Liturgy

As the Earth nears the end of another cycle around the sun,
We feel the heartbeat rhythm of a new yet familiar song
rising with the sun and crooning with the moon
we join in melody with the rest of creation:
Lord, you dwell with the birds of the air and the flowers of the field.
Dwell with us too, as you continue to renew all things to yourself.
Even as we wake to face the morning,
we carry with us the aches of our days, our weeks, our years.
Our songs as blue as they are bright,
we mourn what is past, knowing that our Heavenly Parent mourns with us:
Lord, bring us comfort, for we have lived hard years,
and dwell with us, as you continue to renew all things to yourself.
We live our lives in present winter, aware that spring will soon come.
As creation longs to awake from its slumber to sing and dance together,
so we long to commune with each other and our Heavenly Parent
celebrating our adoption as beloved children and heirs of the Kingdom.
Lord, bring us to belong so that we are known and loved,
and dwell with us, as you continue to renew all things to yourself.
In the name of Creator God,
Christ who walked among us in the day,
and the Spirit who dwells with us until morning,
Amen.
(Vox Prayer Team)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the book of Galatians 4: 4-7
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a
woman, born under the law, 5 in order to redeem those who were under
the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6 And because you
are children, God has sent the Spirit of her Son into our hearts, crying,
‘Abba! Father!’ 7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child
then also an heir, through God.
The Word 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: You Belong Here

Benediction

Heavenly Parent, you prepare a table before us
welcoming us to sit at your table and eat in your presence.
You bring us cut fruit when we least expect it,
and pack our bags as we prepare for long roads ahead.
May we always remember that the table is set for us in the house of
the Lord.
Though the road may be long and winding,
Let us learn to travel lightly, setting down our burdens,
trusting the Spirit to lead us to safe passage and still waters.
Though we travel in the dark, teach us not to fear.
May we always remember that we do not walk this path alone,
and that your goodness and mercy follow us everywhere we go.
May we always dwell in the presence
of God our good shepherd,
Jesus who walked the path before us,
and the Spirit, our companion.
Amen.
(Vox Prayer Team)

[Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty)]