Liturgy

We could not approach you, O God,
were it not for the person of Jesus,
Lord and Savior, Servant and Friend.

His perfect love and life could have widened the gap
between us and you,

but instead he offered himself as the way to you,
by living out the truth of your love and by gracing our lives
with the gift of his life.

Accept our prayers and praise,
our spoken and unspoken words of thankfulness
for being able to approach you, O God, through Jesus—
the way, the truth and the life.

May this time of worship increase our desire to live lives
which honor and glorify you.

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

— written by Moira Laidlaw

Congregational Prayer

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

All-powerful and all-glorious God,
We have not been faithful to you in thought, word, or deed;
hear us as we call out to you in our weakness.

We read in Scripture that you are the one true King,
but in our decisions and actions,
we pledge allegiances to lesser kings.

We know that your story
is indeed good news for all humanity,
yet we so often fail to share with others
the reason for the hope that is within us.

Sovereign God, forgive us of our wrongs.

Have mercy on us,
soften our hardened hearts
and reform us by your Holy Spirit,

that together, we may learn to be a blessing to all
with the new life you offer through Jesus Christ, our King,

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

Reflection

In our reading of Scripture, do we focus more on systematizing it or do we allow it to speak to us?
In what ways can we allow Scripture to do surgery in our hearts and lives?

Benediction

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;
teach and admonish one another in all wisdom;
and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms
and hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him

— (Col 3:15-17)

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

[Photo by Cody Cobb @ Flickr]