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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 105:1-11, 45b)

L: O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.
P: Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
L: Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered.
P: O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
L: He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations. Come, let us praise the LORD!

Call To Worship

L: We gather in this place having made it through another week.
P: We gather as human beings, the garden of our lives continue to grow weeds.
L: Weeds of strife and discontent.
P: We come to the Gardner of Life and entrust our lives into His gentle hands.
L: May God inspire growth in our lives and make us fruitful.
P:  Let us worship the Lord of the Harvest with with all our hearts, mind and soul.

Opening Prayer / Invocation

Like the sun that is far away and yet close at hand to warm us, so God's Spirit is ever present and around us.  Come creator into our lives.  We live and move and have our very being in you.  Open now the windows of our souls.  Amen.

Prayer of Devotion

Almighty and ever-gracious God, keep us close to you every moment of our lives so that we may live and act according to the teaching and example of Jesus.

Grant us the light of your grace so we may grasp and cherish the principles of your Kingdom.  Establish your glorious realm of peace and justice here on earth; let it begin in our hearts and lives.

Keep us as your faithful children that we may never leave nor forsake the path which you have graciously set before us. Through the power of your Spirit within us shall we go from victory to victory to live in loving union with you forever. Amen.

 

Prayer of Confession

Shepherd of our soul, we come to you with humble hearts asking forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings.

We confess that . . .

• We have turned away from you and followed the ways of the world. 

• We have not loved our neighbor as ourselves, we have not treated them as we would like to be treated.

• We have not heard the cry of the needy.

• We have not given everything we own in return for the spiritual treasures you have given us.

• We have not devoted ourselves entirely to you in the advancement of your kingdom on earth.

Forgive us, we pray, and restore us to perfect union with your will and purpose.  By your Spirit empower us to render our offerings of time, service, devotion and tithes from the sincerity of our hearts.  We pray in the Name you have set above all names--Jesus our Christ. Amen!

 

Prayer after Communion: (Unison) We give thanks for these symbols of life that give new meaning to our lives. With five loaves and two fish you fed the throngs of strangers. You have called us to do likewise with the strangers we meet on the street, at work, and in our neighborhoods. Remind us of all that was left over in the story of old… may we use what is left in our hearts to bring others to you. In the Spirit of Christ’s name we pray. Amen
 

Closing Prayer (traditional Navaho)

Before us it is blessed, behind us it is blessed
below us it is blessed, above us it is blessed,
around us it is blessed as we set out with Christ.

Our speech is blessed as we set out for God.
With beauty before us, with beauty behind us,
with beauty below us, with beauty above us,
with beauty around us, we set out for a holy place indeed.
Amen.