CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving God from the beginning of all things you have sought us in the dark places, whether places of doubt, or hiding. You have longed to be our God, to be the very Spirit of life and possibility that moves in and through us. We confess our penchant for being “laws unto ourselves” — independent thinkers — able to solve our own problems and withstand all sorts of inclement conditions. But it is when we find ourselves on our knees, weighted down by the trials of this life, that we long to be profoundly aware of your presence. Because you promised to be with us — no matter what— lending us your strength to ease our burdens; we can move ever closer to your kingdom come on earth. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
King David King Solomon King of Israel King Richard King Midas King Henry II King of the Jews King Henry VIII King Charles 1 King of Glory King George King Creole Christ the King Martin Luther King Billie Jean King Redeemer King B.B. King Carole King Stephen King King of Kings Larry King Rodney King Prince of Peace King Jesus? It feels awkward for some us to call the Prince of Peace — King Jesus, but when we talk about him King is part of his name — before it and after it. In all things he is the King of our hearts and we are not ashamed to confess it openly. Let us confess it in our giving, as well.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Dearest Lord, bless the gifts we bring. We set them before you with hopeful spirits and open hands. We pray that the true gospel of your kingdom come on earth will find its way into the hearts of those in need, not only of the necessities of life, but who are in need of something, of someone, to believe in. May our giving bring them hope and new life in Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
November 18, 2012 "LIVING IN THANKSGIVING MODE"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious and Everliving God, from whom all blessings flow, thank you for this morning, for the faithful company of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the freedom to sing praises to your name. We confess our excitement about the Thanksgiving holiday, when we feast in the company of family and friends. Help us to be aware that everyday offers an opportunity to live in Thanksgiving mode. Everyday the sun rises we have the chance to focus our hearts upon you and our thoughts on the bounties of your creation. Let the Spirit of gratitude live in us; let it shine through our eyes. For all of those who are traveling, on pilgrimages to visit family or friends, we pray that they will not be delayed. May your message of hope and all things possible arrive with them. Comfort those whose hearts are hurting and who are in need of your special attention and consolation as the holiday season unfolds. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Lord, Bless the gifts we set before you. We offer these gifts with a spirit of thanksgiving not obligation. With your blessing, we are assured that what we give helps to revitalize ministries and congregations. Let them breathe new life into our ministry and work, as well. Empower your church, to be your message, living proof of your graciousness and love for all the world. Amen.
Gracious and Everliving God, from whom all blessings flow, thank you for this morning, for the faithful company of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the freedom to sing praises to your name. We confess our excitement about the Thanksgiving holiday, when we feast in the company of family and friends. Help us to be aware that everyday offers an opportunity to live in Thanksgiving mode. Everyday the sun rises we have the chance to focus our hearts upon you and our thoughts on the bounties of your creation. Let the Spirit of gratitude live in us; let it shine through our eyes. For all of those who are traveling, on pilgrimages to visit family or friends, we pray that they will not be delayed. May your message of hope and all things possible arrive with them. Comfort those whose hearts are hurting and who are in need of your special attention and consolation as the holiday season unfolds. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Lord, Bless the gifts we set before you. We offer these gifts with a spirit of thanksgiving not obligation. With your blessing, we are assured that what we give helps to revitalize ministries and congregations. Let them breathe new life into our ministry and work, as well. Empower your church, to be your message, living proof of your graciousness and love for all the world. Amen.
November 11, 2012 "OH! IT'S LEASED LAND"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Dear Lord, Mighty Sovereign of the Universe, you have given this earth and all its creatures into our care. And since we don’t own the creation, we are aware that we must keep it in good order for you and the future of all. We confess that humans have done irreparable harm to the earth. Even if we believe that we, personally, have done no harm to the planet, we must confess that we have permitted others to do so, turning a blind eye as your rivers and streams were polluted and your land intoxicated. Give us the courage to be true stewards. Let us not trade in our covenant for indifference allowing latter day Titans to make expedient decisions based on their own greed. May your agenda be our agenda. Speak to our hearts and our consciences, O Lord. Guide us by your awesome vision; imbue us with your imagination. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Most Loving God, bless these offerings, to your use. Help us understand the difference between giving cheerfully and letting go of some of what we have. Keep us mindful of our good fortune and teach us to be wise with all that you have given into our care. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Dear Lord, Mighty Sovereign of the Universe, you have given this earth and all its creatures into our care. And since we don’t own the creation, we are aware that we must keep it in good order for you and the future of all. We confess that humans have done irreparable harm to the earth. Even if we believe that we, personally, have done no harm to the planet, we must confess that we have permitted others to do so, turning a blind eye as your rivers and streams were polluted and your land intoxicated. Give us the courage to be true stewards. Let us not trade in our covenant for indifference allowing latter day Titans to make expedient decisions based on their own greed. May your agenda be our agenda. Speak to our hearts and our consciences, O Lord. Guide us by your awesome vision; imbue us with your imagination. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Most Loving God, bless these offerings, to your use. Help us understand the difference between giving cheerfully and letting go of some of what we have. Keep us mindful of our good fortune and teach us to be wise with all that you have given into our care. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Monday, October 29, 2012
October 28, 2012 "TO SEE AGAIN"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Our Glorious Creator, Author of salvation, we praise your name and give you thanks for the days of our life, for the freedom we have to choose, for the ability to be decisive and, most of all, for second chances. We confess the fragility of our egos. And dearest Lord, we confess to, sometimes, feeling unappreciated especially when someone else’s work is recognized before ours. Help us never feel discounted, by attentions paid to any who seek to glorify your name. All our efforts, as followers of Jesus, are made in your honor. Help us take our faith off the back burner and see clearly all of the chances you set before us to be gratified in our work. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, our hearts are full as we ponder the depth of love you have shown us in the life of Jesus. He opened our eyes and helped us to see your light shining in the darkness. He invited us to know you intimately, personally and to be aware of your presence in every moment of our lives. These offerings cannot fully express how grateful we are for all your blessings. However we pray that they will succeed in shining your light in dark places and bring comfort and healing to those in need. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Our Glorious Creator, Author of salvation, we praise your name and give you thanks for the days of our life, for the freedom we have to choose, for the ability to be decisive and, most of all, for second chances. We confess the fragility of our egos. And dearest Lord, we confess to, sometimes, feeling unappreciated especially when someone else’s work is recognized before ours. Help us never feel discounted, by attentions paid to any who seek to glorify your name. All our efforts, as followers of Jesus, are made in your honor. Help us take our faith off the back burner and see clearly all of the chances you set before us to be gratified in our work. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, our hearts are full as we ponder the depth of love you have shown us in the life of Jesus. He opened our eyes and helped us to see your light shining in the darkness. He invited us to know you intimately, personally and to be aware of your presence in every moment of our lives. These offerings cannot fully express how grateful we are for all your blessings. However we pray that they will succeed in shining your light in dark places and bring comfort and healing to those in need. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
October 21, 2012 "IMAGINE WHAT'S POSSIBLE"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Our most Awesome and Glorious God, we thank you for the sun that rises in the morning creating, for all the world, the new day. Whether its face is hidden among the clouds or we see it’s brilliance and feel the warmth its rays, we have not been grateful enough for its powerful light. When we confess that we take for granted, each new day, we are reminded of the many blessings we fail to acknowledge. Thank you, dearest Lord, for this family of faith, for those dear ones who seek to love us through and in spite of our faults and flaws. We thank you for life’s challenges; without them we would not comprehend the meaning of faith. We thank you for the millions of heartbeats that carry us through the days and nights of our life. We thank you most of all for the person of Jesus, the wisdom of his words and the example of his life. We thank you for the companionship of the Holy Spirit who remains with us to inspire us and ignite a fire of imagination within. Help us, Gracious God, to be your servants always imagining what’s possible in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Carl Sagan wrote: “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.” If we live believing that we are powerless to change ourselves or the systems that govern our lives; if we live thinking that there is nothing we can do, nothing we can change, nothing we can make better — that we have no power to influence even our own actions then we have embraced fatalism, not faith. Today, if you can reach into your pocket or purse and make an offering to the church, you have embraced faith, not fate.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God our hearts and hands have committed these offerings to your keeping, to be used to further the work of the church in spreading the good news of your kingdom come upon the earth. May these faith inspired gifts reach into the darkest places of this earth to bring light. May they replace dearth with plenty and despair with hope. We pledge ourselves and the work of our hands that we may be your instruments of peace offering solace to a hurting world. In the name of the Christ. Amen.
Our most Awesome and Glorious God, we thank you for the sun that rises in the morning creating, for all the world, the new day. Whether its face is hidden among the clouds or we see it’s brilliance and feel the warmth its rays, we have not been grateful enough for its powerful light. When we confess that we take for granted, each new day, we are reminded of the many blessings we fail to acknowledge. Thank you, dearest Lord, for this family of faith, for those dear ones who seek to love us through and in spite of our faults and flaws. We thank you for life’s challenges; without them we would not comprehend the meaning of faith. We thank you for the millions of heartbeats that carry us through the days and nights of our life. We thank you most of all for the person of Jesus, the wisdom of his words and the example of his life. We thank you for the companionship of the Holy Spirit who remains with us to inspire us and ignite a fire of imagination within. Help us, Gracious God, to be your servants always imagining what’s possible in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Carl Sagan wrote: “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.” If we live believing that we are powerless to change ourselves or the systems that govern our lives; if we live thinking that there is nothing we can do, nothing we can change, nothing we can make better — that we have no power to influence even our own actions then we have embraced fatalism, not faith. Today, if you can reach into your pocket or purse and make an offering to the church, you have embraced faith, not fate.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God our hearts and hands have committed these offerings to your keeping, to be used to further the work of the church in spreading the good news of your kingdom come upon the earth. May these faith inspired gifts reach into the darkest places of this earth to bring light. May they replace dearth with plenty and despair with hope. We pledge ourselves and the work of our hands that we may be your instruments of peace offering solace to a hurting world. In the name of the Christ. Amen.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
October 14, 2012 "FIFTY YEARS OF WELCOME"
Greeting
Dear Friends, we have gathered together in this time of worship to give thanks to the Lord our God for one of the great blessings of our lives, this very United Methodist Body of Christ here in Palm Springs. Fifty years ago God’s wondrous and empowering Spirit moved in the hearts of those first individuals who longed to be a congregation of Methodists treading a Wesleyan path toward holiness. They found a way to be a congregation first, finding a temporary home in Temple Isaiah where they were free to worship, pray, dream and make plans for the day when they would have a church home. We celebrate the determination, dedication and devotion of those first dreamers, the sacrifice, love, commitment and hard work of so many who have brought us to this present day, and the visionary leadership of those who will guide us through our next 50 years of ministry.
Dear Friends, we have gathered together in this time of worship to give thanks to the Lord our God for one of the great blessings of our lives, this very United Methodist Body of Christ here in Palm Springs. Fifty years ago God’s wondrous and empowering Spirit moved in the hearts of those first individuals who longed to be a congregation of Methodists treading a Wesleyan path toward holiness. They found a way to be a congregation first, finding a temporary home in Temple Isaiah where they were free to worship, pray, dream and make plans for the day when they would have a church home. We celebrate the determination, dedication and devotion of those first dreamers, the sacrifice, love, commitment and hard work of so many who have brought us to this present day, and the visionary leadership of those who will guide us through our next 50 years of ministry.
October 7, 2012 "THE WELCOME TABLE"
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Sovereign God, Creator of the Universe, today in our tiny corner of the world, we open our eyes to the realization that we are connected with the whole body of Christ beyond borders, seas and oceans, beyond longitudes and latitudes, time zones, and languages. No matter how we celebrate the Lord’s Supper; no matter the way in which we partake of the elements, all who claim the name of the Christ, partake together as one body in the world, always looking forward to the coming of the Christ. One day we will feast at your heavenly banquet, but today we remain one in Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world. Bless our whole communion; we ask in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The earliest followers of Jesus in Acts 2:44-47 “were all who believed and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds, to all as any had need. They spent much time together in the temple, and broke bread at home, and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and have the goodwill of all the people. And day by day The Lord added to their number…” You see, because they believed, because they shared and because they were generous people of glad hearts, God kept adding to their number. That’s God’s formula for church growth.
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 be your people of glad and generous hearts as we continue our ministries of care, reaching out to those in need in our community and around the world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
Sovereign God, Creator of the Universe, today in our tiny corner of the world, we open our eyes to the realization that we are connected with the whole body of Christ beyond borders, seas and oceans, beyond longitudes and latitudes, time zones, and languages. No matter how we celebrate the Lord’s Supper; no matter the way in which we partake of the elements, all who claim the name of the Christ, partake together as one body in the world, always looking forward to the coming of the Christ. One day we will feast at your heavenly banquet, but today we remain one in Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world. Bless our whole communion; we ask in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
The earliest followers of Jesus in Acts 2:44-47 “were all who believed and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds, to all as any had need. They spent much time together in the temple, and broke bread at home, and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and have the goodwill of all the people. And day by day The Lord added to their number…” You see, because they believed, because they shared and because they were generous people of glad hearts, God kept adding to their number. That’s God’s formula for church growth.
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 be your people of glad and generous hearts as we continue our ministries of care, reaching out to those in need in our community and around the world. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
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