Putting on the Mantle
Service Prayers after Pentecost
Proper 8 (Semicontinuous)

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14    Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20   
Galatians 5:1, 13-25    Luke 9:51-62

Call to Worship

Leader:             Holy seekers whom God loves,

                        Come to receive your goodly heritage.

                        Here among your gathered family

                        Take refuge in the Divine.

All:                  We come to know the presence of a loving God

                        We are here to be shown the path of life

                        Let us bless the One who gives us counsel.

                        Let us together celebrate the ways of the Holy God.      

                        Amen.

Invocation

                        Come, Holy God

                        Offer us your mantle of love and power in this place.

                        In the shelter of its love let us lay before you

                        our troubles, our longings, our hopes.

                        Let its power open us to new ways  

                        through difficulty, struggle and loss

                        into your Spirit’s realm of  joy and peace.

                        Come, Holy God,

                        in your presence there is fullness of glory.

 Prayer of Confession 

                        We struggle to manifest the fruits of the Spirit,

                        but often find ourselves bound by works of the flesh.

                        We know the whole law is summed up

                        in the single commandment

                        to love our neighbor as ourselves.

                        Yet we create fences around ourselves to

                        keep neighbors outside

                        and tell ourselves we have no responsibility.

                        Even in our own back yard we “bite and devour” one another.

                        We wish it were different.

                        When Jesus calls us to follow him,

                        we find every excuse to instead go home

                        or to the workplace to finish something more important first.

                        Yet we yearn to be more centered on You.

            Silent confession.....

Assurance of Pardon

            Despite our resistance,

            we can be assured that God’s strong arm redeems the people.

            God calls us back to God’s realm, and encourages us

            with a love we can never lose no matter how hard we push back,

            no matter how often we forget, no matter how far we stray.

            We need but ask and we are forgiven.

 Offering Invitation

            We have inherited a double share of God’s Spirit and we are grateful.

            May we, as we live by the Spirit, also be guided by the Spirit

            to provide for those who have need for charity or justice.

            Give generously in Jesus’ name from the riches you possess.

Dedication

             Our hearts are glad as we help work your wonders through our gifts.

             We ask your wisdom as we put our hands to the plow

             and look not back but only forward,

             visioning the kin-dom of God.

 Benediction

            Go forth wearing the mantle given by our God.

            Part the waters of injustice.

            Make a way for compassion to be offered to all that God loves.

Putting on the Mantle: Service Prayers for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost was written by The Rev. Catherine Rolling, of Portland, OR and Greenville, WV, a United Church of Christ minister, spiritual director, gardener, currently discerning/seeking a call.

Copyright 2010 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry 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. 

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