Prayer for the day

[Saint]

Holy God, Word-Giver:
in soft-falling snow, we hear your joy;
in the whisper of the wind, we overhear your dreams for us;
in the silence of a frozen night, we eavesdrop on your grace;
in the prayers of the poor, we take notice of your compassion.

God, Perfect Word:
overcome our obsession of focusing on ourselves, so we might serve;
make us simple enough to hear your good news
and wise enough to live it;
enchant our hearts with your grace,
so we might weep with those around us.

Holy Spirit, Cup Holder of Living Water:
as we suffer together, may we drink deeply from your tenderness;
as we rejoice together, may we taste your strength;
as we pray together,may our hearts feast on your love;
as we worship together, may we hear the Word you have for us.

God in Community, Holy in One,
in these moments, in every moment, be with us.

God so near to us, we recall today that
Ezra reminded the returning exiles of their identity as the people of God.
they were deeply moved and wept, because they had forgotten about your
mighty acts which had shaped them and their history.
We confess, O God, that we also forget our identity as your people and
so fail to witness to your activity in our lives.

Ezra called on the people not to grieve their shortcomings but to celebrate
their calling and their strength as the people of God.
We confess that there are times when we concentrate on our
weaknesses rather than rejoicing over our strengths.
And now, in the silence, we pause to confess our private sins to you.

Glory be to Christ Jesus, that we are released from the oppression of all our sins.
In Christ we have been forgiven

Almighty Father, the love You offer always exceeds the expression of our human longing; for You are greater than the human heart.
Direct our thoughts and efforts so that the limits of our faults and weaknesses
may not obscure the vision of Your glory or keep us from the peace You have promised.
We ask this in Jesus' name.

[s2]

Gracious God:
your wall of hope surrounds us in our despair;
your haven of faith welcomes us in our unbelief;
your citadel of love protects us from our anger.

Gracious Word:
you reach out to those we would not touch;
you greet those we would ignore;
you welcome those we would exclude.

Holy Spirit:
rest gently upon us so we might be kinder people;
touch us with your humility, so we would let go of our pride;
show us your Way, so we would not insist on our own.

God in Community, Holy in One, our hope and our trust,
as your family, we gather, singing your praises and adoring your holy name. We were made to worship and enjoy you. All that we are belongs to you, and all that we have we give to you.

You are timeless, for in one and the same moment, you see us in our mothers' wombs and pier down at us now in the womb of the church.
You are omnipresent, for there is no place where your love and justice cannot be.
You are infinite in glory, blessing, and perfection; all-sufficient, almighty, knowing all things, abundant in truth and goodness. And your are merciful.

In the promise of your mercy, we confess our sin. We confess that our love is not what we would hope. We are so focused on ourselves, the needs of others dim in our eyes. We secretly rejoice in the miseries of those around us, knowing that they must have done something to deserve such lives. We push our families and friends away by insisting they do everything our way. We have withheld our love from you and neighbor.

Forgive us, Faithful Redeemer. Rescue us from our selves, so we might become your people. You have told us we are forgiven, and you are true to your word.

Help us by your Spirit. Put your law into our hearts, and write it on our minds. Let your word come to us in power, and help us receive it in love, with attentive, reverent, and teachable minds. Through your word, allow us to taste the flavor of eternal life. Make us fervent in prayer and joyful in praise. Help us serve you this day without distraction, that we may find that a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere, and that it is good for us to come near to God; through God our Lord and Savior. Amen.

[s3]

Dear Lord, you have promised to be our God and, through God we are your people. We are most grateful for our relationship with you and with all of your creation. We perceive our loving and awesome relationship with you when we view the wonders of the natural world--a full moon rising in the east, a star-filled nighttime sky and a spectacular rainbow after a spring shower. And we are reminded of your love as we respond to a baby's bright smile and ecstatic gurgle of joy.
But Lord, we must confess that we abuse and neglect our relationship with you, and with other people, and with your creation given to our care. We do not appreciate and acknowledge your love in our day-to-day activities, we often harm our relationship with friends and family by our words and deeds, and we do not adequately care for our environment or monitor the use of our natural resources.
Lord, hear now our silent prayers of confession.
In your mercy, God, forgive what we have been and guide us in being your faithful people

[s4]

The psalmist writes:
God is the foundation of our hope, the source of our trust;
a rock to lean on and a safe place to rest in from the time of our birth.

Paul writes:
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Glory to you, Great God, for all that you are and for all that you have given to us.
For creation--for the planets that dance around the sun and moon and stars, for the rain that quenches the earth, for the forest plants and animals that drink of it, and for your image imprinted upon us, enabling us to sense your goodness and love through a mother's tender whisper, a friend's loving embrace, a doctor's healing touch, and through our voices raised in singing hymns.
Glory to you for the church--for the gathering of people in your name to worship, to learn and hear the stories, and to embrace those in need, providing necessities, comfort, and friendship.
Glory to you for sending us your Son, God, a tiny babe, a light to open our eyes so that we may see your glory, your way, and your great love for us.
We now confess to you that we often choose not to turn our eyes to that light and to your glory. We prefer instead to look the other way until we are troubled or in need. We complain about what is missing in our lives, blind to our wealth and resources and hardened to the needs of others who have so little. We have become caught up in the race of life--of accumulating possessions, security, and the envy of neighbors--and heedless of where this race will lead us. We fail to see you in the countenances of those around us--particularly those who make us uncomfortable--the poor, the prisoner, the homeless, the outcast, the sick. We often take the hard line in our opinions, knowing for sure that we are right, belittling others for believing differently.
Eternal God, on this day of new beginnings, forgive us for our past wrongdoings, and let us rejoice as your mercy rains down on us. Be our guide, helping us discern what is life affirming and what drains us of your goodness.
As we gather around your Word and your Table, make our hearts pure so that we may see you and touch your real presence. Breathe your Spirit into us and make us new.
We pray all these things in the name of Christ Jesus;

[saint5]

Thanksgiving/Dedication
Feb 4, 2007 Morning

Lord, who loves us with the only true and pure love,
You raise up the poor, and give them the best rooms in your house;
you lift the broken from the dust of the world, brushing them off and clothing them with joy;
you exalt those who on earth have a poor name, and let them say grace at the feast in heaven.
You are our God, and we thank you that out of the depths, you have rescued us.
For without you, we are nothing; when we turn from you, we must obey the law of gravity. But when we allow your grace to penetrate to our center, illuminating our whole being, we are able to walk on water. Such is your grace.

When we are tempted to wander off after the glitz and magnetism of sin,
you guard our feet so we can walk as faithful people;
when we think we need to pay attention to all the gossip around us,
you give us a double portion of good news, so we will not fear.
You are the Christ, and we will listen to you. We lift with all the world our prayers in thanking you for the good news we have seen and heard in our lives:
For words that healed us
For feelings made real in works of love
For a sign of real and true hope found in the eyes of one we love

When no one else will listen to us, we can pour out our soul to you;
when no one notices us, you see our misery, and fill us with joy;
when everyone else forgets who we are, you remember us and call us by name.
You are our Spirit of Love, and with our hearts we thank you, for you love us in so far as we are nothing.
We thank you that you deal with us as people who are real and important.
And we thank you for the times this week we have been noticed and cherished
For the moments when we received our due dignity and gratitude.

Great is your grace and great is our debt. To you we bring our lives as a living sacrifice. Transform our money that we offer at this table, that it too may become a living sacrifice, lifting your children from sin and evil’s destruction. For we ask it in the name of the Living Lord, who taught us to pray:


Thanksgiving/Intercession/Dedication
Feb 4, 2007 Night
Almighty God, in God, you encouraged us to pray, and taught us to pray with honesty and familiarity, awed by thy love, but not afraid to say what is in our hearts.
O God our creator, you made all things to glorify you. We pray for the whole creation. Do not let us destroy it. Overthrow evil powers in the world, right what is wrong, protect those unable to protect themselves, call forth people who will be stewards of our air, water, and soil, that all your children may enjoy the earth you have made. Make us all ambassadors of peace, willing to listen and listen and listen before we take up arms.
Gracious God, you have called us to be the church of God, and members of his body. Keep us one in faith and service, breaking bread together and proclaiming good news to the world, that all will believe you rule in love. In the church challenge our notions of our own righteousness, for we divide too easily and try to conquer one another. Heal our divisions; help us, with our differences, to minister well in the confidence that your Spirit inhabits all the Body of Christ. Give us your wisdom as we ponder the ways you call us to minister in a world still rent with poverty, sickness, anger, and loneliness.
Merciful God, in the words of your prophets and in God you revealed that you bear the pain of the world. Look with compassion on those who are sick, especially those whom we now lift to you....Cheer them by your word, comfort them with the prayers and presence of your people, and bring healing as a sign of your grace.
Receive our love and hope for our families and those we care about. Renew our patience and understanding, and help us to speak to one another to build up and not tear down.
God of all generations, we offer now our money and our lives in response to your saving grace. Bless all the gifts we bear, that they may be used for the glory of your strong and true name, through God our Lord. Amen.

[s6]

Adoration/Confession/Invocation
Feb 11, 2007

Our God who is in heaven but dwells with us here,
On mountaintops crowned with ice and mist and in museums filled with wonder;
in tents pitched by singing waters and in theaters filled with laughing children;
in this sacred space and in all the ordinary neighborhoods where we live,
you are with us, hearing us, answering us.

We glance at you out of the corners of our souls, and see grace surrounding us;
we look at you conversing with the poor and rejected;
we watch you as you come to us, to touch us, to heal us, and to give us life.

When our lips cannot shape words, you speak them for us;
when we can only sigh our deepest needs, you nurse us as a Mother with her newborn;
when our hopes are dashed to the ground, you pick them up and give them new life.

The din of the world can harden our hearts to your Word. We watch news, reality TV, silly shows - yet have trouble bearing witness to your presence in our lives. Our faith is placed in those who fail us, our trust is given to those who misplace it.

Forgive us, Revealer of Mystery. You offer mercy to us, so we might hear your call to discipleship. You whisper our names, so we might know how loved we are. Caught by the surprise of your never ending joy in us, how can we not follow our Lord and Savior, God, onto the mountaintops of worship and into the valleys of sacrifice and service!

On mountaintops and in valleys, in our homes and in our hearts, you know us better than we know ourselves, and you forgive us when we cannot forgive ourselves.

Move as a rushing river into our hearts now. Give us the breath of life and the Word of grace so all the living will find voice to sing your glory. Raise up in our mind's eye the person of Jesus, his life and death and resurrection, a mystery which we enter with faith.
Through that same Jesus we ask this prayer. Amen.


Intercession
Feb 11, 2007

Gracious God, we thank you for the promise given to us through God, for when we were baptized in him, we were baptized into his death, and buried with him, buried into his death; that as he was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might look forward in faith and hope to new life.
In this confidence we come before you and lay open our hearts and minds. Help us not to worry; certainly not about the things which distract us from following your call in our lives to live in your joy and service. Help us to commit ourselves to you each day so that no occasion will separate us from you. Help us to remember with gratitude those people of the past who loved us; those events of the past which strengthened us. Help us to look forward, not fearing the future, but knowing you will be present.
We commend to you those who have been saddened this week by hard events: by illnesses, by the loss of ones they have loved, and by war and rumor of war. Assure us that you are present in the hardest times to bear with us any sadness and grief.
Make well, O Lord, those among us who have illness and pain. Restore them to health and to trust in you. And when we cannot be returned to the days of our youth, give us, we pray, the health of those who trust in you, who find their peace in your promises.
Make faithful, O Lord, those among us who seek to do right, to love mercy, to make peace in the midst of conflict and confusion. In your ways guide those who begin a new path, a new job, a new calling, a new life.
Make full those who hunger and thirst, those who are orphaned, and those who are imprisoned.
Make strong, O Lord, those who act as your people in the home, office, school, business, or in our political life, who do not surrender to hate or pride, but work to bring people together with mutual respect for one another.
We ask this prayer, in Jesus' name. Amen.

[s7]

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication
February 18, 2007

O Holy God, you created that life-giving explosion so many years ago, and we marvel at your wisdom and power. You gave us a mind to enjoy and explore, and a conscience to be caretakers of all that is, and we come before you with thanksgiving.

We praise your name for the realm of love in which you have set us. In this place, no matter how imperfect, we see its richness and beauty. We see that it consists solely of and for opportunities for love.

Thanks be to you when those opportunities were seized, when love became the focus of our life. We give you thanks for relationships, for it is only in being known that we can be loved. And so we remember with fondness the times this week when we learned something new about one of your children. We marvel at the intricacy of our relationships: with you, with our family, with our friends, and even with our enemies.

In this great jigsaw puzzle of life, each day we see another piece added. And more and more we recognize who you have made us to be, who we really are. But we recognize those whose image is fading, those who lose a piece as time passes. And yet we are thankful. Thankful that you have given us time together. Glad that you have stretched the mystic cords of memory to connect us to them through the mind and heart.

Just as oxygen fills the lungs, you fill our lives with hope and give it purpose. In Christ, you have given the world the truest expression of love and service and purpose. Praise be to you for those who serve Christ and this world through their lives: praise you for those who volunteer to serve the unlovable, the unlovely, the untouchable. Praise be to you for those who serve to heal the sick and bind the wounded, not for their own gain, but for those who are broken. Praise be to you for those who serve to teach and dispel ignorance and hostility, and thus bring the world closer to your way of truth. Praise be to you for those who serve to work for peace and justice, and thus bring your kingdom to this world.

It is for your kingdom that we offer these gifts. Let every paper note, every copper coin be used for your kingdom. With this money, we offer our lives as a true sacrifice. Transform our hands and our words into those which are pleasing to you. For we ask it in the name of the living Christ, who taught us to pray:

[Opus]

O God, you are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, glorious in holiness, full of love and compassion, abundant in grace and truth: all your works praise you in all places of your dominion, and your glory is revealed in God your Son. Wherefore we praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, blessed for ever.

Most holy and merciful Father, we acknowledge and confess before you our sinful nature prone to evil and slothful in good, and all our shortcomings and offenses. You alone know how often we have sinned, in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us, who are ashamed and sorry for all wherein we have displeased you. Teach us to hate our errors, cleanse us from our faults, and forgive our sins, for the sake of your dear Son. Father, help us, we beseech you, to live in your light and walk in your ways, according to the commandments of God our Lord.

Enter the body of this kirk and enter the body of each person here, we ask you. For without your Holy Spirit to enlighten and invigorate us, we are empty vessels and this kirk is an empty building. Make your word come alive in us with reverence, excitement, and wonder. Let us not leave this place as we entered. Make us new. Make us fresh. Make us alive, according to your Word in the person of Jesus and in the word proclaimed about him.

This is our prayer, which is prayed in the loving name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Opus]

March 4, 2007
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

It is right to give both thanks and praise to our God. Let us pray:

It is indeed right to give you praise, O God, for you have filled this universe with goodness, giving us the guiding lights of the night sky, and gentle guides who give us their vision when we could not see for ourselves.
From the depths of the terror of chaos, you created all that is beautiful and good.
Our grandparents in the faith could have contemplated the heavens,
but gazed instead into the shadowed corners of the world,
choosing rebellion, sin, and death.
You sent prophets to call us back into your glory and grace.
But we ignored their witness, scoffing at their words.
Yet, you would not let us remain broken, but sent the Bread which could make us whole.

Therefore we gladly join our voices with the songs of your people in heaven and on earth:

Holy are you, God of Grace, and blessed is God, your Son, our Lord.
Choosing to leave the shelter of heaven, he comes to gather us into your kingdom;
sharing our life in every way, he knows our struggles and our doubts;
taking the weight of sin on his shoulders, he carries us into the joy of your grace;
broken and dying for our sake, he delivers us from sin and death,
creating the new covenant of your heart.

As we remember his life, his death, his rising, we would proclaim that mystery we call faith:

God of mercy, we have so much for which to be thankful.
Every where we turn our eyes, open our ears, and open our hearts, we feel your presence and your goodness. You owe us nothing, but you have given us everything:
bodies with which to feel the warmth of the sun and the refreshment of rain;
friends with which to share our happiness and sorrows;
family to love us and care for us through stages when love and care seem scarce.

Goodness and mercy are our gifts from you and now we give you our gifts, praying that they will be dedicated to your service. Lead us in paths of service and help us on that path with the gifts you have given us to use for your kingdom.

This is our prayer, through Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray together:

[Opus]

Prayers of approach, confession and invocation
March 4, 2007 Night Service

God of mystery:
Awesome is your creative love, a love so powerful and purposive and that even now new life is rising in the winter. We praise you for the order of creation, for the seasons, for things that makes sense, from the pathway of the earth in the universe to the infinitesimal workings of the cells within us. We praise you for the mind and heart, which explore and express, which communicate love and beauty.
Help us now to confess our sins, that we might be given new life by your forgiveness and the strength to make amends.
Where we have deceived others for our own advantage or because we did not have the courage to walk a straight line, help us to ask for forgiveness and to make amends.
Where we have stolen from another: a reputation, a belonging, or their peace, forgive us and help us to make amends.
Where we have pretended that we were doing good for your sake, but did it for our sake, lead us to a clearer view, and help us to be more honest with ourselves.
When we have thrown ourselves away, or let others take advantage of us, strengthen our love for ourselves.
When we have lost our temper or retreated so even those who care about us cannot find us, rescue us from ourselves and give us confidence to return.
Tonight, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us; drench us with your care, your love, your mercy.
And make us one with the Risen Christ;
Lead us as we walk through your words in your holy book, the Bible.
Calm the worries and fears of our hearts,
so we might be bearers of your peace;
fill our emptiness with the Bread of Life,
so we might feed the hungry around us;
cool our thirst with the cup of grace,
so we might reach out to all
who travel through the desert of life;
walk with us through the streets of the kingdom,
until we reach our journey's end,
seated around the Table you have prepared
for the redeemed of every time and place.

Through God, our joy and crown,
and in the oneness of the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.

[Opus]

marriage prayer:

Eternal God,
Creator and preserver of all life,
Author of salvation, and giver of all grace:
Look with favour upon the world you have made and redeemed,
And especially upon __________

Give them wisdom and devotion
In their common life,
That each may be to the other
A strength in need,
A counsellor in perplexity,
A comfort in sorrow,
And a companion in joy.

Strengthen their lives with
Compassion, kindness, humility, and patience.
Grant that their wills
may be so knit together in your will,
and their spirits in your Spirit,
that they may grow in love and peace
with you and each other
all the days of their life.

Give them the grace,
When they hurt each other,
To recognize and confess their fault,
And to seek each other’s forgiveness and yours.

Make their life together
A sign of God’s love
To this sinful and broken world,
That unity may overcome estrangement,
Forgiveness heal guilt,
And joy conquer despair.

Give them such fulfilment of their mutual love
That they may reach out in concern for others.

Grant that all who have witnessed these vows today
May find their lives strengthened,
And that all who are married
May depart with their own promises renewed.

Enrich with your grace
All husbands and wives, parents and children,
That, loving and supporting one another,
They may serve those in need
And be a sign of your kingdom.

Grant that the bonds by which all your children
Are united to one another
May be so transformed by your Spirit
That your peace and justice may fill the earth,
Through God our Lord.
Amen.

[Opus]

March 11, 2007
Prayers of Adoration, Confession, Invocation:
In the first book of Samuel, we hear that Hannah cannot have children. So in bitterness of soul, she wept and prayed to the Lord. Not long after, she conceived. Let us pray:
Holy God, out of your generosity you have given all good gifts. It is only well with our souls when we adore the mysterious goodness of your being.
In sovereign love you created the world good and made everyone equally in your image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. You have prepared for us a table in the presence of our enemies. And we take and eat from the cornucopia of this world’s harvest.
As full as we become, O God, there remains in us a quiet hunger. In that hunger we have sought a meal at the wrong tables. We have rebelled against you, and run away, hiding from you, our Creator.
Ignoring your commandments, we violate your image, that stamp of divine approval, in others and ourselves.
Even in this week we confess that we have accepted lies as truth,
exploited neighbor and nature, failed to do good when we saw the opportunity. We deserve your condemnation.
But you understand the deep longing with which we were born and you have come among us as living bread, the only food that can satisfy this need. And you know us in our innermost being and love us unconditionally. In your son God you did not come to humiliate those who harbor some secret shame or who were never made to feel welcome or sure of their worth. No you accept us.
And you act with justice and mercy to redeem creation.
In everlasting love, you chose us. And hearing our cry you deliver all believers from the house of bondage. Loving us still, you make us heirs with Christ of the promise.

Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child,
Like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home,
You are faithful still.

In a broken and fearful world, we enter a full and hopeful building, a loving and trusting community of saints. Please, God of love, send your Spirit to bring us to life, to give us courage, to pray without ceasing, to hear voices of people long silenced. Your Spirit enlivens all who are dead, tired, and weary. May your Spirit be with us so we may unmask the idolatries in our lives in accordance with your holy Word.

[Opus]

March 11, 2007
Prayers of Intercession

Righteous God, you know well how harsh, unfeeling, and cruel this world can be. When tragedy strikes, when love leaves, when change threatens to overwhelm, our trust wavers and we are not sure that we will ever be full again. We busy ourselves with getting and keeping whatever promises to fill our emptiness. Continue to come to us in the living Christ, O God, to challenge our fuzzy thinking that we can truly live solely by our own efforts. Interrupt any of our actions that will not satisfy and may even do harm to ourselves or others. When we pursue contentment without commitment or present a veneer of niceness in situations of injustice that require expression of outrage, help us to be whole persons, holy persons, well persons.
Loving God, surround with your presence all who need your care this day. Cradle them as though a newborn child. Turn those battling with seductive temptations away from them with a firm hand. In their resistance and attempts to squirm away, do not let them go. Take unto yourself the tears of those in anguish and sadness, support those facing tough decisions and upcoming hard times, and tickle the spirits of those who are feeling joy until it spills over and enlivens those all around. Lay hold of us, God, with firmness like that of a lover’s embrace, with tenderness like that of a child when she cups a butterfly in her hands. Despite all the distractions that turn us away from you, continue to invite us just as we are into your fullness.
God in heaven, cast your hand to the earth to guide the rulers of the nations. Move them to set aside fear, greed, and ambition and to bow to your sovereign rule. Inspire them to strive for peace and justice, so that all your children may dwell secure, free from war and privation.
Loving Father, sustain those among us who need your healing touch. Make the sick whole. Give hope to the dying. Comfort those who mourn, those who have lost someone this week, lost in body, mind, or heart. Uphold all who suffer, not only those we know and love, but also those known only to you, so that they may know the peace and joy of your supporting care.

[45]

March 18, 2007
Prayers of Thanksgiving

Holy God, Word Shaper:
you are not our accountant, but our lover;
you are not angry at us, but you forgive us;
you are not our enemy, but the One who runs towards us
with wide open arms, throwing steaks on the grill to celebrate our newness!

Shaper of our story:
you travel to that distant country called our sin to bring us home once again;
you share your inheritance with us so we might be blessed;
you know the famine of our spirits and fill it with your hope.

surrounded by your grace, we offer glad cries of salvation;
encircled by your constant love, we shout for joy;
enclosed in your comforting arms, nothing can overwhelm us.

Gracious and loving God,
even as the chill of winter persists,
we give you thanks for the gifts of life,
for the warmth and shelter we enjoy,
even as we pray for those without these gifts, whom you have called us to serve.

In Christ, all are made new creations, therefore, we give you thanks for all new creations in our life. What was once old, has become new. Even in this week, old roads, friends, and stories have become new in light of our new life.

You have given us gifts so prodigal, so outlandish, we fail to express properly our gratitude. Good gifts, very good gifts all around us. The beauty of nature. The beauty of our story in scripture and in memory. The beauty of our friends.

Why, O God do you give us so much? You are good and holy and gracious. With a tender heart you created for and in us joy. And when we see truth, beauty, and charity, our hearts fill with joy. You made us good, making us need good things. You have given us those things in abundance. Inviting us to be partakers in the heavenly lovers’ dance of the Holy Trinity, you allow us to move in community, to joyfully proclaim the good news, and to joyfully accept the prodigal, just as you have accepted us.

How loving you are.

Remove any thought of unworthiness in us now, so we may freely and without shame offer every talent we have for your living reign. Bless our hands, our minds, our bodies, our money, our thoughts, our words, our spirits, that your reign may be with and among us.
Hear our prayer, as we pray now the words Jesus taught us:

[asexeeed]

Prayers of Adoration / Confession / Invocation March 25, 2007
Sentences: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).

Call to prayer: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15)

Great God, whatever you have done in the past, the future is that much better!
We will not stop looking for the newness you have for us!
Whatever we have achieved to this point, we have not completed our journey.
We will quicken our pace to follow Jesus wherever he leads.
Whatever obstacles we put in the path, you will make a way to our hearts,even in the desert of death
We will move onward, through our doubts and fears.

Holy God, Water Tamer:
you humble our pride, so we might open our hearts to your healing;
you restrain our fears, so we might reach for your joy.

You are the Living Water:
you gather up our tears and wash away the dust of our despair;
you sit at our feet and anoint us with your costly love;
you wipe away our sin and make us new.

Holy Spirit, you grace us with gifts so abundant they become a river
bursting its banks in our lives.

Goodness flows from you, Lord, yet we confess that we have not accepted your goodness. We have accepted easy, comfortable lies as the truth. We have not questioned wrongdoing or stood against injustice. Even today, much of our standard of living lies on the foundations of a system of slavery. A system that held human life cheap, destroyed families, transported human beings as cargo, and condemned millions to a shortened life of hopeless misery.

We confess that this system was conveniently accepted as commercial necessity and justified for centuries in your name. We would like to believe that we are somehow different – that had we been alive 200 years ago, we would have stood for freedom. Or that even know we seek justice when it does not benefit us.
But we deceive ourselves. The truth is not in us.

Yet you are faithful. And in you we are a new creation, what was filthy is made clean.

Loving God, send your Spirit to us as we seek to live as you intend.
May your presence comfort us and also confront us with the responsibility of making your word of love become flesh in our actions.
Help us to share the good news of life with others, that in sharing, we might learn what it means to live your love.
In the name of Christ,
Amen.


Prayers of intercession:

On those days when we hunger for some people to be hurt the way they've hurt us,
we feed eagerly at the banquet of judgment and retribution;
Yet you offer us an abundant feast of what is good:
loading our plate with a mound of mercy, pouring grace over it
and asking us to pass it on to our worst enemy.

In those moments when we are so dehydrated by not having our desires met
that we drink deeply from the fountains of self-pity and pettiness,
And then you turn the handle of hope, filling that dented cup of compassion
you have had since the beginning of time, and hand it to us, saying,
'Drink up! It's good for you!"

In this life, where we never seem to get enough of ourselves, help us to seek to get enough of you.
Help us.

And help others.

You, O great Redeemer, take the side of those who bear injustice, pain and insult,
Through the telling of our stories, and through speaking the truth in love,
may we find healing and create whole and wholesome communities.
Grant humility and forgiveness in the hearts of all.
Heal the blindness that looks but does not see,
the deafness which refuses to listen and so does not hear,
the dullness which hears but does not comprehend;
and the lack of integrity that knows but does not act.
Gracious God, heal our wounds and set all free.

Rescue those who are infected with disease and virus
Those with cancer, AIDS and HIV; those at risk of tuberculosis and malaria,
those who do not have ready access to medical care and hospitals.

Strengthen all who live in places where they are not free to follow their religion,
those who live under totalitarian and oppressive regimes,
those living in fear and bondage;
all who are wrongfully imprisoned,
and all kept in captivity without a trial or even accusation.

Embrace all who mourn, those who mourn the loss of loved ones, the loss of friendship and happiness, the loss of security. Help them, O Lord. And grant all creation your healing and your presence, for we ask it in the faithful name of Christ our Redeemer.

[gert]

April 1, 2007
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Dedication

It is our highest joy to praise you, God of enduring love.
All that is good and beautiful, all this is just and true, is your doing.
Morning by morning, you whispered your dreams and hopes into our hearts.
But we chose to listen to different voices, turning our backs on you in rebellion and sin.
You sent the prophets to waken our ears to your songs of grace,but we rejected them
as adversaries to our desires.
But you would not turn your face from us, and sent the One who is named Salvation.

Therefore, we join our voices in thanksgiving, with those in this place, and in every place, with those in every moment, and in this moment, singing with all creation to your glory, thanking you for the Christ, who comes in your name.
Loving God, we give thanks for the joy of simple people and devout pilgrims as they followed our Lord Jesus into Jerusalem.
We give thanks that at least for one hour in his mortal life, Jesus was given a little of the praise he deserved. And we thank you when we or someone for whom we care received the credit we deserved during this week.
We are thankful for those who cheered him, even if they did not understand the heartache that he was already beginning to suffer. We thank you for those who understand and soothe the aches in our lives now.
We are grateful for each of those who prepared the way for our Savior, and for those who prepare a way for the poor, the least, and the lost today whom you anoint as your children.
We thank you for the awesome love of Christ, which resolutely took him from Palm Sunday into the growing dangers of Holy Week. And we thank you for the great love of our family and friends, who risk danger to love us.
Loving God, we cannot plumb the depths that lay ahead of Jesus, but we do know it was for us.
How meager then do these our gifts look, but with your blessing they will become a holy sacrifice, fitting for Christ our King. Untie the strings that hold us back, and march us into your way and your reign. Hear us as we follow in song the prayer Jesus taught all who follow him to pray:


April 1, 2007 night service
Call to worship: The psalmist writes, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Call to prayer: The psalmist writes, “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

Prayers of Adoration, Confession, Invocation

Holy God, Architect of our grace:
from your house we praise you.
Your love is never taken from us; your goodness is the constant in our lives.
We worship you.

God, Sorrow of our salvation: you dared to listen to God instead of the cheers
of the crowd and the jeers of your enemies. We walk with you.

Holy Spirit, Glory of God: you give us light so we might see the One who comes;
you open our ears, so we might hear the whispers of hope; you sustain the weary,
so we might journey through this week. We welcome you.

Sustainer of the weary, we know how we sang for joy when Christ came into our lives, and how we have not followed him when he leads us on this journey. We have hidden our faces from the pain and suffering of our world. We have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed. We trust in the slick promotions of the world, and not in your words that can transform our lives.

Forgive us, Steadfast God, and shine your face upon us. Help us to have the same mind as Christ, so we would know your promises; help us to have the same heart as Christ, so we might serve your children; help us to have the same Spirit as Christ, so we might go wherever you lead us.

Faithful God, you do not turn away when we fail to be faithful. You do not reject us when we do not trust fully. You continue to love us, to forgive us, to restore us. You are our help, your are our salvation, all that we need or ever will need.

Merciful God, as we enter Holy week turn our hearts again to Jerusalem, and to the life, death, and resurrection of God. Stir up within us the gift of faith that we may not only praise him with our lips, but may follow him in the way of the cross.

[xert]

Easter sunrise service outside
April 8. 2007

O Lord God, this is the day you have made, made it good and wonderful, triumphant and glorious. What a day!Easter day!
When you open our hearts' tombs as Jesus calls us by name.

On this first day of the week, Emptier of tombs, we must admit that we have not lived faithfully the last few days. It is not that we have done great evil; we simply
have failed to do good for others. It is not so much that we have caused hurt, but we have not brought healing. It is not that we have trouble believing in the event of Easter, we have difficulty speaking about this day to our friends and neighbors.

Call us by name, Redeemer of all creation, so we might hear your words of mercy. You have not give us over to despair, but handed us hope. You have not ignored our emptiness, but filled us with the Bread of Heaven. You do not give us over to death, but raise us to new life, through God, our Lord and Savior.

Today is the dawn of new hope, new mercy, new life.
On this first day and every day, we can walk as your holy and chosen people, forgiven and made whole.
Glory to you, O God: on this day you revealed your victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave to give us life with you forever.
Glory to you, O Christ: for us and for our salvation you were faithful even to death, and by your faith you opened the gate of everlasting life.
Glory to you, O Holy Spirit: you sustain us in faith, comfort us in grief, and call us to a life of hope.
In our worship this morning, in the beauty of your world, keep our eyes on that empty cross, that place where you showed your ultimate love and ultimate victory. Keep our eyes on you this day and everyday.
For we ask it in the mighty, lovely name of Jesus our Lord who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.


The Lord is risen!
We lift up our hearts to the Risen Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Let us pray:

We offer our thanks and praise to the One who gives us new life, great God of life, life here, now, and forevermore.

How good it is on this day of joy to lift our glad songs of praise to you, Redeemer of the lost.
You planted your steadfast love in the gardens of creation,
but we ate the bitter fruit of idolatry and sin.
Prophets came in your name, bringing your gracious word,
but we could not hear them call our name.
When we were about to perish, when we could have died,
you sent the One who could bear that threat away.
Therefore, on this day and every day, with those in heaven and those on earth,
we lift our glad cries to you:

Holy God our Salvation: you roll away the power of sin,
bringing forth the One who makes everything alive.
Out of the garden of violence and hate which evil has planted,
you bring forth a spring harvest of love and forgiveness.

God, Creation's Gardener:
you went into the grave to drive out the power of the world;
you shut the doors of pain and death
and open the gates of glory to those who trust in you
and follow as your faithful servants.

Holy Spirit, Anointer of new life:
you speak and open our eyes to faith;
you touch our lips with glad songs of victory;
you roll away our fears so we can tell everyone we have seen the Risen Lord.
Holy God, we came to this table tempted to deny the pain of life,
scarred from too many broken dreams, knowing that we are not immune to evil's lure.
And you met us at this table; embracing us in our brokenness,
naming us "beloved", claiming us for an eternity.
At this table, where you last sat, knowing that you had been betrayed and knowing what was ahead, you now sit. And we offer here our gifts in gratitude for that great, deep, unwavering love. Love divine, love omnipotent, love so true. For you are love, and in your lovely name we now sing the prayer you taught us:

[biome22]

I like it. But today isn't easter

[Opus]

Maundy Thursday

It was the beginning of hope on that night long ago, Liberating God,
as you prepared to lead your people to freedom.
As they readied themselves, you fed them with your unblemished grace,
so all sin, pain, and trouble could be set down and left behind
when it was time to follow you.

It was the beginning of salvation on that night long ag,
Servant Lord, as you prepared your disciples
for all the things which were to happen.
You humbled yourself by washing their feet,
so they could follow you in service and love
to a world which would reject you and hang you on a cross.

We tell these stories once again on this night of remembrance, Servant's Spirit.
Here is the Bread which gives us life;
here is the Cup which slakes our thirst for justice;
here is the towel with which we wipe the tears of the broken-hearted;
here is the basin which cleanses the stains of the world.

And here is our sin, here are our troubled hearts.
Too often, Holy One, we forget to love you a little bit, much less with all our heart, mind, strength, and soul. To easily, we forget to love our neighbors, building higher and higher walls between us. Too quickly, we forget your call to servanthood, hearing instead the accolades and applause of the world.

Forgive us, God of freedom and hope. Bring us to the Table of grace, where we will be healed; fill us with your steadfast love; lift us to our feet so we might follow God, our Lord and Savior, into that ministry of servanthood and sacrifice which is our calling.

Forgiven, restored and healed,
We will preach, so others will be given rest;
we will teach, so others will know the Word of hope;
we will heal, so others will know us as Christ's people;
we will do as our Servant has done.

Prepare us for our journey of discipleship,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as our Servant, God,
teaches us, saying,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.


Good Friday

Here, in the midst of your holy people, God, we worship you.
We pray with the groans of our lives, and the whispers of hope in our hearts.
Here, we remember you. And we trust you have not forgotten us;
Here, we want our troubled hearts to be touched.

On this day, God of all tears, you call us in the midst of our busy lives
to look at the suffering and death of the One
who came to carry the pain of the world into your heart.
Give us eyes to see your love this day.

On this day you would gather everyone to your side, Grace of Calvary,
but we leave you to carry the cross alone.
You came simply as love incarnate,
but hate and bitterness were the gifts we offered to you.
You poured out your love so our emptiness might be filled.
Give us ears to her your pain this day. Ears to hear the pain of this suffering world.

On this day, you would pray for us, for we cannot find the words on our own, Shattered Spirit.
Hear the cries of those in need.
Listen to the lament of the lonely.
Cradle the whispered hopes of children.
Set free the dreams of prisoners and captives.
Give us hearts to pray with you this day.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our prayers to you in the name of the One
who suffered and died for us this day. Amen.

[vert]

April 15, 2007
Adoration/Confession/Invocation

Sentences: Paul writes: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, ... and from God, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. LET US WORSHIP God

Call to prayer: Revelation: To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever

Holy God, Lover of your children:
the tomb has been opened, and we dance into your future.
Your life has dawned upon us, and we surround you with our praise.
You reach out your hand, and lead us into your joy.

God, Faithful Witness:
you pick open the locked doors of our hearts and come in to be with us forever.
You breathe peace into our souls, so we may bring healing to a troubled world.

Holy Spirit, Breath of peace:
you show us our hearts, so we may give love to others;
you show us our hands, and send us to serve the needy;
you show us your hope, so we may live in joy.

God of empty tombs and empty people:
when we hesitate to speak of your hope, forgive us, and give us voice.
When we find it difficult to love another, forgive us, and give us new compassion.
When we want to stand with the high and mighty, forgive us, and put us next to the poor and oppressed.
When we stay locked behind our fears and doubts, forgive us, and send us out to share your grace.
When we cannot believe your Word of new life, forgive us, and fill us with your joy.

O Lord God - our hearts and our minds sing out to you with praise this day.
We rejoice in the power that you have unleashed upon the world with the
resurrection of Jesus. We thank you for the abiding love that you have
bestowed upon us in the promises you have made to him and through him. We
come before you, O God, as his servants. We come before you as a
resurrection community - as an Easter people - and we ask your holy and
transforming presence. Bless us at this time that we may become what you
would have us be and that we might bring honour and glory unto your name
and unto the name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Amen

Intercession:

May our prayers rise up like incense to you, Lord God. May the lifting up of our hands in prayers be our offering of faith. Watch over us, Lord God. Draw us to your perfect righteousness and holy will for our world. Hear our petitions for our troubled world,

We pray with sadness for the people of Somalia, as ongoing violence has killed hundreds and driven tens of thousands from the ruined capital, Mogadishu. May your peace prevail for those most vulnerable in the world.

We pray with joy for the British and Danish hostages who have now been released by their capturers in Nigeria and in Iran. May their release be witness of freedom for those captive elsewhere in the world.

We pray with distress for the people of the Darfur region of Sudan, where the number of recent attacks on aid workers has led the U.N. to consider withdrawing its aid workers.

We pray with concern for the people of the Solomon Islands, who suffered a tsunami last week; thousands are now lacking water, temporary shelter, and medicine. May your care be evident in even the most dire of situations.

We pray for a world where blaming one another
That this will give way to understanding , and a determination to put right old wrongs. .
Breathe on us breath of God:

We pray for church congregations around the globe. Let us become extravagant
with the ointment of compassion towards the lost and those who hate themselves,
yet steel-sharp in confronting both injustice and social evils.

We pray for all who are ill and are recovering, for those who are sick and dying, and for those who love them, for those who serve them. Be also with the bereaved. May they know your peace.
Attend our children who will be returning to school, and help their teachers point them to Truth.

Loving God, please continue to save us. Where our true need is the loosing of sins,
deal gently with us. But where we need discomforting, binding and rebuking,
give us no rest until we come to our senses and open up to receive your mercy.


Thanksgiving/Dedication
We thank you God for the resilient power of you love, which never accepts defeat, and constantly renews our humanity.

We thank you this day for all parables and events of resurrection:
For the new growth that breaks free from the cool soil to bloom after a long winter
For those song birds on a ____________ morning, lifting up their heads
and singing their best to the dawn.

We give thanks:
For the guilty and despairing who wish they were dead, until reborn as they encounter the grace of Christ they sing for joy!
For all who bring joy, rest, love and happiness into our lives. It was you, Good God, who created them to be with and for us.

We give thanks:
For the gravely ill and dying who find inner peace, and then go on to become
the comforters of living.
For the bereaved who sorely grieve, shedding hot tears, yet who also smile
and give thanks through those tears.

For all that sings of your indomitable Spirit,
and for the promise that nothing on earth or in heaven can separate us from your love,
we give you thanks, God of boundless life.

We give you thanks that Christ comes into every shadowed corner of our
lives with the light of Easter.
Christ comes into the locked rooms of our faults, and gifts us with grace and hope.
Christ comes, to fill us with peace,that we may proclaim the good news of mercy
and forgiveness.

O loving and righteous God, you give us hope when there is much darkness in the world. You give us dreams when we are even afraid to sleep. You love us when we consider ourselves unlovable. We thank you, God. And now, we offer our gifts as our attempt to praise you. Free us to live even more triumphant lives of praise. In the name of the risen Christ, who taught us to pray together: