A purple sunrise in Valensole.

Since this would be the third Sunday without Wade Burleson preaching, I decided to include a talk given by Scot McKight. I admire his thoughts on  many subjects. I think you will find his presentation fascinating. I highly recommend his website: Jesus Creed.

Prayers for the church

God of mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,against one another,
and against the earth entrusted to our care.

We are worried and distracted by many things,
and we fail to love you above all else.
We store up treasures for ourselves
and turn away from our neighbors in need.

Forgive us, that we may live in the freedom of your Son,Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer for the day

Dear Jesus, I am too coy to outwardly seek revenge against someone.
Mine is more subversive.  I can turn the cold shoulder,
ignore their needs, make them suffer alone, simply because I’m put out with them.
Your Spirit convicts me that this is wrong.
Open my heart to love my enemies
and to avoid making family and friends pay for their neglect or coarse behavior.
Instead make me honest, loving, committed to generosity and forgiving.
Help me get over myself and my endless need to be coddled by sinners.
Help me give them lots of room for mistakes so I show them what grace is like.
Amen.

Nicene Creed

WE BELIEVE in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

 

Blessing (Ancient celtic oral traditions – carmina gadelica)

God to enfold me,
God to surround me,
God in my speaking,
God in my thinking.

God in my sleeping,
God in my waking,
God in my watching,
God in my hoping.

God in my life,
God in my lips,
God in my soul,
God in my heart.

God in my sufficing,
God in my slumber,
God in mine ever-living soul,
God in mine eternity.