Epiphany 7C–February 20
A Good Measure
Service Prayers for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
February 20, 2022
Genesis 45:3-11, 15 • Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40 • 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 • Luke 6:27-38
CALL TO WORSHIP
Where do we find you, Holy One, and how do we follow?
Find me at your table,
We’ll share your food
Find me in your resources,
We’ll share your riches
Find me in your power,
We’ll share your mercy
Find me in your pain,
We’ll share your forgiveness
Find me in your generosity,
We’ll share all, and expect nothing in return
In community, seek my holiness,
We follow you in love, generosity, joy
In the world, share my desire:
We follow you in justice, mercy, peace for all.
INVOCATION
Holy One, you are deep within our world,
calling us to join you in creating
abundant life for all.
Open our hearts to recognize you
Free us to trust your call and follow;
Enable us to repent, and forgive,
and join in your work to make “all things new”.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
CALL TO CONFESSION
Holy One, your call is deceptively simple:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you”
And yet we cling to self-serving ways
which separate us from your beloved creation:
You call us to turn our lives around,
to risk repentance and learn forgiveness,
to work with patience and diligence to prepare the way for your Reign,
but we get discouraged and give up too soon.
Lord, have mercy.
You call us to be full of joyful confidence
to create community where all have enough for abundant life,
but we burden ourselves with anxiety and fear.
Christ, have mercy.
You call us to speak out in the presence of injustice,
but too often we do not challenge words and actions rooted in hate:
Holy One, have mercy
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Our God is good, and generous, and loving:
Trust in Jesus’ promise:
“Give, and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over,
will be put into your lap;
for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
PASSING THE PEACE
INVITATION TO SHARE OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS
When we give our tithes and offerings,
we are witnesses to the transforming love of God in Christ.
I invite you to give as generously as you have received.
BLESSING OF THE GIFTS
Accept these gifts, we humbly pray, O God.
Let them give you honor and glory as we serve the needs of your people.
And let the called and redeemed of God say, Amen
BENEDICTION
Send us into the world, O Holy One,
Ready to witness to your generosity and forgiveness
Ready to be recognized as those who follow your Way
Ready to shape a world of justice, peace and joy.
A Good Measure, Service Prayers for the Seventh Sunday of Epiphany, was written by the Rev. Susan A. Blain.
Copyright 2022 Faith INFO Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100. Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education. All publishing rights reserved.
