Liturgy

O God from whom every gift derives,
we gather to worship you this day.
You are a holy and awesome God,
greater than our comprehension or our imagination.

You are beyond any word we could ever use to describe you.
And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of your vast love.

We have come to you in thanksgiving and praise,
to know that you are God and to place our lives
anew into your perspective.

Enlarge our vision this hour with your word.
Instill in us, again, your hope in place of our despair,

Your peace where our hatred threatens,
Your joy amidst our depression,
Your love overwhelming our apathy.

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

Community Confession

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

Gracious and good Creator,
you have given us so much,
but too often we take those gifts for granted,
or as something to which we are entitled.

You call us to live in caring community,
but too often we place our wants and needs first,
with those of others a distant second.

You call us to share your good gifts with the world around us,
but we are worried that there may not be enough,
and our worrying gets in the way of our sharing.

For all the times when we mistreat and misuse your gifts,
for all the times we assume that we get what we have by ourselves,
forgive us and lead us back to the path of wisdom.

God is a gracious giver.
God is gracious in forgiveness.
God calls us to new patterns and new life.

We are a forgiven people,
and we pray to our God in community, holy in One.
Amen.

Benediction

May grace and peace be ours in abundance,
in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

May we be thankful for simple things,
for friendship, for health, for daily bread, for good news.

May we rise above the corruption of power
and become participants in the divine nature.

May we go from this place
to pursue goodness, wisdom, holiness and love.

God the Creator, call us to the work of the kingdom.
God the Redeemer, keep us from stumbling.

God the Sustainer, transform and inspire us
as we live as your witnesses,
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

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

by Rosie Venner

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

[Photo by Jared Atkins @ Flickr]