Good morning.
Today is Sunday,
November 8,
2020.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer.
As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us sing to the Lord.
Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Remind yourself that you're in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on a word or a phrase that jumps out at you and let your heart respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
You order your kingdom with justice and establish the world in peace.
The scripture for today is Psalm 14.
Only fools say to themselves,
There is no God.
They're all corrupt.
They've done terrible things and no one does what is right.
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the peoples to see if anyone understands,
If anyone seeks God.
They're all lost.
They're all equally corrupt.
Not one of them does what is right.
Not a single one.
Well,
They never learn.
They eat up my people like bread and never give God a thought.
I see them now consumed with fear because God is on the side of those who do justice.
They frustrate the progress of poor people at every turn,
But God,
The one who was and is and always will be is the refuge of those in need.
Who will God bring from Zion?
Who will be the deliverance of Israel?
When the Lord makes the faithful prosperous again,
What joy and celebration will be ours as children of Leah and Rachel and Jacob?
Please repeat these words.
You order your kingdom with justice and establish the world in peace.
On Sundays,
We pray for ourselves and we lift our lives up to God in gratitude.
So I invite you now to hold yourself,
Your life in gratitude before God.
Let yourself feel the waves of gratitude surge through you as you hear these words of blessing spoken over you.
May the light of Christ go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you,
On your right and on your left.
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the light of Christ be with you.
May the light of Christ be in you.
May the love of God go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you,
On your right and on your left.
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the love of God be with you.
May the love of God be in you.
In the name of Jesus who taught us to pray,
Our Father which art in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be.
Not only Father but Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today,
Feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another,
Forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
Strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
Spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
Free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love now and forever.
Amen.
Gracious Lord within your community we are strengthened to persevere,
Empowered to proclaim your truth and shaped to wait on you.
Teach us anew what we can learn from other faithful sisters and brothers who serve you in their particular ways of worship and proclamation.
Amen.
And now my friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
