God of mercy and compassion,
be present with your people,
with the descendants of David
and with the descendants of Ishmael.
Surround your children with your steadfast love.
Let your faithfulness be evident to all.
Comfort your people, we pray,
moving in and among and through them
-- through all of us --
with your peace.
Hear our prayers, O God!
Bring your healing balm to those who grieve.
Stand as a shield between those who would do harm
and those who are in harm's way.
Protect the most vulnerable.
Grant mercy to captives in the spirits
of their captors.
Ease the tensions between warring factions.
Educate those who blindly choose a side.
Remind us all that we are children of Abraham ...
siblings in the one family of God's people
across the earth,
and help us to love as we are loved.

Call to Confession

God's mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50) Let us confess our sin before God and seek God's mercy:

Prayer of Confession

Forgive us, God, 
for we have sinned. 
We do not sing of your steadfast love, O God,
beyond Christmas and Easter,
Nor do we proclaim your faithfulness.
Instead, we focus on judgment, 
and we appoint ourselves proxy judges,
making kin-dom citizenship decisions
about who is in and who is out
on no authority but our own.
Love has been declared weakness in our realm,
O God.
Humility has been declared passive.
Advocacy for justice is rebellion.
Yet, you came as a child in human skin
to live among us as a refugee ...
as a rabbi ...
as a rebel ...
and declared LOVE the law of your land.
And then you showed us how to do it.
Show us again, we pray,
because we have not paid attention.
Show us again, we pray,
because we have not practiced our lessons.
Show us again, we pray,
because we have forgotten what it means
to be your children ...
followers of Christ ...
kin-dom seekers.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.


Assurance of God's Grace

God so loved the world that God sent God's only Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God did not send God's Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17) 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.

Come, you children of the covenant!
Come, hear the proclamation of God's faithfulness
to all generations!
Come, you descendants of David,
you children of Abraham and Sarah,
God has set a crown on one who is mighty!
​Let the world rejoice!

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+7%3A1-11%2C+16&version=NRSVUE

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-20 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+89%3A1-4%2C+19-20&version=NRSVUE

Romans 16:25-27 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+16%3A25-27&version=NRSVUE
​
Luke 1:26-38 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A26-38&version=NRSVUE

The focus passage for A Place of Grace this week is Psalm 89:1-4, 19-20. All liturgy will be based on this passage. What in Psalm 89:1-4, 19-20 inspires or encourages you? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Come, you who sow in tears.
Come, you who go out weeping.
Come home with shouts of joy. 
The Lord has restored the fortunes of Zion.
The Lord will restore God's people again,
and we will be like those who dream.
Let us worship God!

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+61%3A1-4%2C+8-11&version=NRSVUE

Psalm 126 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+126&version=NRSVUE

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thessalonians+5%3A16-24&version=NRSVUE

John 1:6-8, 19-28 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A6-8%2C+19-28&version=NRSVUE

The focus passage for A Place of Grace this week is Psalm 126. All liturgy will be based on this passage. What in Psalm 126 inspires or encourages you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Come, you sinners who have been pardoned by God.
Gather in, you who long for God to speak peace
to your souls.
Congregate, you faithful, in the sanctuary of the Lord.
The path of righteousness is laid out before you.
Come and seek God's direction.