No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey,
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
The Lord is continually creating something new,
We are part of that creation, renewed, redeemed, beloved.
Through all this change, God is with us.
We may struggle and doubt, yet God is faithful.
Praise be to God who continually blesses us.
Let our hearts, our voices, and our spirits sing God's praises.
God of all creation, we give you thanks and praise in this gathering of your people.
We pray that we may adjust our vision to your vision for a world made new.
May we fervently pray for it and work for it in the day that lie ahead.
This we pray in the name of Christ. Amen.
PRAYERS FOR RECONCILIATION
Strengthening God, we confess that our lives weaken us.
We do not exercise our faith as we should, and we fatigue easily.
We see our houses as investment property,
and not as homes built on love, hope, and dreams.
We whimper our petty complaints about our friends and families,
rather than shouting our hosannas to heaven for the gift of their lives.
Your are our hope, Tender God, so forgive us.
Create in us new hearts and fill us iwth the new energy to serve our sisters and brothers.
May we bring them to the deep wells of salvation,
where they can fill their parched souls,
just as we have been led to those deep wells by Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD'S GRACE
God's anger melts into streams of living water,
washing us clean of our sins
and refreshing our spirits with hope and joy.
We give thanks to God,
who is our strength and our salvation.
Praise God!
MAY THE PEACE OF CHRIST BE WITH YOU TODAY AND ALWAYS!
We believe in the triune God: Creator, resurrected Christ, the sole Head of the church, and the Holy Spirit, who guides and brings about the creative and redemptive work of God in the world.
We believe that each person is unique and valuable: It is the will of God that every person belong to a family of faith where they have a strong sense of being valued and loved.
We believe that each person is on a spiritual journey: and that each of us is at a different stage of that journey.
We believe that the persistent search for God produces an authentic relationship with God, engendering love, strengthening faith, dissolving guilt, and giving life purpose and direction.
We believe that all of the baptized 'belong body and soul to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.' No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, class or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized – past, present and future – are connected to each other and to God through the sacrament of baptism. We baptize during worship when the community is present because baptism includes the community's promise of 'love, support and care' for the baptized – and we promise that we won't take it back – no matter where your journey leads you.
We believe that all people of faith are invited to join Christ at Christ's table for the sacrament of Communion. Just as many grains of wheat are gathered to make one loaf of bread and many grapes are gathered to make one cup of wine, we, the many people of God, are made one in the body of Christ, the church. The breaking of bread and the pouring of wine reminds us of the costliness of Christ's sacrifice and the discipleship to which we are all called. In the breaking of bread, we remember and celebrate Christ's presence among us along with a 'cloud of witnesses' – our ancestors, family and friends who have gone before us. It is a great mystery; we claim it by faith.
We believe the UCC is called to be a united and uniting church. "That they may all be one." (John 17:21) "In essentials–unity, in nonessentials–diversity, in all things–charity," These UCC mottos survive because they touch core values deep within us. The UCC has no rigid formulation of doctrine or attachment to creeds or structures. Its overarching creed is love. UCC pastors and teachers are known for their commitment to excellence in theological preparation, interpretation of the scripture and justice advocacy. Even so, love and unity in the midst of our diversity are our greatest assets.
We believe that God calls us to be servants in the service of others and to be good stewards of the earth's resources. 'To believe is to care; to care is to do.'
We believe that the UCC is called to be a prophetic church. As in the tradition of the prophets and apostles, God calls the church to speak truth to power, liberate the oppressed, care for the poor and comfort the afflicted.
We believe in the power of peace, and work for nonviolent solutions to local, national, and international problems.
We are a people of possibility. In the UCC, members, congregations and structures have the breathing room to explore and to hear ... for after all, God is still speaking, ...