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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 80)

L:   Hear our voices, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead your people like a flock!
P: You, who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth among us!
L: You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.
P:  Stir up your might, o LORD, and come to save us!
L: Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

 

Call to Worship:
L: God does not hold the past against us.
P: His compassions are new every morning.
L: Give praise to God, for he is slow to anger and rich in mercy.
P: His faithfulness extends to all generations.
L: Come, let us worship God!

Call to Worship: (Read responsively)
by pulpitt in nd

The image of fire in today’s text is not the word we expect to hear.
Fire that destroys is not a very pleasant image for Sunday morning.
It only takes a spark, so why does Jesus insist on bringing such a chaotic blaze?
We thought we understood but now we come with questions about the divisions we see.

 

Invocation

Sisters and brothers, called to freedom in Christ: Grace, mercy, and peace be with you all.

And also with you.

Let us pray. Almighty and ever-living God, you have given great and precious promises to those who believe. Grant us the perfect faith which overcomes all doubts, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Prayer of Confession:
by Moria Laidlaw

Lord Jesus Christ, we remember with gratitude those people who generously sowed the seeds of faith in our lives. 
Pause for a time of reflection
Above all. we recognize how you have blessed our lives with the gift of the Holy Spirit so that our faith has miraculously and mysteriously grown. 

We confess the times we fail to involve ourselves in planting any seeds of faith in the lives of others;
the times when our personal agendas become more important than yours;
the times when we have denied others the opportunity to expand their faith through our lack of interest or involvement;
the times when our lives become so entangled with the values of the world, that we forget what you have said and done and promised.
  
Lord Jesus Christ,  we know that when we become disconnected from you, our lives becomes parched and unfruitful and our faith becomes stunted and dry.  Bless and renew our lives, we pray, so that we remain connected to you at all times and in all places,  strengthening our faith to expand and, growing strongly and vigorously,  to bear the fruit of your mercy, your love, your undying life.  Amen.

 

Prayer for Faith

     O Heavenly Father, the precious faith You give is the root of all our graces, the channel of communion, the weapon of prevalence, the shield of safety, the evidence of eternity and the passport of glory. Grant us O Lord, more of this inestimably precious faith.
     Lord Jesus, grant us that faith which draws energy from splendid ideals and incorporates it in our present and immediate life.
     Blessed Spirit of God, cause our faith to increase in fullness, constancy, and simplicity. Amen.

 

A Prayer for Service and Restoring Justice

O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others;
open my ears that I may hear their cries;
open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
let me not be afraid to defend the week because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears
that I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee. Amen.

 

Prayer for empowerment to faithful service
adapted from a prayer of the Augustinian Friars

Let us pray to the
Lord of the harvest who calls men
and women to serve him in love.

All glory and praise are yours,
God of truth, light of our hearts, for
you guide your people in
the ways of holiness.

Help us
and our fellow Christian brothers and sisters
to seek you through mutual love and worship
and to be servants of your Church as
examples that others may follow.

Enlighten men and women
to see the beauty of the Christian life;
strengthen them in your service
so that the work you have begun in
them may be brought to fulfillment.

Amen.

 

Prayer of the Day
by Rev. F. Schaefer

LORD God, you are the master planter in the garden of our lives. In your great love and faithfulness you have established us with the great care of a gardener who prepares the soil, plants the seed, waters, and prunes.

Enable us to live out our faith.  Help us to rely on you and your spiritual gifts and not merely on our own human resources. Strengthen us when we are weak, give us courage when we face challenges, and give us compassion for our neighbors.

In all circumstances, let us look to Jesus, the author of our faith who has also promised to complete your holy work within us.  Sharpen our vision that we may discern the signs of the time, that we may live our lives in great expectation of your Kingdom.  Amen.

 

Prayer of Intercession

Confident in God's steadfast love through Jesus Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their needs.

God of fire, ignite those who preach and teach in your church to proclaim your word faithfully to those committed to their care. God of grace,

let our prayer come before you.

God of all nations, cause your justice to rule among all people so that the weak and orphaned, the lowly and the destitute are upheld and protected throughout the world. God of grace,

let our prayer come before you.

God of deliverance, heal the sick (especially), feed the hungry, give hope to those in despair, and shower abundant blessings on the poor. God of grace,

let our prayer come before you.

God of power, strengthen the faith of your people in this congregation as we listen to your word and share in the holy meal prepared for us. God of grace,

let our prayer come before you.

God of the faithful, we give you thanks for the cloud of witnesses who surround us. May their lives draw us to Jesus, pioneer and perfecter of our faith, as we run the race set before us. God of grace,

let our prayer come before you.

Teach us to pray, O God, and grant to all for whom we pray the good gifts that you have promised, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Prayer of Welcome: (Unison)

In spite of the divisions, we gather as one voice to sing the song of peace. Parents often don’t understand their children and children don’t always understand their parents. Jokes abound about mother-in-laws which adds to the division. When things go bad or we’re uncomfortable we turn the conversation to the weather. The world isn’t always as clear as the forecast. We come with questions when laws of nature don’t match the reality of life. Be with us as we seek to understand. Amen.

 

Prayer of Dedication: (Unison)

We are drawn together when we see the sunset in the west, or the northern lights in the evening skies. We collect our thoughts and bring our gifts before you knowing that tomorrow will be a better day for all. Receive our gifts and use them to bring us closer to you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

 

Sending Forth: (Unison)
by pulpitt in nd

As we walk forth to the sunshine of your love we are joined together by your love that makes us whole. Receive our thanksgiving for life, for the beauty of each rainbow after the storms, the freshness of the air after the rain. Remind us to skip in the puddles that reflect your love each day. Amen.

 

Closing Prayer

Almighty God,
upon your Son Jesus Christ you built your Church.  Thank you for its strong beginning, its faith and its vision.  LORD, bless this your congregation. Increase your blessings, your guidance and wisdom for the work that you have given us to do in this community and in this world.  Empower and sustain us in our daily lives and keep us through the end of all times through Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith.   Amen.