Liturgy

In you, oh God, we have life and community.
In the city and in us, may your voice be heard.

Unconditional,
is the love that you place in our hearts.
Everlasting,
is the promise of hope you made.

We gather as the city.
We gather as the disconnected.
We gather as the restless.

We gather to offer an urban mass: 
to acknowledge our restlessness,
to pray for rest, to remember your sacrifice 
and to celebrate a reconnection.

God, you see all time and space spread out before you 
while we see only in part.  
You know the paths set out for us while 
we see only our journey to this present moment.  

Thank you that we are here together now.  
Reconnect us to our environment, 
to the community we serve and to each other, 
so that while our paths disperse again, we may move as one.

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

Community Confession

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

Most holy and merciful Father,
We confess to you and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ, and
we have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness:
the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in our lives.
We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, 
and our exploitation of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts,
and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship,
and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: 
for our blindness to human need and suffering,
and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us and let your anger depart from us,
Favorably turn your face to us for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in each of us and all of your church the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world,
God in community, holy in One, we pray.
Amen.

Reflection

What are the things that we are unnecessarily include in addition to Jesus as we express our faith?
How can we experience freedom from the labels that are given to us by ourselves or others?

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 

— Colossians 3:15-17

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

[Photo by rachel duffy @ Flickr]