Liturgy
Heavenly Father, you open your
arms to welcome us to this place
of blessing and comfort.
In turn, we are shown how to open our arms
to those around us and to bless and
comfort those who do not know you.
You meet us wherever we are and invite
us to your gentle waters and beautiful
meadows and give us all that we need,
whether we need much or little.
Thank you for your provisions
and for this place of sanctuary.
We pray this in the name
of the Heavenly Father,
the Risen Son,
and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
Community Confession
Merciful and loving Father,
We are surrounded by the
blessings you have given us.
Forgive us for thinking we have earned
them and for failing to give you thanks.
We are surrounded by opportunities
to share your grace.
Yet we are more concerned with sharing our
lives in ways that keep others at a distance.
Father, we have not lived
as you have asked us to live.
We confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed, by what we have
done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
We pray this, and ask your forgiveness,
In the name of the Father,
of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
Sermon and Reflection
Sermon Podcast 2.04.18 – Some Things
Where is God inviting me to accommodate others more, or less?
Where am I being invited to relax my filtering of the good or tragic and experience the good news that’s been seeking me out?
Benediction
Go out into the world, and labor to bring forth
new lives of humility, of peace and of grace.
Dream dreams, pursue visions and speak
of God’s goodness and generosity in the
words of those who would hear.
And may our God who breathed
life into creation be your delight.
May Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming,
and may the Holy Spirit, your advocate and guide,
set your hearts ablaze with a passion for 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 Sannah Kvist @ Flickr]