CENTERING PRAYER (St. Augustine of Hippo)
“Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of thy brightness. Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom. All our desire is known unto thee, therefore perfect what thou hast begun, and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect.”
CALL TO WORSHIP
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter and shouts of joy.
We rejoiced: “The Lord has done great things for us.”
May those who go out weeping, earing the seed for sowing,
come home with joy, carrying their sheaves.
Come! Let us worship our God together!
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Purifying God, we grow comfortable with the way things are in our lives, in the church, and in the world. We do not always welcome the new life you offer in Christ, for you overturn our notions of power and protocol. Sure of our own righteousness, we are critical of others. Wanting to control our assets, we hoard the gifts you give us. Forgive us, we pray, for seeking our gain at the expense of others. Help us bend our lives toward your own life of self-giving and sacrifice. Fill our lives, our homes, our churches, and the whole world, with the abundant love of Christ until you make all things new. We continue to pray in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – WCF-SC-Q1
OFFERING
Invitation:
We bring the offerings of our lives now to you, O Lord.
Prayer of Thanksgiving:
Let us pray…God of all blessings, we bring our gifts to you this morning, knowing that you are the source – not just of these gifts but of all we have. As we dedicate these gifts, help us to keep focused on the gift that is greater than all others, the redemption and resurrection made available to us through a growing trust in Christ, our rock and our salvation. Amen.
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