Liturgy

God is eternal,
From year’s beginning to its end.

God is faithful,
In each day, he is present,
In each action, he comes close
Through all eternity.

God is trustworthy,
Yesterday, today and forever,
Sustaining, enlivening, making all things new,
God is eternal

We give thanks 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.

Great and Mighty God,
It is good for us to be humbled by your greatness.
We are nothing when compared to who you are.

Though we are weak and overwhelmed by our sins,
your grace enables us to become more like you.
In our sin and failure,
have mercy on us, O God.

May we remember the Mighty One, Jesus Christ,
who stands between us and makes a way for us to be redeemed.
His blood is our peace,
His righteousness our strength,
His condemnation our freedom,
His Spirit our power,
His Kingdom our heritage.

Lord, let us know your grace, feeling it’s strength.
By your grace, overcome our evil natures,
set us apart from sin’s entrapments,
support us in life’s trials,

May our days be framed by character that you have molded,
and not by anxiety, hurry, and the pressure of life’s circumstances.
May we live with a clean conscience
and continual hunger for your righteousness.

Father, we ask that these things would happen
by the power of your Spirit and the blood of your Son,
and we pray in confidence to our God in community, holy in One.
Amen.

Reflection

How can our understanding of God engage not just our minds, but also our hearts?
How can we embrace the struggle as we wrestle with the uncertainties we face?

Benediction

In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,

to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to give generously to all
as Christ gave to each of us.

Let us go and live the church
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 drew chessie nowhere @ Flickr]