Monday, September 8, 2014

For September 14, 2014 -- God Promises Abram a Land.

CALL TO WORSHIP
We gather here on land that is the traditional land of the Beaver in the traditional territory of the Cree.
Land where they shared the gifts of life given to them by the Creator.
We gather here to celebrate the gifts given to us by the Creator.
Called together by God, to explore what it means to live in God's way.
As we gather together we recognize that all our neighbours are beloved children of the Creator,,
And that we all have a part to play in spreading God's peace, God's love, God's promise, God's hope
And so we greet each other with signs and words of peace....

OPENING PRAYER
God of life, we gather together for worship,
a time of prayer and singing, of listening and reflecting.
God of life, we pause in the busy-ness of life,
trusting that as we pause we can hear and feel you moving in our midst.
God of life, in this hour of worship,
challenge our understandings of the world and the word. Open our eyes that we might see the world as you see it.
And when our worship is ended,
lead us back out into the land we share with neighbours who have been here for centuries, and neighbours who have just arrived, that we can all work together to make it better for all as we share your peace, hope, and love.
This we pray in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the one we call Christ, who taught his friends to pray saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God of the Promise, you call us to go to a new place.
And we want to go, but sometimes we are afraid.
God of the Land, we hear you say the land is ours.
Do we miss where you tell us to share it with others?
God of wondrous grace, you invite us to follow The Way.
We want to. We try to. And sometimes we need guidance.
Guiding God, through your grace,
help us find the path of wisdom, of love, of justice, of peace.
So that we might live in the land where we have been placed.
In harmony with our neighbours, that all may flourish.
...time of silent prayer...
God is gracious, and so God keeps guiding us along the path of life: offering correction where we wander, giving praise where we get it right, and supporting us when the way is difficult.
Thanks be to God. Amen.


COMMISSIONING:
We go back out to the land we share with folk from many places.
We go into the world where we share each other hopes and dreams, fears and anxieties.
Go out as people committed to God, as people who follow the Way of Christ, as people through whom the Spirit flows freely.
We go to share God's love, to work for God's justice, to live as residents of God's Kingdom.
Go with God
All ways and always. Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment