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.

(Sarah Berson)

Community Confession

Loving God, you have created a diverse world, a world
full of languages, of nationalities, and ideologies,
and we carry our opinions like burdens.

Forgive us for confusing our own
voices with the call to be your unified people.
Teach us how to appreciate differences
while living as one community.

You have put us in this place, in this time,
you have given us the breath in our lungs,
and the bodies we each inhabit.

Forgive us for holding back from
others the gifts you gave us freely.
Show us how to love without fear.

Your word is a lamp unto our feet,
your story is a way of life, and it is better
than the ugly divisions of this world.

We pray in the name of
God, the Creator,
Christ, the Risen One,
and the Holy Spirit, the Breath of Life.
Amen.

(Luke Helm and Gina Bastone)

Sermon and Reflection

Sermon Podcast 1.28.18 – Embracing Differences

Whose story do I need to hear more fully in order to move beyond knowledge so they can be more fully known?

Who do I need to practice empathy with this week?

How can I embrace differences as a path to experience growth and conversion?

Benediction

As you head for the door,
Pause. Look up.
May you find God smiling upon you,
as a parent smiles upon their child.

When your life this week gets hard,
Pause. Look up.
May you find a moment of holy stillness
and fresh resilience to carry on with your day.

And when you come back here next week,
Pause, and look around.
May you see the fullness of God’s great
work in these faces around you.

May the love of God,
the grace of Jesus Christ,
and the presence of the Holy Spirit,
be among you and within you.
Amen.

(Gina Bastone)

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

[Photo by Nicola Odemann @ Flickr]