Sunday, January 14, 2018

CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 145

MUSIC: INGLEWOOD PARISH
Curated by Justina Gendy
Jesus Culture - Your Love Never Fails
All Sons & Daughters - Come Thou Fount
Bryan & Katie Torwalt - Holy Spirit
Hillsong Worship - What A Beautiful Name

MUSIC: KENSINGTON PARISH
Curated by Clint Siebert
Hillsong Worship - Love So Great
Kristian Stanfill - In Christ Alone
Bethel Music - Reckless Love
All Sons & Daughters - Great Are You Lord

COMMUNITY PRAYER
Written by Bobbi Salkeld
There is an old Celtic Christian prayer for a brother in despair that goes like this:
O God, you rule over your creation with tenderness, offering fresh hope in the midst of the most terrible misery. We pray for our brother whose soul is darkened by despair, infusing him with the pure light of your love.

Celtic prayers are fitting for this season of Ordinary Time in the church calendar between Christmas and Lent. They help us to see the sacred in many ordinary places - in the events of nature and in daily life. Today our community prayer refrain, which you will hear me pray three times, will come from this Celtic prayer. Let us pray.

Most loving God, we bring the needs of our community before you today. We trust that in some great way, you shoulder these concerns with us. So we pray to you, the Maker of all, for the despair in the world – For those in need of homes, communities, and care.
For those who lack power, who are marginalized, and who fight a complex web of systemic injustice.
For those who abuse their power, or are frivolous with weighty decisions, or choose to do nothing when something more must be done.

We pray:
O God, you rule over creation with tenderness; Infuse our world with the pure light of your love.
We pray to you, Jesus Christ, for the despair in our relationships, near and far –
For those in need of relational healing and careful companionship For those who have wronged others or been wronged.
For those who are afraid to speak their needs or to hear the needs of another spoken

We pray:
O God, you rule over creation with tenderness;
Infuse our relationships with the pure light of your love.
We pray to you, Holy Spirit, for the despair in our own selves –
For those in need of physical strength, renewed energy, and a bigger imagination for your work in the their lives
For those in need of calm, of comfort, and of grounding self-care
For those reworking their vision of the Divine and renewing their hope for what is possible

We pray:
O God, you rule over creation with tenderness;
Infuse our body, mind, and soul with the pure light of your love.
We give thanks to you, Maker, Savior, and Spirit You have compassion on all that you have made. AMEN.