February 19, 2017 " DISCIPLESHIP 101 A & B "

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us, refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth, speaking to us of the power of faith,
the ever presence of God and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
UNISON PRAYER
O, most loving and generous God, we are grateful for willing patience, and unshakeable mercy toward humanity. Even though Genesis tells us that we have been created in your image, you are not like us. You do not hold grudges toward the hateful, or retaliate against the wicked. Neither do you ignore human evil. You do, however, expect your creatures to follow the Spirit’s lead and do what is right and genuine and excellent in your sight. When we become puffed up with our own importance, or too big for our britches, you don’t seek to put us down, but you are close, giving us the freedom to pave the way to our own demise. When we find ourselves bogged down in the muck and mire of our own egos, remind us, O LORD, that only your hand can pull us up and out into a new day. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
When Matthew’s Jesus says: “You have heard it said that…..but I say to you that....”, he is challenging his disciples and the crowd to take their long held thoughts and opinions to a different level, to look at them another way, through a different lens. He seeks to get them and us, as those who have ears to hear, to open our minds, to look at life and humanity from his perspective, to grasp the hope and significance of each day. Jesus calls upon his disciples to fine tune their thinking, and what I call the “ Good Shoulds,” recounted in Matthew’s chapters 5, 6, and 7 are the spiritual map that will lead us onward to perfection. 5:42 begins: “Give to everyone….”
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

February 5, 2017 "ABOUT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died, and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us, refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth, speaking to us of the power of faith,
the ever presence of God, and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious and most loving LORD, gathered here in this sanctuary, we hope to leave the worries of world outside for a time. We haven’t come to escape from the world, but to get perspective, to find balance and explore who we, as Jesus’ followers, are meant to be in the world. We confess our distractions, and our busyness with things we allow to demand our immediate attention. LORD, heal our hurriedness and our impatience. We long to be light; the light for others and ourselves. Let us shine with assurance, radiating our full confidence in the promise of good things to come. Let us not hinder the advancement of your kingdom come by our faithlessness and doubt. Give us spirits that allay distress and heal discomfort. All this, we are bold to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
The Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke wrote her book Out of Africa under her pen name Isak Dinesen. She wrote: The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea. I found her quote while reading up on salty folks, like the sailor called salty because he has logged a lot of time at sea. He is worth his salt to the newer sailors, because he knows every nook and cranny and all the idiosyncrasies of the ship. Matthew’s Jesus reminds us that we are the salt of the earth; basic, essential, spicy, flavorful, and necessary. Like the Sodium and Chlorine (NaCl) of the salt crystal, we are stable, strong, and tasty as long as we stick together.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

January 29, 2017 "BEING AMONG THE BLESSED"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us, refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth, speaking to us of the power of faith,
the ever presence of God and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
O most loving and eternal God, we offer this prayer of thanks and praise, uniting our many voices as one, for we are one body in Christ, Jesus. Through the sanctuary window, we behold the glory of all your seasons. We are calmed by the sway of the palm trees, as the fluttering fronds wave their greeting to the snow covered mountains beyond. The air is crisp, the skies are clear and the sun is shining. We are blessed to be here. May our spirits be refreshed in worship, enlivened for ministry, and energized for mission. Let us be life-long learners, stepping out in faith like Jesus’ first followers. Help us discover all the ways we can invest the gifts you have given us in the work of the gospel. We ask as servants of your Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

January 22, 2017 "CARRY ON JESUS"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us, refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth, speaking to us of the power of faith,
the ever presence of God and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Glorious God, may we always be encouraged in and by your presence. Help us to understand that your hope for humankind is to live joyfully, not desperately. You are ever at work, seeking to raise us up when we are downcast, helping us to find courage when we are afraid, and holding us close in times of grief. We trust in your steadfast loyalty and love, believing it will never flag. When we are assailed by harsh judgements or the criticism of overlords, restore our dignity. When our own missteps trip us up and threaten to undo us, hold out your hand to steady and guide us, as we seek to walk the path that your Christ walked. All this we pray in his name. Amen.

January 15, 2017 "GATHERING STRENGTH"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us, refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth, speaking to us of the power of faith,
the ever presence of God and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious God, for millennia all of Israel focused their attention upon you, calling out to you for rescue, praising your name when you intervened to save them, from enemies, oppressors and even themselves. When they wailed, crying out, emitting great groans of despair, you heard the sounds of their mourning. You responded with strength and goodwill. And yet, the cries of the frightened, despairing, mournful people have not abated in our nation, or the world. Do they call upon you to intervene, to offer counsel, comfort, or soul repair? Do they even know you? If not, how can they ask you for what they need? On this Human Relations Sunday, dearest Lord,give us the audacity to claim you, and proclaim you as the savior of the world, who promises to intervene on behalf of all who call upon your name. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

January 8, 2017 "THE VOICE OF THE LORD"

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth, speaking to us of the power of faith,
the ever presence of God and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving LORD, we enter this sanctuary filled with reverence and longing. We wonder if this isn’t the very same feeling Jesus had as he walked to the edge of the river Jordan to be baptized by John? Like us was he searching for direction, or perhaps a renewal of his own faith path, hoping to find it in a moment of repentance? We confess to crowding our life moments with many things, O LORD. Even, before the New Year is in full swing, we have loaded up our schedules, calendaring our lives all the way through June. Let us hear your voice, O LORD. Pour into us wisdom and truth, patience and perseverance. Teach us the pondering ways of Jesus, that we may learn your will for us. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING AND THE OPENING OF THE ANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN
WHAT COLOR IS HOPE
H is for healing,
H is for home
H is for hospitality
H is for Hope

Colors have meaning. When we think about the color red, we associate it with love, passion, and desire, as well as, courage and the color blue, with freedom, loyalty and trust. The color purple, is associated with Royalty, and was Queen Victoria’s favorite color. Before designing the brochure for this year’s HOPE campaign, I looked up what color is associated with the word HOPE. As you can probably tell by the brochure, Green, is the color that is associated with the word Hope. Now, I confess, I don’t think this has anything to do with the color of our paper money, although having greenbacks in one’s pocket is usually considered a good thing and a for most of us, a hopeful sign. But, green is the color of spring, and rebirth, the color of new growth, as trees are budding after their months of dormancy during the winter. Because Green is the color of Hope it is also the color of of possibility. We believe that all things are possible with God and for this reason, we have named our annual pledge campaign the Hope Campaign.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

January 1, 2017 NEW YEAR'S DAY "THE MYTHICAL THREE"

AFFIRMATION FOR EPIPHANY
We believe in God, the creator of all things, the giver of life and breath.
We believe in Jesus Christ, born Emmanuel, “God with us.”
He was baptized by John, and anointed the most beloved Son of God.
Jesus sought to heal humanity by taking our brokenness upon himself.
Suffering for us, he was crucified, died and was buried.
God raised him from the dead for our sake and for the sake of the whole world.
We believe he will come again, one day.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is poured out upon us refreshing our lives.
We believe in the church, the Body of Christ in the world.
The Spirit leads us ever onward, into a new day, and always toward the kingdom of God.
This Spirit is our soul companion, and counselor of truth,
speaking to us of the power of faith, the ever presence of God and the promise of eternal life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving and ever-encouraging Lord, we call upon you to guide us as the new year begins and its 365 days unfold. With new leadership in our nation we are anticipating radical change in the new year to systems and ways we have come to depend on even though we may not fully understand them. We confess we are afraid we won’t be able to navigate the changes, weather them or afford them. Remind us daily, Gracious Lord, that we posses a resilient faith, able to move mountains. Let us not be quick to panic, but let us ponder the journey ahead with hopeful hearts. Like the wise men who saw the star and followed it, may we see your star leading us to something wonderful, new and hopeful. We are resolved to be able disciples of the Christ, marching to his drumbeat, choosing life over death and love over hate. All this we pray in his name. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Epiphany, from the late Greek epiphaneia, means “manifestation, striking appearance.” The etymology dictionary also says that in Ancient Greece it was a festival held in commemoration of the appearance of a god at some particular place." When referring to Jesus the Christ the word refers to his being made manifest, displayed, shown off, as it were, in a particular place attested to by the visit of the star-following wise men. It was the day of his display, his appearance in a particular place, when foreign visitors, from a distant land made very public their belief that Jesus was the newborn king of the Jews. Certainly the gifts they brought were fit for a king. How could they have know that their gifts, in fact, saved the life of the child.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.