Liturgy

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the land;
deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.

But over you the Lord will rise,
and his glory will appear upon you.
Nations will stream to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawning.

Your gates will always be open;
by day or night they will never be shut.
They will call you, the City of the Lord,
the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Violence will no more be heard in your land,
ruin or destruction within your borders.
You will call your walls, Salvation,
and all your portals, Praise.

The sun will no more be your light by day;
by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.
The Lord will be your ever lasting light,
and your God will be your glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
Amen.

— Isaiah 60: 1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19

Community Confession

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

Too often, Lord God,
we are hesitant in our proclamation;
seeking safe and suitable opportunities to speak of our faith.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Too often, Lord God,
we are half-hearted in our service;
reluctant to stand out from the crowd or to attract criticism.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Too often, Lord God,
we live as if dependent wholly on our own resources;
relying on our perceived skills and modest insights.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Too often, Lord God,
we look only to the clouds for our inspiration,
in the vain hope of finding you there.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Forgive the poverty of our efforts and the frailty of our faith
and open wide our hearts and minds to the immanent presence
of our Risen, Living and Ascended Lord Jesus Christ.

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

— written by Rev. Malcolm Macdougall

Reflection

In what ways can we live and promote the kingdom of God here and now?
How is Jesus king in our lives and how do we worship Him?

Benediction

Let us close with a benediction.

Go out into the world,
and labor to bring forth new lives
of humility, of peace and of grace.

Dream dreams, pursue visions
and speak of God’s goodness and generosity
in the words of those who would hear.

And may our God who breathed life into creation be your delight.

May Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming,
and may the Holy Spirit, your advocate and guide,
set your hearts ablaze with a passion for peace.

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 kzeromancer @ Flickr]