Call to Worship
We gather in this place to worship our God:
calm Presence in our times of confusion,
Comforter in our nights of struggle.
We gather with fellow pilgrims, as we seek to follow Jesus:
Brother to those swamped by fears,
Friend to all overwhelmed by loss.
We are brought together by the Spirit who lives in the depths of our souls:
the Serenity who travels with us
on this up-and-down journey we call life.
Prayer of Approach
You lay the foundations of the universe,
building a shelter for our battered souls;
you create wonders which are priceless,
yet you always remember the needy.
We open our hearts to you,
God of Graciousness.
When evening comes and fears
prowl the shadows of our days,
you whisper, 'Peace! Be still!'
to our hammering hearts,
so we know that you are always with us.
We open our hearts to you,
dearest Friend of life.
Doubts and despair may
swamp our lives,
but you calm us with a word;
illness and death struggle
to control our futures,
but you comfort us with peace.
We open our hearts to you,
Spirit of hope and grace.
We open our hearts to you, now and forever,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray...
[Call to Worship & Prayer by Thom Shuman.]
Between the first hymn and the Prayer of Approach, there will be a time to dedicate our new peace candles which just arrived from Palestine. It will be printed on an insert in the bulletins.
Hymns
- God of Grace and God of Glory, Chalice Hymnal # 464
- Jesus, Love of My Soul, Chalice Hymnal # 542
- Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ, Chalice Hymnal # 422
