January 27-February 2, 2019 

Sermon Text: Luke 4:14-21

That we may show your compassion and commitment to those who have been frustrated by the powers that be

Jesus, we rejoice that You came in the power of the Spirit and with compassion for those who had been trampled on or cannibalized by the predatory economy of the day. We rejoice that You declared new hope, new possibility for those whose lives had been ravaged by low wages, high taxes, high interest and land confiscation.

We rejoice that You spoke and enacted healing, forgiveness and liberation. We rejoice that You proclaimed the year of God’s favor for those who were not favored by the political and religious structures of their time.

We rejoice that in both word and action You identified with the poor and enacted good news on their behalf.  

Enable us to follow You! Fill us with your Spirit! Let our lives show your compassion and commitment to those who have been frustrated and abandoned by political and religious powers. Help us to heal, forgive and liberate in your name. Amen.

January 6-12, 2019 

Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-12

That we may give ourselves wholly to You as You have given yourself wholly in Jesus

God of all creation, enable us to read the signs of your presence among the wonders that You have made. Give us wisdom to follow where they lead.

Enable us to focus our energy on entering your presence as you reveal yourself to us in Christ Jesus. Do not let us be distracted or diverted on our journey.

Help us set aside everything that would keep us from experiencing the fullness of your presence in Jesus. Help us realize your surpassing worth and refuse to find our ultimate identity and contentment in lesser things.

Let us bring all our best gifts to You as a response of loving worship. We have received them from You and we give them, gladly, as an offering of thanks and praise for your generous and abundant provision for every need in every situation. 

We give ourselves wholly to You as You have given yourself wholly in Jesus, Emmanuel. Amen.

Prayer for January 20-26, 2019

Sermon Text: Luke 4:14-21

That we may move together toward the justice You embodied

Jesus—Spirit-moved Son and Servant of God—we rejoice in your coming. We rejoice that your life and message were and are good news for the poor. We rejoice that in You the poor have hope of being adequately supplied and living as free and full participants in human community.

Jesus—we are challenged by the fact that You persevered in your message of hope and justice even when religious and political authorities aligned against You.

Christ Jesus-we are dismayed that we who call ourselves by your name have often been inattentive to your agenda for liberation and justice for the poor, or even strongly resistant to it. Forgive us! Transform us!  

Move us beyond our settled lives to be agents of your good news. Enable us to carry on your work by generating hope, declaring liberation, bringing healing, and offering forgiveness. Help us to move together toward the justice You embodied, so that all may be blessed and revel in Jubilee. Amen.

Note: This prayer was not used in our worship, but will be used in our Tuesday prayer time and in our homes. Sunday, we hosted a service of prayer for Christian unity, in conjunction with many others who observe January 18-25 as a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We utilized resources from the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institue to guide our prayer.

Prayer for January 13-19, 2019

Sermon Text: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

That we may live into the new identity You have given us

Jesus, John identified You as the One who was coming with power. You were the one who would bring real hope to your people. You were the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. You would be their true Savior and Liberator.

No one fully understood all that John’s words meant, and we don’t either. But like his large audience, we want to be ready. We have repented of our sins, and continue to do so when we falter and act in faithless ways. We, like them, have entered the water of baptism in hope.

But we have been surprised to find that You entered the water ahead of us. You acted in humility and in solidarity with your people in preparation for the dramatic new life-giving work that God was ready to do among them through You.

Because You opened the way for us, we have entered the water and the new life it signifies. We have received a new identity as children and servants of God, in order to carry on the ministry that You began and energized by your presence, action and generous giving of the Spirit of God.

You who are God’s Beloved, enable us to act in thanksgiving and gratitude that the scope of God’s love includes us, and our neighbor as well. Amen.

December 30, 2018-January 5, 2019 

Sermon Text: Luke 2:41-52

That we may be deeply drawn to your presence and fully open to your instruction

God, Father of Jesus and our Father, we worship You. We seek your presence. We long to know You. Inflame our desire for You so that it becomes, and remains, the predominant movement of our hearts. Shape our identity in close communion with You. Open our ears so that we may hear your instruction and practice full obedience.

May we grow in wisdom as we seek You and listen to your word for us. Let us learn from Jesus who practiced obedience at great personal cost. Let us learn from honored and unknown saints who have walked with you, faithfully, through calamity, suffering, restoration and celebration. 

We rejoice that You have chosen us as your own. Enable us to show the likeness of Christ Jesus as we live with our diverse neighbors and practice wise devotion to You. Amen.

December 23-29, 2018 

Sermon Text: Luke 1:39-45, 46-55

That we may be agents of your equitable reign

Glorious One, we rejoice in your presence. We rejoice that some of us have been given special sensitivity to your presence and movement, like Elizabeth as she welcomed Mary. And we rejoice in the prophetic word of blessing that is occasionally given from those who are not recognized as prophets.

We rejoice that You work in and through the lives of people who are not trained or credentialed in order to do amazing wonders of salvation among us.

We rejoice, with Mary, that You take notice of the humble and bless them in unforeseen ways. We rejoice that You are merciful to all who revere You. We rejoice that You will set the world right by undoing unjust systems that enable some to live without effort while others work desperately for inadequate provision.

We rejoice that You will bring new balance and equity in political power and economics among all of your people.  

Enable us to be fruitful carriers of your life to many in need. Enable us to be agents of your compassionate, just, and peaceful reign. Amen.