Liturgy
Pour out your Spirit upon us as we gather,
God of our salvation: so your grace might
strengthen us for service;
so your peace might calm our troubled souls;
so your hope might mend our broken hearts.
You poured out your life that we might be filled
with the gift of salvation. You humbled yourself
that we might be raised to eternal life.
You are in our midst, Spirit of wholeness.
You enabled us to cling to faith, when
hope runs through our fingers like sand.
You open the gateways of our hearts,
morning and evening, that we might
sing our praises with all creation.
Hear us, O Lord, as we praise
the name of the Father,
of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Community Confession
Compassionate and Gentle God, you have
created us in love to be your people.
We give thanks and praise you
for our community, oh God.
Yet, as we gather for worship, we are
reminded that we have lost sight of this
gift and forgotten how to really love you.
We worship other gods, put our faith in
the currencies of this world,and impress
ourselves with misguided power and stability.
Lord, have mercy on us.
We have looked for help in the wrong
places and ignored the extravagances
you lay before us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Send your Spirit to come and breathe its
life-sustaining and life-altering presence
into us in these moments of worship.
Send your Spirit of renewal and transformation.
Send your Spirit that up-ends our lives and sets
us on a new path. Send your Spirit, O Lord, that
we may learn to follow you.
Hear our prayers and remake
us in your image once again.
We pray in the name
of the loving Father,
the Risen Son
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sermon and Reflection
Sermon Podcast 5.01.16 -Being Loved and Being Left
How does presence and absence affect the way we grow in our relationships?
How can we practice secure relationship with God and others in how we know, trust and love God and others?
How can we practice secure relationship with God and others in how we are known, trusted and loved by God and others?
Benediction
Listen to the promise Christ Jesus makes:
He will never abandon us as orphans – He will come to us.
Although the world will not be able to see him, he will never
vanish from our sight, and since he lives, we will also live.
Go from here with the comfort that
we do not go alone: the power and
presence of God goes with us.
Let us go, reflecting the love and grace
we receive to serve all we meet this week,
in the name of
the loving Father,
the resurrected Son,
and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.