Hosea: Prophecy & Power of Peace/Home (Extended Advent?) Hosea 11:1-9, Mark 10:13-14, Also Consider: Psalm 2, Matthew 13:31-32, Luke 15:11-32
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Call to Worship:
Happy are those who take refuge in God
Serve the Lord with fear and trembling and kiss his feet
The nations conspire in vain, for our Lord is God, and God will break ancient schemes
Come let us worship the Lord our God.
Hear the Good News; The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
The smallest of seeds, but it has grown into the greatest of shrubs.
See all the air come and make nests in its branches
Come, let us come home and nest with God.
Call to Worship:
I shall never be afraid
God is my rock, God is my salvation
Whom shall I fear?
No One
Why should I run, no one can harm me, I shall overcome: come let us proclaim the truth
God is my rock.
Invitation to Confess: Like a loving parent, God awaits us with open arms to hear our troubles and soothe our sorrows. Come let us confess to the Lord
Prayer of Confession: Lord, sometimes I feel like I have nowhere to run to. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, and that I have no one to turn to. Sometimes I just want to run away. So I ignore things, or I snap at life, or I feel hopelessness overwhelm me. Remind me that you are always present, that I can turn to you with anything. Strengthen me with your love I pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession: I confess that I don’t feel like a child of God today. I see all of my cracks and mistakes, and have trouble focusing on the good. How can I go home broken? But then you remind me, if I’m broken, how can I not go home? Help me to come to you so I might bathe in your good food, soft beds and loving hospitality and be restored, I pray.
Assurance of Pardon. God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting. God does not hold grudges, but instead loves us when time are good and when times are bad. Reassure one another with the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Assurance of Pardon: When the walls are tumbling down, God remains our rock and salvation, and so we can hang onto the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Eucharist Prayer: God, bless this food with thanksgiving and hope. Remind us that the one who sent his only son to teach us and bless us and feed us, will not turn us away from the table. When asked how it is we are to care for one another, Jesus answered feed me sheep, feed my sheep, feed my sheep. Let this be the celebration meal to fill our hearts and soothe our souls. Send your Holy Spirit down on these elements so that we might take on the new day with energy, intelligence, imagination and hope, we pray in your loving son Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
Hymns:
Here I am Lord
Somebody’s Knocking At Your Door
Spirit
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart
God Folded the Mountains Out of Rock
Rock of the Ages
With Children: Runaway Bunny, Play Hide and Seek and talk about how God finds you, Play Eye Spy: Talk about how God keeps track of you and how you keep an eye out for God, Plant seeds (especially mustard seeds), Make a Gratitude paper chain of all the things you are grateful for (can continue for many weeks), Wise Man builds his house on the rock Song, Build a tower and discuss the importance of salvation/God as your rock. Pairs well with Prodigal Son, Father Abraham had man sons Song
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