Prayers 11 28 2010
*Welcome
*Today Christmas Workshops, 1:00-4:00, Fellowship Hall; Lanna Coffee subscriptions and sales; purchase coffee for Christmas gifts after worship this morning too
*Men’s Fellowship and significant others; 2nd annual Brunch at Cliff House, 9:00; See Dick Wong to sign up
*Advent Bible Study in SF begins this Tuesday night, 7:30 at Dick and Anna Wong’s; See Lea Wong for a book
*Membership Meeting, next Sunday, Dec. 5; 1:00 to hear the testimonies of 6 people joining our church; adopt the 2011 Church Budget; elect the 2011 officers, board and committee members; please come
*Pledges for 2011—“Who Is My Neighbor?”; please turn in today to be counted
*RMMO Offering; last Sunday to make a donation to help those who served the Lord
*Church Staff Love Gift—Announcement
*1st Sunday of Advent—Beginning of our Advent/Christmas season
Prayer Concerns
*Candidates for Baptism and church membership being interviewed by the Deacons this afternoon
Prayer of God’s People
We pray, Lord that as we light each candle, that as we sing each song and share these words, that you will once more dwell richly in our midst and inspire us to live what we profess. May we become your people, rejecting sword and spear for the pruning hook and plowshare, that all may come to know you and share life.
Reigning God, we confess that we find it easy to get wrapped up in ourselves. There is much to do, so little time to accomplish these things—whether it is one large task looming over everything, paralyzing us so that nothing gets done, or the many little tasks like wanting to buy everyone a Christmas gift that weigh us down into inaction. But our ways are not your ways, our thoughts are not your thoughts. May this season of Advent become a time of peace, where your will prevails, so that our cares might diminish and your good will increase.
From all of our circles of friends and loved ones, we pray for… Be with the candidates whose lives have been touched by your love and mercy that they are now seeking to profess their faith in Jesus Christ in Baptism and to join this church to live out their Christian discipleship.
We thank you, Lord for these precious days of preparing for the birth of Christ. May we shed the artificial cares of the world, the paralyzing priorities of the season, and instead come to the manger free to worship and adore. Jesus, come into our midst as we come to you. Confident in your mercy and prepared for your miracles, we pray together, “Our Father…”
Offertory
You who have walked in darkness—a great light is shining! Come forward in peace with your offerings to God.
Lord, we seek wholeness in the midst of brokenness, peace in the midst of conflict, clarity where there is confusion. May our offerings be a beacon in the darkness and a landmark in our journey. May the world come to know through our faith made flesh through this action that yours is the peace that passes understanding, yours is shalom that brings wholeness, yours is word that makes sense in the midst of a noisy world. We pray, now and always, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Benediction
No longer are we living in the world’s darkened times.
The good news is that God has taken our time and made it God’s time.
Go forward, secure in God’s love
To walk in the light as God’s people! Amen.