Liturgy

Holy God, give us the strength to be honest—
to you, to ourselves, and to others.

Give us the courage to lay down our insecurities—
to trust that we are loved, that we need not want.

Forgive us from our instincts to lash out—
to hurt those by whom we feel threatened.

Imbue us with the peace of Christ;
gird us with the strength of the Father;
deliver us by the hope of the Spirit.

Transform us into the living, loving
Body of Christ in our community.

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

Community Confession

All-loving and all-forgiving God, we have not been faithful to you
in thought, word, or deed; hear us as we call out to you in our weakness.

We see the beauty of your selfless love, and we yearn to do likewise,
but in our decisions and actions, in our instincts and inclinations,
we assert our self-importance.

We believe your story is good news for all humanity, yet we so
often fail to show others the love that Christ has shown us.

Sovereign God, forgive us our shortcomings.
Have mercy on us, open our in-curved hearts
reform us by your Holy Spirit,

that together, we may come to be a blessing to
those we love, and to those we have yet to love.
Grant us new life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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

In what ways do my enemies reflect
the image of God?
Where have I experienced grace in my life this week?
Where have I needed grace this week?
How can I practice an act of love or generosity anonymously this week?

Benediction

Brothers and sisters, take your
encouragement from Christ,
that your joy may be complete.

Share in the Spirit; find consolation in love.
Practice a ministry of humility and compassion,
for God is at work in you, empowering you.

Welcome Christ into every corner of your soul.
Strive after a life of love worthy of the Gospel.

Go forth in hope and peace,
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 Alberto Polo Iañez @ Flickr]