"Getting The Right Gift"

Call to Worship (1 Corinthians 12)

There are many gifts, talents, and abilities given by God. But there is only one Spirit. There are a variety of things we can do to serve the Lord. But it is the same Lord we all serve. There are many activities we can do to serve God: teach, sing, clean, preach, play, work... But all these are activated by God. There are many manifestations of God's Spirit in the world. It is impossible to list them all. To say that one is better than another is foolish. God gives to each as God chooses. Thanks be to God!

Invocation

Gracious and loving God, source of all wholeness, forgiveness, and mercy, may your Spirit heal those who are torn, mend those who are broken, and protect those who are fragile. Enable us, O God, through the gift of your steadfast love, to remember who we are and whose we are. In your love, may we be true and faithful disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray.

Offertory

2 Corinthians 9:10-Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord of Light and Joy, the daylight hours are becoming longer for us. Evening comes a little later, and the dawn is earlier, but the darkness in our hearts persists. We continue to look at the miraculous ways you work in our lives as mere stories or happenstance. How foolish we are! From the beginning of all that is, you have poured your love and light into this world and into our lives. You have offered us countless blessings and opportunities for service, some of which we have followed, and others that we have ignored. You have forgiven and healed our spirits. We continue to bring before you the names and situations of people that are in direst need. We ask for your healing mercies and yet we wonder if you really are with us. Turn our moaning and crying into songs of praise and hope. Give us spirits of trust and rejoicing, that we may truly be your people all of our days. Prepare us for joyful service in your world; for we ask this in Jesus' Name. AMEN.

Prayer (1 Corinthians 12)

God of all good gifts, we thank you and praise you. Your Spirit has touched our lives, bringing wisdom, ability, strength, courage, and passion. Enable us to use our gifts in service to you and to others. In all that we do, and in all that we are, may your name be glorified, that your kingdom will be with us and reside here on this earth. We pray this in the name of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Benediction

And now, from the One who is indeed the giver of all good gifts: go and share what God has given you; go and proclaim that God's love is here; go in the power of God's Spirit to make all things new.Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.