Tuesday, November 10, 2015

For November 15, 2015 -- A service working with Hosea 11:1-9

CALL TO WORSHIP
The God who spoke Creation into being calls us to gather in worship.
We come together to sing, to pray, to listen.
We gather in God's presence and peace, we greet each other with the Peace of Christ.

OPENING PRAYER
God who calls us all Beloved Children,
we come into your presence, we come to be embraced by your loving arms.
In this time of worship,
remind us of the love which holds us fast.
In this time of worship,
restore in us the desire to love and serve.
In this time of worship,
prepare us to go back out into the world to live as your children, to love your children, to serve your children.
These things we pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who taught his friends to pray saying...


PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God of grace, God who loves us like a child,
we acknowledge that, as children sometimes do, we wander astray.
God of grace, God who works to heal and protect,
we acknowledge that sometimes we do not recognize the healing and the protection.
God of grace, God who leads us in loving wisdom,
we acknowledge that sometimes we are headstrong and insist on going our own way.
God of grace, God who will not let go,
we acknowledge that sometimes we struggle and do not want to be held
...time of silent prayer...
Here is the extent of God's grace. Even though we wander astray, even when we do no see how God is present, even when we are stiff-necked people- even when we struggle against God's love, God is unable to just let us fall. In grace God holds us in love, in grace God remains part of the equation of life.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
 
COMMISSIONING:
Our time of worship closes,
we go back into the world to live and serve and love.
We go to a world where many feel isolated, alone, unloved.
And so we carry the Good News of a God who can not let go of God's beloved children.
And we go knowing that God is with us,
Creating, Redeeming, and Sustaining each step of the way.
Go in peace, in faith and in love
Amen

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