O Beloved One,

All the ends of the earth marvel

at your deeds of power; we feel your presence

as growth returning to the countryside;

we rejoice as we remember your faithfulness and steadfast love

revealed in the risen Christ.

Surround us with that faithfulness and steadfast love

Fill us with generosity and courage

so that we may be called your friends

and go forth to befriend your world. In Jesus’ name.

We light the Spirit Candle to remind us that the Spirit of God is with us always, guiding us and lighting our way. Just as She first came as a rushing wind and flame, this flame reminds us of the Spirit's presence with us now and always

ONE: Lord, you have shown us your ways of compassion and justice. Forgive us for being so caught up in our own lives. Forgive us for not having eyes to see and closing them when we don’t want to see. Forgive us for not having ears to hear and covering them when we don’t want to hear. Forgive us for not knowing you, seeking you, and following you.

ALL: Revive your church. Renew us and remake us in your image. Revive your church. Renew us so that we may point others to a new heaven and a new earth.

ONE: Jesus, you modeled sacrifice and love for neighbor. Deliver us from our anemic and self-focused faith practices. Deliver us from narcissism in our worship practices that center on us and not others. Deliver us from fear that keeps us from taking risks in order to serve our neighbor. Deliver us from apathy in our own hearts toward those at the margins.

ALL: Revive your church. Renew us and remake us in your image. Revive your church. Renew us so that we may point others to a new heaven and a new earth.

ONE: Holy Spirit, you promise to root, strengthen, and guide us. Fill us with courage to speak out and speak up when we feel weak. Fill us with assurance that you are working in ways we can’t always see. Fill us with power to act and love and be the church you are making us to be. Fill us with the wisdom of a gentle dove and a shrewd serpent that we may be effective.

ALL: Revive your church. Renew us and remake us in your image. Revive your church. Renew us so that we may point others to a new heaven and a new earth.

ONE: Lord, you promised that you are coming back in your fullness to restore and renew. Help us to be made new now and at your full return.

Help us to confess together, repent together, and hope together for the church. Help us to live into the reality that we serve a God who will make wrong things right. Help us point to the coming kingdom with our actions and lives.

ALL: Revive your church. Renew us and remake us in your image. Revive your church. Renew us so that we may point others to a new heaven and a new earth.

Luke 6:1-11 NRSVUE

One Sabbath[a] while Jesus[b] was going through some grain fields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful[c] on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 How he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?” 5 Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

6 On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see whether he would cure on the Sabbath, so that they might find grounds to bring an accusation against him. 8 But he knew what they were thinking, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand in the middle.” He got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at all of them, he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and began discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

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en español

Lucas 6:1-11 - NVI

6 Un sábado, al pasar Jesús por los sembrados, sus discípulos arrancaron unas espigas de trigo, y las frotaban entre las manos para comérselas. 2 Por eso algunos de los fariseos dijeron:

—¿Por qué hacen ustedes lo que está prohibido hacer en día sábado?

3 Jesús contestó:

—¿Nunca han leído lo que hizo David en aquella ocasión en que él y sus compañeros tuvieron hambre? 4 Entró en la casa de Dios y, tomando los panes consagrados a Dios, comió lo que solo a los sacerdotes les es permitido comer. Y dio también a sus compañeros.

5 Entonces añadió:

—El Hijo del hombre es Señor del sábado.

6 Otro sábado entró en la sinagoga y comenzó a enseñar. Había allí un hombre que tenía la mano derecha paralizada. 7 Así que los maestros de la Ley y los fariseos, buscando un motivo para acusar a Jesús, no le quitaban la vista de encima para ver si sanaba en día sábado. 8 Pero Jesús, que sabía lo que estaban pensando, dijo al hombre de la mano paralizada:

—Levántate y ponte frente a todos.

Así que el hombre se puso de pie. 9 Entonces Jesús dijo a los otros:

—Voy a hacerles una pregunta: ¿Qué está permitido hacer en sábado: hacer el bien o el mal?, ¿salvar una vida o destruirla?

10 Jesús se quedó mirando a todos los que lo rodeaban y dijo al hombre:

—Extiende la mano.

Así lo hizo y la mano quedó restablecida. 11 Pero ellos se enfurecieron y comenzaron a discutir qué podrían hacer contra Jesús.

Creator God,

We acknowledge the counter-cultural ways that

you have built your Church.

We recognize your invitation to us: to live counter-culturally. To give generously.

We believe that practicing generosity is a way to reject our greed and renounce the lordship of the economic systems that run the world.

It frees us and allows us to act out the truth, to give because we have first received all things from you, God.

Help us to remember that we bring nothing into this world and we take nothing out of it.

Help us to follow your ways and increase in generosity until it can be said, ”there is no one in need among us.”

We choose to be faithful stewards of all our resources: relationships, time, possessions, and money.

Help us to worship you through our generosity.

May the ways we give be blessed by you and bless others, in this community and beyond.

Amen.