Liturgy

Holy God,
we thank you for your gifts of mercy and life.

We remember you are a generous God,
and want us to flourish and live life abundantly
in your service to our world.

Heavenly Father,
By your remarkable gift of grace,
You allow us, finite beings,
to bear nothing less than the fruits of your Holy Spirit.

So help us live today,
in vibrant ways,
in verdant ways,
planted in the courts of the Lord,
where we experience your glory and grace.

By your presence,
may our community be for many
a little echo of Eden,
the first fruits of your coming kingdom.

This we pray
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 its 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 you,
our God in community, Holy in One.
Amen.

Benediction

Go in peace to be part of the new creation of human community.

Go in love to take the hands of those who long for
peace and justice, and let God, the Creator,
speak through us in all formation.

Go, asking Jesus to bring all creation to his calling,
and to lead our community to the places where he is needed.

Let the Holy Spirit be your constant companion
throughout the week to guide you and protect you.

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

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

[Photo by Jocelyn Catterson @ Flickr]