Liturgy

Let us pray
that by growing in love this season
we may bring the peace of Christ to our city.

God our Father,
your Word, Jesus Christ, spoke peace to a sinful world
and brought mankind the gift of reconciliation
by the suffering and death he endured.

Teach us, the people who bear his name,
to follow the example he has given us:

may our faith, hope and charity
turn hatred into love, conflict into peace, death to eternal life
to all we encounter this week.

We ask in the name of the Father,
of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Congregational Prayer

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

O God, teach us of our need to live in peace,
to love others and to walk the right paths.

We seldom heed your wisdom,
and instead, turn back to our selfish ways.

When friends hurt us,
we hurt back;
when someone hits us,
we strike back;
when family members ridicule us,
we spread gossip about them.

God of mercy, forgive us of our wrongs.

Lead us to a different life:
a life of forgiving, not revenge;
a life of peace, not anger;
a life of love, not hate.

Grant us your mercy for all we have done,
and help us walk in your new ways of living,
God in community, holy in One,
Amen.

Reflection

What does resolving anger look like for you?
How can we put this into practice?

Benediction

Jesus Christ,
we want always to remember
that you love us, died for us,
and rose from the dead for us.

In the next weeks, help us to remember,
and help us trust in you more and more.

May God the Father,
who does not despise the broken spirit,
give you a contrite heart.

May Christ,
who bore our sins in his body on the tree,
heal you by his wounds.

May the Holy Spirit,
who leads us into all truth,
speak to you words of pardon and peace.

In the name of the Father,
of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, we pray.
Amen.

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

[Photo by GIdeon Tsang @ Flickr]