Liturgy
We believe in God the Father
Who created all that is
And gave our ancestors the dignity of freedom,
Which we abused and are abusing still.
God grieves over our evil
And calls us to his better way.
God loves the whole world,
And sent His Son, Jesus, to save, not to condemn.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
Born as God-with-us,
Who taught us in parables,
Who performed signs and wonders,
Who healed the sick, touched the unclean,
Received failures and welcomed them to his feast.
He trained common people as disciples
And sent them into the world with his saving love.
He was betrayed, rejected, mocked, tortured, and crucified.
But he rose from death and is alive and with us always,
And lives in us, the hope of glory,
Indwelling and filling us through the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Holy Spirit
Who unites us and gives us gifts
So we can serve one another in love.
The Spirit transforms us to live in the way of Christ
And empowers us to make Christ known
In gracious words and deeds of justice and compassion.
The Spirit bears fruit in us of love, joy, peace,
And all sorts of goodness
And is at work in the world, moving like the wind.
The Holy Spirit invites us into the eternal dance of love:
Father, Son, and Spirit, mutually indwelling,
Moving for, with, in, and through creation,
Forever and forever.
Amen.
Reflection
How do you feel about centralized power and leadership?
Are you able to trust God’s leadership? Why or why not?
How do you respond to rejection?
How can you be a part of God’s story of redemption?
Benediction
Trust that this is true: God knows what you are capable of,
And encourages the goodness within you to blossom and flourish.
We will look for the good in others.
We will work for a world that blesses everyone
with opportunities to contribute to the common good.
God’s vision for creation is revealed
In the life and teaching of Jesus Christ,
We will open ourselves to God’s gentle persuasion.
We will trust that we, too, have something to offer
to a world in need of hope, of justice and of peace.
We believe 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 somebody_ @ Flickr]