Liturgy

Breath of Life, wake us up.
Open our eyes to you, and
pull us out of the darkness.

We feel our bodies shake against the discomfort.
Birth is painful, and waking up feels like reliving
the cold push into this world.

Hold us fast, hold us close, pull us through.
We yearn to hear your voice. We long for the
familiar touch of your hand, and we cry out
for understanding.

We can not go back. We can not fall asleep
once we have woken up, we can not unlearn
what we have learned, and we can not
un-see what we have seen.

Here and now, there is stillness.
Here and now you are real,
not an imaginary friend.

Here and now, we can release the pain
we have been holding onto, and breathe
in you, Breathe of Life.

God, who is life, God, who is love,
God, who is one, we pray to you,
our God in community,
Holy in One.
Amen.

(Naomi Jackson)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the reading of Psalm 116.

I’m striding in the presence of God,
alive in the land of the living!
I stayed faithful, though bedeviled,
and despite a ton of bad luck,
Despite giving up on the human race,
saying, “They’re all liars and cheats.”

What can I give back to God
for the blessings he’s poured out on me?
I’ll lift high the cup of salvation — a toast to God!
I’ll pray in the name of God;

The Good News of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Sermon and Reflection

Sermon Podcast 4.26.20 – Listening

How have you listened to yourself and God during the quarantine?

What does it look like this week to create intentional space to listen?

Benediction

As you leave today,
remember who you are:
A holy and treasured being,
fully loved and liked by God.

When life is difficult this week––
and know that it will be difficult––
remember who you are.

When you are confronted with
pain, stress, and anxiety,
remember who you are.

If old wounds reopen, if shame takes hold,
if new struggles emerge, remember who you are.

Remember and take courage.
God is with you, knows you,
cares for you, and will see you to the end.

And remember God has given you
this beautiful community to share
in your burdens and your joys.

So go now, in the name of
our loving God,
the forgiving Christ,
and our guide, the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

(Gina Bastone-Trevino)

Go in peace and live the church.
May you find safety and rest throughout the week.

[Photo by Srikanth Jandhyala @ Flickr]