Prayer as we Gather: God of constant renewal, we lean heavily just now upon your ancient, faithful way - restoring life and sustaining us as the years accumulate. In this holy hour, deal with us as you dealt with Naomi, restoring her hope in the future and surrounding her with those whose loyalty and care never wavered. Amen.*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Ruth 3)
Call to Worship:
Unless it is the Lord who builds the house,
The builders’ work is pointless.
Unless it is the Lord who protects the city,
The guard on duty is pointless.
It is pointless that you get up early and stay up late in hard labor,
Because God gives sleep to those God loves. (from Psalm 127, Common English Bible)
Morning Prayer: How comforting, Lord, how reassuring to know that in this very minute as we join our sisters and brothers in prayer, Jesus our advocate is appearing on our behalf in your presence, pleading our case with sighs too deep for words. Why should we ever be fearful again, bolstered as we are by such an image of our Savior’s entreating love? May our time together find us strengthened to re-enter the fray of human suffering and conflict, secure in knowing that, while we were still sinners, Jesus died to show us the lengths to which you will go to demonstrate your love for all your wandering, broken children. We appeal to you in words he taught us, saying …*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Hebrews 9)
Prayer of Confession: Forgive us, Lord, for dodging your fair warning to beware the small minds and huge egos of religious experts. Jesus’ caricature continues to hold sway, his portrait of sad little self-important functionaries strutting about in long clerical robes, desperate to be greeted with honor in the marketplace. With the lessons of Big Bank’s corporate greed still tragically unheeded from our most recent recession, we lurch perilously forward amidst ominous economic rumblings and the earnest calls of outnumbered contemporary prophets to turn back toward fiscal sanity, calls we so blithely choose to ignore. Have mercy on our refusal to learn from past mistakes, we pray. Amen.*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Mark 12)
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the good news: Just as when he sat opposite the collection box in the temple treasury observing how the crowd gave their money, so even now he notes the manner and spirit of our giving more than the sheer amount. Teach us your way, O Lord, the way of sacrificial giving Jesus commended in the spirit and manner of the poor widow who “from her hopeless poverty gave everything she had, even what she needed to live on,” whereas so many religious folk then and now “are giving out of their spare change.” Thanks be to God for the generosity of UBC’s beloved community and the missions-based ministry their giving undergirds.*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Mark 12)
Thought for a Sabbath Day: “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” - Mother Teresa