O God, we are in our 5th day of Lent – the days are getting longer while winter is getting shorter and our attentions are diverted in many directions. The world grieves for Haiti while our corner of the world is donned in red and white as host of the Winter Games. As we are called to consider ‘wilderness’ amidst the busyness of our lives, may we heed the words from tonight’s gospel to “Worship the Lord our God and Only Him”. (more…)
L et us call the community into a time of prayer. Loving God, so many have answered the call to work with the people of Haiti in so many ways. May they be blessed with financial, spiritual, and physical resources. And we ask a special blessing on the children of Haiti who are at their most vulnerable. May they be fed, sheltered, and loved.
Lord in Your Mercy, Hear our Prayer (more…)
G athered in Faith, uplifted in Hope, united in Love, let us pray to the Living God.
You are the God of Agape-Love. We confess that we still have much to learn on that subject. We tend to be self-serving. We tend to gluttony. We tend to judge based on appearances (isn’t that the carpenter’s son?) We are slow learners, so please show us again: your patient, kind, humble, respectful, tolerant, forgiving, honest, trusting, persevering love. Remind us again of your far-reaching, far-ranging love that invites us all to climb over the fence and step into the wide-open fields of your grace. You accept outcasts and fools—you have accepted us!—show us how to pay it forward, opening our arms and lives to those we encounter on the road. When love gets messy, sticky, and irritating, take us back to that dim mirror: I, too, am broken. I, too, am awkward. I, too, am messy. But that is only part of the story. Tonight, we submit ourselves to your love lessons once again. Please forgive us when we respond to your curriculum by trying to push you off a cliff. O God of love, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God, our light and our salvation, to you be glory and praise for ever. Your light springs up for the righteous and all the peoples have seen your glory. You gave the Christ as a light to the nations, and through the anointing of the Spirit you established us as a royal priesthood. As you call us into your marvellous light, may our lives bear witness to your truth and our lips never cease to proclaim your praise.
Lord in your Mercy, Hear our Prayer. (more…)
Blessed is the bride whose groom keeps his promises. More blessed are the people who know you and the covenant God. For in knowing you we are assured that your promises are ever true and that your “I will”s and “I do”s are solid and binding. (more…)
God we gather as a community this evening to recognize and celebrate the baptisms of Maddie and of Byron. May their lives be a testament of your love and may those around them affirm and support them in their walk with you.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. (more…)
May we assume a stance for prayer as we open our hearts and minds to the light of the Christ Child. Father, as we embark on this New Year, this Season of Epiphany, give us a new understanding; a new light; a new way of seeing the world. Just as the wise men followed that star to the True King, may we compass our lives by that same light, that same energy, that same optimism.
As we are grounded by your light, Lord in Your Mercy. Hear Our Prayer.
A s a community of believers we gather this night having feasted and celebrated with family and friends about the birth of our God into this world. We gather to continue the work of learning how to care for one another, learning how to be family, learning how to be friends. So we bring or prayers and petitions, our pain and hurt, our intentions to the only one who can knows them. (more…)
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e invite you to keep in heart and mind all leaders of churches across the world, our Bishops, ministers, and all those who lead various ministries. May they feel God with us this day and celebrate their “yes” to the place where God has called them. (more…)
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e call the community into a time of prayer.
Emmanuel, we are in awe of your incarnation. We are amazed that the Ancient of Days, the One whose origin is from of old, would come to us as a baby. In a world where so much is determined by rank, class and social status, we cannot comprehend why someone with power would choose to become lowly. We furrow our brows and shake our heads and think it’s probably a hoax. When have we ever seen someone who is rich volunteer to be poor? Why would anyone choose to be born in a smelly stable? And yet, those of us gathered here today accept this mystery as truth: God became flesh and dwells with us. Tonight, all our hopes are in the womb of a peasant girl. The whole world waits for the birth of the one who will bring peace.
Our souls to you give glory, Lord,
Our hearts pour out their praise;
You’ve lifted up our lowliness
In many marvelous ways.