Liturgy
Good God, Creator of the world,
draw us into prayer and celebration
as we gather to remember the gifts
of your earth and the stewardship
you have entrusted to us
as tillers and tenders in your image.
We know that in the gathering of your people,
power is present among us;
your Holy Spirit stirs and moves and gives us courage
to remember that all good gifts come first from you.
We praise you for this creation in the words of the Psalmist,
sung by our ancestors in faith for generations:
“God speaks: the heavens are made;
God breathes: the stars shine.
God bottles the waters of the sea
and stores them in the deep
All earth, be astounded,
stand in awe of God.”
Keep us faithful to this liturgy and send us out to be
fruitful and vibrant inhabitants of our neighborhoods.
We pray in the name of the Father,
the Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Congregational Prayer
We praise you:
For the rising sun that warms us
and brings life and growth to the cold earth;
For the morning dew that freshens
the grass and flowers of the fields;
For the gathering light
by which to work to earn our daily bread.
We bless you:
For the light of Christ that casts out fear and gives us hope;
For the love of Christ
that gladdens our hearts and brings us cheer;
For the strength of Christ
so we may overcome the challenges of this new day.
And we thank you:
For those we love;
for all we will receive of your bounty;
and for your presence with us every hour;
this day and always.
In the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Reflection
What does it look like for you to trust God?
In what ways do you look to control your own life?
How can your life exist to enhance others?
Do you hear God searching for you?
Benediction
Go now, to serve Christ and follow him.
Let your old life fall like a grain of wheat into the earth
so that you may bear much fruit
as you allow God to reshape your heart
and live in obedience to the teachings given to you.
And may God center you in truth and steady your spirit.
May Christ renew your joy and strengthen your will.
And may the Spirit teach you God’s hidden wisdom
and fill you with songs of rejoicing all the days of your life.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.
[Photo by KevinLallier @ Flickr]