Liturgy Lord, today your saints come to you tired.Our demands on ourselves this week have been loud.The voices around us load us downwith ideas about how we can become holier,better leaders, more righteous, more pure, more productive.We want to do your good work in a hurting world,but dumbbells of expectation weigh down our arms.Our very muscles bear witness to our […]

Liturgy O Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest:the winds are sweet;the oaks reach to the skies;the waters like boundless mirrorsand the floating cloudsreflect the sun’s golden rays. Alleluia! We praise you Lord,for the glory of this morning,for the mercies that come with every daybreak. All nature murmurs mysteriously,breathing the depth of tenderness.Birds and beasts of our scraggy forestsbear the imprint […]

Liturgy God of Mystery,as the piano dances a melodyalongside a vocalist, so youaccompany us in our life song. The cello joins in, a welcome bass,a fluttering violin, at times, orchestral unity,in a moment, indignant cacophony,Through it all, you are with us. We come longing for harmonyunsure where the ballad will turn next.We practice, we perform,we feel the instability of nervous […]

Liturgy We gather together on the first Sunday of Advent. After years of sorrow and pestilence,we wait in hope of a bountiful harvest.After a season of solitude and separation,we long for seats at the wedding banquet. Lord God, bless us with eyes to see,bless us with ears to hear,bless us with wisdom to recognize your coming. Surrounded by clamoring distractions,we […]

Liturgy Welcome to this community that is gathering this morning. You are invited to bring all the messiness in your life.Your confusion, your unease, your uncertainty;all of who you are is welcome to participate. God, will you help us soften our resistance?Will you help us release our desire for controljust a little more this morning? You are invited to bring […]

Liturgy Each person gathered here today has astory that is quite different from your own.Collectively, we bring a wild arrangement of lifeexperiences that give strength to our community. As different as we are, we are united in wantingto love and serve those around us. Some of ushave energy for it now, and others do not. Lord God, let us recognize […]

Liturgy You, who are fearfully andwonderfully made, listen.God is with us. You, who are daily renewedby the blood of Christ, look.God is with us. You, who are given life by theHoly Spirit, breathe deeply.God is with us. May we open our hearts to hear the word of God today.May we receive the love that is in every word, andmay we […]