Spirit Of Truth
Worship
THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE
Liturgical Aids
Call to Worship
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Come with wind and fire!
Be that Counselor that we sorely need for our living.
Be that Spirit of Truth that will lead us to correct understandings.
Let us here in worship sense the enthusiasm that you bring into our midst.
May your presence and power further transform us into dedicated children of God.
Invocation
God, you who are both Spirit and Holy, we welcome you as you make your lively presence known among us. How amazing that you consider us worthy of your attention, your concern, and your care. How we need understanding! Truth so often eludes us. You would make it clearly known. Self--interest prompts so much of the counsel we receive. You would guide us, however, in ways that truly cause us to grow. We cower rather than with courage defend the truth. We fail to realize that you stand by our side to support us whenever the going gets rough. Let us this day, this hour of worship, sense afresh that your presence and power are ever with us; and in so doing, help us to be thankful. Amen.
Call to Confession
God is here - now - in all the fullness of God's strength and mercy. God's presence fills this sanctuary with joy and hope, peace and love. The wonder of it is that we can tap into this presence - that our lives too can be full of purpose and enthusiasm and gratefulness to the Giver. But do we? God with glad Spirit gives. How do we feel about receiving? Let our answer be a prayer of confession to the Holy.
Prayer of Confession
Your riches, O God, all the wonder, the magnificence of your presence and power, are here before us, offered to us, an amazing gift for our taking. If we dare admit our need, if we are courageous enough to acknowledge our dependence, then we shall be eager to accept with love those resources given out of love. For you would make us a whole, a complete people of God. Why then are we so stubborn - to receive that which is good, whose purpose is our salvation? Forgive us all of our meager attempts still to do it on our own. Let both wind and flame of your presence purge us of all selfish leanings, all prideful thoughts and actions - that we open ourselves fully to the guidance of your holy will. For that will be joy to us, hope for our neighbor, and peace for us all. This we ask in Jesus' name, who indeed has fulfilled his promise that the Holy Spirit would come and rest upon us all. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Jesus would have us affirm that in every way God works for our well--being. Yet another manifestation of this is the coming of God's Spirit, God's presence and power among us. This too is for our good - that all of us who comprise the family of God be one in spirit, one in heart, mind, and purpose. This being so, we can be enthusiastic about our future, for God is here to guide us into it.
We turn our lives over to God's leading, that by the work of the Holy Spirit in us and among us God's will be done. Praise be to God, for this is God's gift of life to us all.
Psalter Reading (from Psalm 104)
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great.
There go the ships, and leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
These all look to you to give them their food in due season.
When you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath they die and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works -
Who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being;
May my meditation be pleasing to him for I rejoice in the Lord.
Offering Sentences
God provides the gifts. It is up to us to pass them on - that all in God's creation may be alive with hope and eager to participate in the daily blessings of life. What will we pass on this morning? May what we now give faithfully represent God's bounty to us and our joy in being able to serve another in God's name. Let us present tithes and offerings out of fullness of hearts blessed many times over by God's love.
Prayer of Dedication
May the wonder of your love, O God, the wonder of your Spirit's presence and power, be expressed in these gifts that we humbly yet joyously dedicate to your continuing work of making all peoples one. Let gifts be matched by actions, actions that through this week will reveal your reconciling presence and your healing power in our many walks of life. For so would we be faithful to your leading in our lives. Gladly do we promise all, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Benediction
Let the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, guide you in your walk through life this week. Allow the Spirit to support you when truth is challenged and your own strength falters. Indeed, permit the Spirit to open to you a greater understanding of truth. Moreover, accompany the Spirit, as God leads you to further sites of service. So will your life be full, charged with joy and fraught with meaning. Amen!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Come with wind and fire!
Be that Counselor that we sorely need for our living.
Be that Spirit of Truth that will lead us to correct understandings.
Let us here in worship sense the enthusiasm that you bring into our midst.
May your presence and power further transform us into dedicated children of God.
Invocation
God, you who are both Spirit and Holy, we welcome you as you make your lively presence known among us. How amazing that you consider us worthy of your attention, your concern, and your care. How we need understanding! Truth so often eludes us. You would make it clearly known. Self--interest prompts so much of the counsel we receive. You would guide us, however, in ways that truly cause us to grow. We cower rather than with courage defend the truth. We fail to realize that you stand by our side to support us whenever the going gets rough. Let us this day, this hour of worship, sense afresh that your presence and power are ever with us; and in so doing, help us to be thankful. Amen.
Call to Confession
God is here - now - in all the fullness of God's strength and mercy. God's presence fills this sanctuary with joy and hope, peace and love. The wonder of it is that we can tap into this presence - that our lives too can be full of purpose and enthusiasm and gratefulness to the Giver. But do we? God with glad Spirit gives. How do we feel about receiving? Let our answer be a prayer of confession to the Holy.
Prayer of Confession
Your riches, O God, all the wonder, the magnificence of your presence and power, are here before us, offered to us, an amazing gift for our taking. If we dare admit our need, if we are courageous enough to acknowledge our dependence, then we shall be eager to accept with love those resources given out of love. For you would make us a whole, a complete people of God. Why then are we so stubborn - to receive that which is good, whose purpose is our salvation? Forgive us all of our meager attempts still to do it on our own. Let both wind and flame of your presence purge us of all selfish leanings, all prideful thoughts and actions - that we open ourselves fully to the guidance of your holy will. For that will be joy to us, hope for our neighbor, and peace for us all. This we ask in Jesus' name, who indeed has fulfilled his promise that the Holy Spirit would come and rest upon us all. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Jesus would have us affirm that in every way God works for our well--being. Yet another manifestation of this is the coming of God's Spirit, God's presence and power among us. This too is for our good - that all of us who comprise the family of God be one in spirit, one in heart, mind, and purpose. This being so, we can be enthusiastic about our future, for God is here to guide us into it.
We turn our lives over to God's leading, that by the work of the Holy Spirit in us and among us God's will be done. Praise be to God, for this is God's gift of life to us all.
Psalter Reading (from Psalm 104)
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great.
There go the ships, and leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
These all look to you to give them their food in due season.
When you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath they die and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works -
Who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being;
May my meditation be pleasing to him for I rejoice in the Lord.
Offering Sentences
God provides the gifts. It is up to us to pass them on - that all in God's creation may be alive with hope and eager to participate in the daily blessings of life. What will we pass on this morning? May what we now give faithfully represent God's bounty to us and our joy in being able to serve another in God's name. Let us present tithes and offerings out of fullness of hearts blessed many times over by God's love.
Prayer of Dedication
May the wonder of your love, O God, the wonder of your Spirit's presence and power, be expressed in these gifts that we humbly yet joyously dedicate to your continuing work of making all peoples one. Let gifts be matched by actions, actions that through this week will reveal your reconciling presence and your healing power in our many walks of life. For so would we be faithful to your leading in our lives. Gladly do we promise all, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Benediction
Let the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, guide you in your walk through life this week. Allow the Spirit to support you when truth is challenged and your own strength falters. Indeed, permit the Spirit to open to you a greater understanding of truth. Moreover, accompany the Spirit, as God leads you to further sites of service. So will your life be full, charged with joy and fraught with meaning. Amen!
