Liturgy

The table of Jesus is our place of gathering.
Here, you are welcomed, wanted, loved.
Here, there is a place set for you.

So come all you who are hungry,
All you who hunger for the bread of life,
All you whose souls cry out for healing.

Come all you who are weary,
All you who are bowed down with worry,
All you who ache with the tiredness of living.

Come all you poor,
All you who are without food or refuge
All you who go hungry in a fat land.

Come all you who are lost,
All you who search for meaning but can not find it
All you who have no place of belonging.

Jesus invites you,
Draw near with faith.

Receive this invitation from the one who
is the Son of the Most High,
and worship in your hearts with faith and thanksgiving.

We do this 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.

Father, you invite us in your divine word to rest
and trust in your sovereign care.
But we cling to control, we trust our worries more than your word
and we fill our minds, homes and relationships with stress.
Father, forgive us, and help our unbelief.

Lord Jesus,
you invite us in the gospel to find rest for our souls in following you,
but we prefer being tied to our burdens, our ideologies,
refusing the easy load you promise.
Christ, forgive us, and help our unbelief.

Spirit of God, you have filled our hearts with divine grace.
You open our eyes to the glory of the gospel,
and offer us the peace of Christ.
Spirit of God, have mercy on us.

Help us in our unbelief and fill us with faith in God’s word
and the peace of Christ.

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

Reflection

How do we host God’s table and who do we invite?
Who invited us to God’s table?
Who do we consider to be guests of honor at God’s table?

Benediction

Now go, all you who are loved by God,
hear his call to serve others
as he has served you;

hear his invitation to be part
of his plan to rescue the world;
and join in community with all
who walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Help us to receive Christ’s life,
walk in his strength,
and follow his ways every moment of our lives.

May God’s care embrace us,
Jesus’ words embolden us,
and the Holy Spirit’s presence renew us today and always.

We go forth 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 William James Vincent… @ Flickr]