Liturgy

We believe in God,
Creator of beauty,
source of every breath,
foundation of every movement.

God leads us beside still waters,
makes us lie down in green splendor
and lets nature heal and restore us.

We believe in Jesus, the risen Christ,
who loved the least, the last and the lost.
Christ loves us, calls us by name
and cleanses us from our sins.

We believe in the Spirit,
who gathers us in community,
gives us a song to sing and prepares a feast for us all.

We live as God’s people,
filled with everlasting hope and showered with blessings
that we may go forth into our world and serve in his name,
amen.

Congregational Prayer

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

Father, you invite us in your divine word to rest and trust in your sovereign care.
But we cling to control, we trust our worries more than your word
and we fill our minds, homes and relationships with stress.
Father, forgive us, and help our unbelief.

Lord Jesus, you invite us in the gospel to find rest for our souls in following you,
but we prefer being tied to our burdens, our ideologies,
refusing the easy load you promise.
Christ, forgive us, and help our unbelief.

Spirit of God, you have filled our hearts with divine grace.
You open our eyes to the glory of the gospel, and offer us the peace of Christ.
Spirit of God, have mercy on us.

Help us in our unbelief and fill us with faith in God’s word
and the peace of Christ.

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

Reflection

How can we make people and not rules the primary focus of our lives?
In what ways can we turn compassion into action?

Benediction

When you work,
work in strength and humility for the Lord.
When you rest,
rest in the sovereign grace of God, our Father.
And when you celebrate,
celebrate as a people with the greatest reason
for love, joy, and celebration.

Now in the grace and forgiveness of our Savior,
and in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
go in peace and live the church.
Amen.

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

[Photo by parade in the sky @ Flickr]