Liturgy

God, sovereign and generous,
who commands the rise and fall of the nations,
who calls and has chosen many peoples,
who weeps when they harm each other,

who haunts every local culture –
including ours –
with your will for well-being,
who draws close to the powerless and
surprises with power via weakness…

You are the one whom we praise in astonishment,
we adore in gladness,
we thank in gratitude…
for who you are,
for what you do,
for how you hope.

Look with mercy on us this day,
on your church which we serve and love,
on all the people in our thoughts,
on all the communities so fragile
in which we are embedded.

Look with your mercy, and we will obey you all the day long.
In the name of the Father,
the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Community Confession

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

In prayer, let us confess to God as a community.
Our response will be highlighted in yellow.

As a community of believers, Holy One,
we open ourselves to your restorative presence.

We are surrounded by beauty,
yet we often fail to wonder.
We are to be symbols of hope,
yet we often succumb to despair.
God of patience, have mercy on us.

We are blessed beyond measure,
yet we allow greed to shape our generosity.
We are uncommonly free,
yet we often bind ourselves to yesterday’s failures.
God of our past, our present and future, have mercy on us.

We are gifted and graced as a people of faith,
yet we often fail to let our light shine.

We are loved beyond measure,
yet we often fail to pass on your love unconditionally.
God of abundance, have mercy on us.

In these moments of shared silence,
encourage us to lay down our burdens,
release our fears, forgive our failures, reclaim our hopes,
and align ourselves with the profound covenant
you have made with us.

All this we confidently pray
in the name of the Father, of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflection

How does covenant work?
What is the relationship between commitment and intimacy?

Benediction

As you go from here,
remember the promise of God:

“I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.”

So go from here with joy,
confident that the love and mercy of God
is with you wherever and whenever you serve him.

In 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 innegan_eins @ Flickr]