Monday, October 11, 2021

For October 17, 2021 -- Proper 24B

CALL TO WORSHIP
May the Peace of Christ be with you!
And also with you!
As a new week begins, we have been invited to gather together.
In person and at a distance we open ourselves to God’s presence.
Come, now is the time for worship, for prayer, for growing as followers of Christ

OPENING PRAYER
God you call us to love and serve each other.
We gather together in body and in spirit to grow in our ability to do just that.
Gathered here in this physical space and linked by wires and bits and bytes,
we pledge ourselves anew to be servant leaders.
In this time of prayer and song and listening,
open our eyes and our hearts to the realities of power in the Realm of Shalom.
We pray in the name of the Prince of Peace, who leads us to that realm,

and who encourages us to pray saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God, if we are honest, we often get caught by the promise of status.
Asking for special places at the table of life, feeling entitled to special treatment or privileges.
The draw of power and authority is potent,
tempting us to seek power over others, or at the expense of our neighbours.
But you call us to a different way of being,
power based on servanthood, where the last are the first and the greatest are the least.
For those days we fall victim to the siren song of power and privilege, status and specialness,
forgive our misunderstandings, lead us into new ways of seeing the world, we pray.
...time of silent prayer...
Through grace God opens the door to new opportunities. With mercy God gives us the chance to set aside our old understandings and learn new ways of being. Our mis-steps and poor choices are forgiven as we are given a chance to live into a new world.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
We have been called to love and serve in the world around us.
We go out to do just that, to provide leadership as we serve our neighbours.
As you go out into the world, carry with you God’s love for the world.
We pledge to share that love in our words, in our deeds, in how we serve our neighbours
Go secure in the knowledge that God, who models servant leadership in the life of Jesus Christ, is with you every where and every day.
We trust in God. Amen