For January 30, 2022 -- working with Presentation of the Lord Readings

CALL TO WORSHIP
In a world where sometimes we feel cast out
God calls us back to community
In a world sometimes obsessed with ideals of purity
God calls us to be renewed and restored to community
In a world where there is always more to do,
God invites us to pause, to pray, to listen, to worship in community
Come, let us worship together

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God, sometimes life gets messy,
and the messiness spills onto us, and we feel unclean, stained, or tainted.
When that happens we want to be cleaned, renewed, purified.
You invite us to take time, to recover, to feel like ourselves again.
You give us rituals and practices that allow us to welcome each other back into the community.
Help us to be restored, help us to welcome others back.
Renew us in body and soul.
Remind us that we can be cleansed and purified.
God is Gracious, through Grace God offers us restoration to the community and renews us. With Grace God reminds us that we are their Beloved children, formed in their image.
Thanks be to God. Amen.