Liturgy

Almighty God, we thank you for your past blessings.
Today we offer ourselves – whatever we do, say, or think –
to your loving care.

We make this morning offering in union
with the divine intentions of Jesus Christ
who offered himself up on a cross
that we may have life and live it to the fullest.

Continue to bless our community and where we live, Lord,
that we may be a sign of your generosity to our neighbors, our city, our world.

We ask for your blessing, not that we may possess more,
but that we offer more abundantly of ourselves to your kingdom here on Earth,

for you are in everyone we meet
and we acknowledge your presence with us in our daily lives.

Take this whole offering today and renew our souls,
in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Congregational Confession

In prayer, let us confess to God as a community.

Most holy and merciful Father,
We confess to you and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ, and
we have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness:
the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in our lives.
We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways,
and our exploitation of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts,
and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship,
and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done:
for our blindness to human need and suffering,
and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us and let your anger depart from us,
Favorably turn your face to us for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in each of us and all of your church the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world,
God in community, holy in One, we pray.
Amen.

Reflection

Benediction

Believe this: there is hope within you right now –
so small that you might not know it is there;
But it has the power to grow into something the world needs.

We trust that God is never done with us.
With God, there is always a new beginning,
A new possibility to make something different of ourselves,
and to make a difference in the lives of others.

Let God surprise you with strength you did not know you had,
With creative possibilities you never dreamed of.

We will open ourselves to God’s quiet prompting.
We will trust that God nurtures within us
the gifts, talents, and character we need
to be God’s agents of transformation and loving service.

All in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.

[Photo by Gideon Tsang @ Flickr]