Pentecost 1999: Incendiary Grace

 

Seekers Church:
A Christian Community
In the Tradition of the Church of the Saviour

Pentecost 1999

Incendiary Grace

Silent Reflection

Fire cannot continue to burn unless it penetrates the surrounding combustible material.

Elton Trueblood, Incendiary Fellowship, pg. 115

Prelude

Call To Worship

Leader:        Like the disciples, we come to life looking for answers.
Like them, what we find are questions.
And so we ask and ask again for guidance.

Community: Where do we burn?
How do we keep our incendiary passion alive?
How do we ignite it in others?

Leader:        We come together, walking barefoot toward flame.
Trusting, we learn to trust each other.

All:               In community, we stumble over the questions
and find the answers that keep us walking.

Invocation

Hymn

Word for the Children

Silence

Litany

Leader:        Bright Spirit of God,
you come among us
as tongues of flame.

Community: By your light
we see the shadows
that threaten to engulf the world.

Leader:        By your light
we see the paths
of right intention
and right action.

Community: By your light
we are called
to be light to others.

All:               Help us to be a shower of sparks
exploding into the world
with your penetrating grace and peace.

Silence

Prayers

Common Confession

Leader:        O God, you brought creation
out of the primordial fire.
You made us in your image,
to be keepers of the holy flame.

Voice 1:       Yet far too often we pull back,
afraid that we will be burned
beyond recognition.

Voice 2:       Our inner passions for peace and justice –
the flames of call and ministry,
sputter and grow dim.

Voice 1:       We carry our wet worries to your altar,
hoping that they may be dried
enough to be consumed.

Voice 2:       We settle for the comfort of a candle,
when you would have us
build a bonfire in your name.

All:               Forgive us,
O God who gave us fiery passion,
for we hold back and shiver in the cold.

Individual Prayers of Confession

Assurance

Leader:        The God who gives us life
pours out the Holy Spirit on all who come,
and gives us strength to fan the flames of Love.

Prayers of the Community

Hymn

The Word

First Lesson

Silence

Gospel Lesson

Sermon

Silent Reflection

Offering

The first Sunday of each month we switch to a Communion Liturgy here.

Shared Reflections

Announcements

Hymn

Benediction

Leader:        Transforming fire,
ignite us with your fierce, bold flames
and light the way to grace. Amen.