20180812
A Thought for Reflection
“My theme song is God’s love and justice.”
Psalm 101:1 (Message translation)
GOD GATHERS US
Prelude
Greetings and Announcements
Passing of the Peace
Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
(We invite you to turn to your neighbors and greet them.)
Call to Worship
One: Our open hands lifted up in praise,
All: Waving in rhythm to God’s love and justice;
Two: Our walking feet finding paths for right living,
All: Moving in step with God’s love and justice;
Three: Our eyes search the world for examples to follow,
All: Siblings in Christ sojourning this life striving for justice;
One: Our hearts on fire when we see God’s handiwork,
All: We love each one and seek justice for God’s children.
Two: God’s love is patient and kind;
All: As our lives sing, we share this love.
Three: God’s love protects and perseveres;
All: We sing this love to those who need to hear it most.
One: God’s love trusts and hopes;
All: So, too, our song sings loudly so all may know this love.
Two: God’s love never fails;
All: Let our theme song of God’s love and justice ring through the ages.
Three: May the signature of God be boldly stamped on each of our days;
All: As we sing our theme song of God’s love and justice,
All three: May it be so.
All: Amen.
*Hymn of Praise “Dream God’s Dream” (See insert.)
Prayer of Invocation, Confession and Assurance
One: Holy Spirit, as we gather today, we pray you will help us dream. Help us dream of a world with justice and freedom, with clean water and enough for everyone. We pray you will help us listen for your calling, that we may use our energy and our gifts to do your work. We pray you will help us live our lives with gratitude.
All: Holy Spirit, help us dream.
Two: Sometimes, we confess, our imaginations fail us and our dreams are too small. We don’t dare hope for changed lives and a changed world. Other times, our imaginations go wild and our dreams become fantasies. We don’t know where to start, and so we don’t try.
All: Forgive us, we pray.
Three: Friends, God’s dream is just the right size. Over and over, God invites us into that dream. We can’t do it alone. Together, with God’s help, we can imagine and work for and live into God’s dream.
All: We will dream God’s dream! Thanks be to God!
*Gloria (Sing twice.) NCH 756
Glory to God, glory to God, glory in the highest!
Glory to God, glory to God, alleluia, alleluia!
GOD MEETS US IN THE WORD
The Word in Song, Scripture and Story
Song “Faith Equals Action”
Scripture Mark 1:16-20
Story “Simply Smiles” Robert Mitchell
Scripture Mark 10:46-52
Story “Do it Together” Jacob Sorensen
Scripture Mark 6:30-44
Story “A Community Becomes One” Noah Cichowlas
Celebrations and Concerns
A Sung Prayer “Leaning In” (Please join in the chorus.) (See insert.)
Lord’s Prayer
(You can find several printed versions of the Lord’s Prayer on the prayer card in your pew rack.)
GOD CALLS FOR OUR GIFTS
Our Offering to God
Offertory
* Doxology (Lasst uns erfreuen) NCH 17
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Alleluia, Alleluia.
Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.