Seeker's Church

GATHERING

ENTRANCE

REFLECTION

On the feast of the Spirit we cry out for its descent. We long for comfort, for presence, for guidance, for empowerment. We ask for its gifts. Whether the Spirit comes as tender love on the wings of a dove or as fierce love in the rush of wind and flame, we celebrate its coming.

Wendy M. Wright, The Rising (1994) pg. 184.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:    We see destruction and pollution in the world,

and breathe in fear and sadness.

People:     We see God's good creation all around us,

and breathe out joy and wonder.

Leader:     We feel the bitterness of despair,

and breathe in the sorrows of the world.

People:     We feel the power of the rushing wind,

and breathe out the fiery compassion of the Spirit.

Leader:     We hear the news of war and violence,  

and breathe in pain and suffering.

All:     We hear the good news of Christ,

and breathe out hope.

INVOCATION

HYMN

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

SILENCE

RESPONSIVE READING

Leader:    At birth you breathed pure hope into us.

Voice 1:    We return it as pollution to the world.

Voice 2:    The air is stale. It smells foul.

Voice 1:    Our lungs fill with hopelessness and doubt.

Voice 2:    All around us the city cries out.

Leader:    We search for you, we search for hope.

All:    Breathe into us the sweet air of love

so we may breathe out hope.

SILENCE

PRAYERS

COMMON CONFESSION

Leader:    Paul said, You have received the spirit of adoption,

not slavery.

People:    Yet we are slaves to our fears and desires.

Leader:    Jesus said, I have told you about earthly things.

People:    Yet we ask, How can these things be?

Leader:    We mean well but are wedded to the lives we know.

All:    Because we do not trust God's promises,

we cannot pray for what we truly need.

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE

Leader:    The Holy One is good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who cry out to God.

The Spirit helps us when we do not know how to pray,

interceding for us with sighs too deep for words.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

UNISON PRAYER

All:    O Holy One, we come today

to claim our relationship with you.

We pray for the commitment to grow together,

sharing the gifts you give us with others

here and in the wider world.  

Give us strength and discipline

to nurture our relationship with You;

to care for every part of Your Creation;

to foster justice and be in solidarity with those in need;

to work to end all war, and violence, and discord;

and to respond joyfully when you call,

freely giving our selves as you have shown the way.

We open our hearts to you and your Creation

in the name of Jesus, who is the Christ.  Amen.

HYMN

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

OFFERING

COMMUNION

GREAT THANKSGIVING

Leader:    O God, we thank you

for the rich blessing of your Creation,

and come to offer our whole selves as you call us.

Voice 1:    Our hearts fill with joy and wonder

as we answer your call to be your people.

Thanks be to you, O Holy One,

for the goodness of your creation.

Voice 2:    We feel the rushing wind of compassion

and give thanks for your love that flows so freely

when we turn to you.

All:    We give you thanks for the Good News in Christ.

BLESSING THE ELEMENTS

Leader 1:    Christ invites everyone to eat the bread of life,

to drink the cup of the new covenant.  

Leader 2:    Jesus said, I am the bread of life.

She who comes to me shall never hunger;

he who believes in me shall never thirst.

Leader 1:    On the night of his arrest Jesus took bread,

and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said,

This is my body which is for you;

do this remembering me.

Leader 2:    After supper Jesus took the cup and said,

This is the cup of the new covenant.

Whenever you drink it, do so remembering me.

All:    And so we breathe out hope

as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

SHARE THE ELEMENTS

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION

All:    God of abundance and mercy,

we give joyful thanks

for your eternal love and healing presence

in our celebration of bread and cup.

Bless this body of Christ

that we may attend faithfully

to our call to be your servants,

with each other and throughout the world. Amen.

SHARED REFLECTIONS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HYMN

BENEDICTION

Leader:    Breathe in the sure knowledge of God's love!

Breathe out the hope of the risen Christ

at work in the world.

Go forth to be that love and live that hope.

People:    Amen.