Dearly Beloved

Unbind Him, Graphite in sketchbook

In this post you will find the prayers associated with Sunday's Gathering.

Call to Worship

You may want to light a candle.

The fullness of life includes

moments of unexpected inspiration and courage lived out,
experiences of beauty, truth, and goodness,
blessings of seed and harvest,
friendship and family,
intellect and sexuality…

And so we sing of God the Spirit,

who from the beginning has swept over the face of creation,
animating all energy and matter
and moving in the human heart.

We sing of God the Spirit,

faithful and untameable,
who is creatively and redemptively active in the world…

We offer worship,

as an outpouring of gratitude and awe…*

*A Song of Faith: A Statement of Faith
of The United Church of Canada, 2006  

Opening Prayer  

In this time of worship,

We practice opening ourselves
to God’s still, small voice of comfort 
to God’s rushing whirlwind of challenge.

Through word, music, art, and sacrament,

in community and in solitude,
we invite God to change our lives, our relationships,
and our world.

We sing in trust. Amen.*

*A Song of Faith: A Statement of Faith
of The United Church of Canada, 2006, adapted.

Prayers of the People

We pray for the sick.
We pray for our medical system and front line medical workers.
We pray for those shut in and isolated.
We pray for the grieving.
We pray for those shut out, without shelter or eough food.
We pray for thsoe reaching out into the world, putting themselves are risk to support the marginalized.
We pray for our neighbours, our families, our community, 
for strangers, far and near.

Help us to slow down.
Help us to appreciate the quiet.
Deepen our connection to one another through intention.
Deepen our gratitude for what is good and abundant.

Encourage us to give where we can give,
to connect where we can connect,
to receive where we can receive,
to rejoice where we can rejoice.

Be with us in the darkness
as we wait for the coming light.

Open our hears to hear you calling,
"Come out! Unbind him and set him free!"

In Christ's name we pray.

Amen.