Call to Confession 

See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1) Let us humble ourselves before God and confess our arrogance and our evil deeds and seek God's immeasurable mercy:

Prayer of Confession 

Lord, in your mercy, forgive us, we pray.
In his wisdom, King Solomon warned, 
"It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness," 
yet we do not hold our leaders to the standard set
by the One whom we claim to follow. 
In fact, we excuse their evil deeds
and adopt their arrogance
and defer attention by slandering those
who serve faithfully. 
We are not who we claim to be.
We do not follow Christ's example 
when we take food from children
and support from those who are battling for their lives
and aid from those who are ill
and opportunities from the marginalized
and history and science from education. 
We do not follow your commandments
when we take autonomy from humans
or hospitality from strangers
or provision for the poor. 
Have mercy on us, we pray,
and renew a right spirit within us.
Remind us who we are 
and whose we are
that we might transform our thinking
and live out the baptismal claims
on our lives. 


Assurance of God's Grace

He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14) Hear the Good News: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another.
The peace of Christ be with you.
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this week.

Gather in, you who have beheld the glory of God.
Gather in, you who rejoice in God's judgments!
You who love the Lord, 
come and worship!
Easter people from all corners of the earth
are coming together to give thanks
to God's holy name!

Acts 16:16-34  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016%3A16-34&version=NRSVUE

Psalm 97  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2097&version=NRSVUE  

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2022%3A12-14%2C%2016-17%2C%2020-21&version=NRSVUE

John 17:20-26  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2017%3A20-26&version=NRSVUE

The focus passage for A Place of Grace this week is Psalm 97. All liturgy will be based on this passage. What in Psalm 97 inspires or encourages you? Share your thoughts here: www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1122245393278046&set=a.549399683895956. 

Acts 16:9-15  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016%3A9-15&version=NRSVUE

Psalm 67  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2067&version=NRSVUE

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2021%3A10%2C%2022-22%3A5&version=NRSVUE

John 14:23-29  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%3A23-29&version=NRSVUE  

The focus passage for A Place of Grace this week is Psalm 67. All liturgy will be based on this passage. What in Psalm 67 inspires or encourages you? Share your thoughts here: www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1117153653787220&set=a.549399683895956.

O Great Creator, 
hear our prayers.
Hear our prayers of praise and thanksgiving
for all that you have created
and for the wisdom in which you created it.
For sun and moon and stars of light,
we give you thanks and praise, O God!
For waters that refresh the earth
and waters teeming with life,
we give you thanks and praise, O God!
For the earth and its varied landscapes,
for the sky and its varied temperaments,
for wildlife of every kind,
we give you thanks and praise, O God!
We bow before you in gratitude 
for all that you have created
and deemed good.

Hear our prayers today, Sovereign God,
for the leaders of all nations
and for all people,
that compassion and justice would reign 
together,
and that cries for mercy 
would be met with kindness
and grace.

Hear our prayers today, Redeemer,
for young and old alike
who struggle to make ends meet,
who long for meaning and purpose,
who hold on to hope for a future
that is secure and filled with joy.

Hear our prayers today, Spirit of Wisdom,
for a world where all are fed,
where are all are whole,
where all are at peace,
that the goodness of God's creation
may be fully realized 
and the glory given to the Triune God
who spoke it into existence.