, educating the poor, giving comfort to the broken. Let faith and trust abide in our hearts as we seek to live in response to your never ending and abundant grace. Empower us, further, O Lord, to continue our ministries of care to those in need in our community and around the world spreading the good news through the work of our hands and the commitment of our hearts. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
September 16, 2012 "BLAZING TONGUES"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving God, we sing your praises and offer our thanks for your grace, mercy and unending patience. As we, your children, contend with each other and wrangle for control over the smallest of things, remind us that we have pledged ourselves to serve you, to serve your church and to serve each other. Keep us from keeping our distance in these days when we are self-conscious about political ideologies. Stop us from branding each other conservatives or liberals or something even worse. Help us to see that we are Christians first, seeking to love one another in all the circumstances of life. We pray to be kindly wise. Let us not suspect brother or sister because our opinions differ. Let us not stand afar off from one who is living in the same world we live in, but who expresses their hopes and dreams in words different from our own. We will strive to be your peacemakers and peacekeepers in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
About a week after I moved into my house, Ismael knocked on my door and asked me if I needed a gardener. I sort of thought Omar the gardener came with the house, but he never returned my phone calls. Ismael was about to walk away when I called him back and we negotiated what it would cost to care for my yard each month. Ismael is a real caretaker tending to the whole property, the lawn, the trees, the flowers, the sprinklers. I am grateful he knocked on my door. God has hoped that we would be Ismaels of the earth so to speak, real caretakers of the creation, stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Offering to support the church financially is just one of the things on our caretaking list.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept our tithes and offerings not only for the care and support of Christ’s church, but the care and support of your creation. Let faith and trust abide in our hearts as we seek to live in response to your never ending and abundant grace. Empower us, further, O Lord, to continue our ministries of care to those in need in our community and around the world spreading the good news through the work of our hands and the commitment of our hearts. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Loving God, we sing your praises and offer our thanks for your grace, mercy and unending patience. As we, your children, contend with each other and wrangle for control over the smallest of things, remind us that we have pledged ourselves to serve you, to serve your church and to serve each other. Keep us from keeping our distance in these days when we are self-conscious about political ideologies. Stop us from branding each other conservatives or liberals or something even worse. Help us to see that we are Christians first, seeking to love one another in all the circumstances of life. We pray to be kindly wise. Let us not suspect brother or sister because our opinions differ. Let us not stand afar off from one who is living in the same world we live in, but who expresses their hopes and dreams in words different from our own. We will strive to be your peacemakers and peacekeepers in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
About a week after I moved into my house, Ismael knocked on my door and asked me if I needed a gardener. I sort of thought Omar the gardener came with the house, but he never returned my phone calls. Ismael was about to walk away when I called him back and we negotiated what it would cost to care for my yard each month. Ismael is a real caretaker tending to the whole property, the lawn, the trees, the flowers, the sprinklers. I am grateful he knocked on my door. God has hoped that we would be Ismaels of the earth so to speak, real caretakers of the creation, stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Offering to support the church financially is just one of the things on our caretaking list.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious God accept our tithes and offerings not only for the care and support of Christ’s church, but the care and support of your creation. Let faith and trust abide in our hearts as we seek to live in response to your never ending and abundant grace. Empower us, further, O Lord, to continue our ministries of care to those in need in our community and around the world spreading the good news through the work of our hands and the commitment of our hearts. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
September 9, 2012 "LIVING THE HANDS-ON GOSPEL"
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.
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.
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.
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