January 14, 2007
oremus
God Our Creator,
you have graced us with the gift of life and a world to live in.
Empower and strengthen the witness of your church
that, true to its calling, it may proclaim
your radical and boundless love, in word and deed.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Saving God,
you nourish and sustain us by Word and Sacrament.
Strengthen all the people of our church.
Grant that, sustained in you, our service and witness in this land
may be full of faith and love.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
O God, Source of our life,
you have adopted us in the waters of baptism
and made us your own in love.
We pray that we may embrace our lives and the lives of others
with courage and compassion, unafraid of joy and pain, sickness and health.
May your care be made known in our care.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
God of Justice,
you revealed your power in the servanthood of Jesus.
May those who govern the nations use their authority
in wisdom, kindness and peace.
Awaken in all who govern a thirst for justice
that embodies your care for this earth and the human community.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Liberating God,
you are the hope of the weak and the needy.
Rescue those who suffer poverty, injustice or oppression when they cry out.
Open the ears of our hearts to hear
and quicken in us the fire to respond in love.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Compassionate One,
you are a well-spring of comfort and healing.
Grant comfort, healing and release
to those who suffer illness, distress or grief.
Awaken in us boundless compassion
and use us as agents of lovingkindness.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
God of all generations,
we thank you for the gift of the lives
and the loving service of all who have died.
Keep us in the bonds of love with all the saints throughout the ages
and bring us to the fullness of your reign.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
O God of Love,
hear the prayers of your people.
Enliven us by your Spirit, to live into the fullness of your reign.
We pray through Jesus, our life and our hope. Amen.
Almighty God,
whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ
is the light of the world:
Grant that your people,
illumined by your Word and Table,
may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory,
that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed
to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The sermon continues anon...Martin Luther King was an amazing man. His gift to us was hope, a tenable, earth-shaking hope.
It is sleeting. The ice pellets are bouncing off the sky light. It is too dark outside to see it right now, but I can hear it. That should make for an interesting walk to church this morning. Maybe I'll encourage Trish to sleep in and such so that I can have the car. Hmm...
The coffee is brewing. I'll be able to think in a mere moment or two. But as an aside, the first photo is from Jim Summerville, a preacher and pastor some of us know. This is what his notes look like at five a.m. on Sunday morning. The second picture is one of my desk on Saturday afternoons. The morning is only marginally better. Ha! Some day I want to be like Jim.
Posted by tripp at January 14, 2007 05:01 AM