Liturgy

Holy Mystery, we know it takes little faith
to see the sacred in the extraordinary.

Yet you constantly remind us that sacred faith is in the ordinary,
and it takes courage to believe the mundane can be enough.

As we gather, teach us that grace can emerge
even through the dull, the slightly disappointing,
the not quite right, not quite as we intended,
not really what we hoped; the clumsy,
the awkward, and the imperfect.

Help our act of faith be to accept
who you are as enough for us.

We gather now, as a small part of your larger church,
praising the name of
God our Creator,
of Christ, our Savior,
and of the Holy Spirit, our Breath of Life.
Amen.

(written by Cheryl Lawrie)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the Gospel of James 1:1-4, 14-17.

1 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of
favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?

2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes
comes into your assembly, and if a poor person
in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take
notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say,

“Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say,
“Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4 have you not made distinctions
among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say
you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,
16 and one of you says to them,

“Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not
supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith
by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

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.

Homily and Reflection

Homily Podcast – Ordinary Faith 09.05.2021

What does it mean for us to push against celebrity culture in our community?

How can we make space to reflect on and receive mercy in our lives?

How are we integrating the teachings and life of Jesus as an expression of our faith?

Benediction

May grace and peace be ours in abundance,
in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.
May we be thankful for simple things, for friendship,
for health, for daily bread, for good news.

May we rise above the corruption of ego and power
and become participants in the ordinary, divine nature.
May we go from this place to pursue goodness,
wisdom, holiness and love.

God the Creator, call us to the work of the kingdom.
God the Redeemer, keep us from stumbling.
God the Sustainer, transform and inspire us.

Let us leave, thankful and serving
with the love of the Father,
of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Go in peace, and live the church.
May you find belonging and community this week.

[Photo by Jenn.jpg]