Liturgy

God of our past and our present,
God of our future, yet to be and awaited,
God of our years, our days, and even of this moment:

Our lives are deeply rooted in miracles before us,
Our faith is richly set in courage running thick,
Our vocation is shaped by all those
who have risked for your purposes.

And now, in our remembering, we are made mindful
or our own place of call, and
our own time of obedience.

We pray for ourselves, our neighborhoods and our city,
courage beyond our easier timidity,
vision beyond our present tense,
restlessness beyond our ready settlements, and
yielding beyond our will to manage.

Give us appropriate yielding that we may be like our remembered
ones in freedom and in love for you. We pray in the name of Jesus
whom we remember until he comes again. Amen.

Community Confession

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

Merciful God,
we come to you today realizing that we are not how you want us to be.
Help us let go of our past, that we may turn toward you
and live again the life of faith.

Merciful God,
forgive us of our sins against our loved ones, our friends, our neighbors.
Help us call out our fear and hatred, our anger and self-pity.
Lift the burden they place on our shoulders.

Merciful God,
Help us set aside our guilt and enter a season of healing.
As we pray and remember you today, help us become a simple people, that we may see you plainly.

May we learn to be a better community
for each other and for our world.
Rekindle the sign of hope within our eyes,
that all may see and experience the love of Christ in all we do.

Let us draw near to you now,
asking in the name of the Father,
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Reflection

How can we be a prophetic voice to this city we live in?
What areas do we need to address and grow in our lives in order to become a prophetic voice?

Benediction

May the word of Christ guide you.
May the light of his Spirit bless the work you do
with the love and warmth of your heart.

May people see in you the beauty of your soul
reflecting the image of Christ.
May your work never weary you.

May the Holy Spirit within overflow
with the wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement
that all may know how good and gracious is our Father in heaven.

In the name of the Father,
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we pray.  Amen.

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

[Photo by kevinrussmobile @ Flickr]