Liturgy

Each person in this room is a kaleidoscope
of feelings, experiences, thoughts and skills.
Always changing, and always showing a
different aspect of God’s creativity.

Each person brings a worldview so rich
only their Creator can truly understand it.

Our collective body is beautiful in its many
parts, but is made truly magnificent when
it comes together to seek understanding,
acceptance and love of the other.

We gather this morning in the name of
our Creator, who is celebrating that you
are here, that you are fulfilling a vision of a
truly magnificent mosaic born of pure love.

We begin our worship today
in the name of our Creator, God,
of our Savior, Jesus,
and our breath of life in the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Community Confession

Sometimes it feels like the hardest
thing to do is to ask for help.
To admit we can’t do it.
To admit we’ve reached our limit.
Sometimes, the hardest thing to do
is to ask for help.

God, we admit times when we struggle
alone, hurting others as we go,
and ask you to bring us back to rest.

When we work so hard to be wanted, needed
and good, we rely on our false selves to
show the world we don’t need anything.
But this only causes separation in our
most treasured and sacred relationships.

Jesus, you chose to be among sinners,
and surely you are with us now.
Help us rest in that knowledge.

God designed us to desire more, and called it heaven.
But what if heaven is not a place, but a distance?
We suffer when we feel the distance,
and are made more complete when it is within reach.

Holy Spirit, comfort us with a breath of grace,
and guide us back to closeness in our
most treasured and sacred relationships.

We pray in the name
of our God,
Jesus the Son,
and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Sermon and Reflection

Sermon Podcast 07.30.17 – Compassionate Giving

Is my giving motivated by compassion or by guilt, shame and/or fear?
How can I receive compassion today from others, myself, and God when I don’t have much to give?

Benediction

Go forth today and every day to seek
connection. Learn to pay attention
to and connect with your own needs,
so that you might recognize and
connect with the needs of others.

In this way may you build connection
in your most treasured and sacred
relationships, and in this way may you
build a holy connection here on earth.

Let us go in the name
of the almighty God,
of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

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

[Photo by Andy Feltham @ Flickr]