Sunday, February 23, 2025
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Year C
Luke 6:27-38 | "A Good Measure"

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 37)
L: Come, Beloved, and release your frenzied fear.
P: We come, trusting the enduring promises of the Holy One.
L: Let meekness rise as strength of soul.
P: May our promised inheritance of love shine brightly all around.
L: May it strengthen us in our waiting and our working.
P: May all that is evil wither, and all that is good grow to fullness.
L: May the grace of God rest on us all as we gather.

Invocation (Unison)
Holy Love, bear in us a new beginning.  Soften our hearts and still our minds into Your gracious embrace. Hold the worries and wanderings of our lives.  Gift us with the renewing energy of Your Holy Spirit.  Let it meet our fatigue and form in us a deepened commitment to your vision of the beloved community.  Yes, mold us with Christ-love into agents of Your blessing, for the good of the world.  May the cup of our lives run over with this of Your desire.  In Your Holy name, we pray.  Amen.

Prayer for Transformation and New Life (Unison)
God of the grand reversal, we confess our easy attachment to revenge in its many forms.  Instead of interrupting violence, it has been easy to practice it in word and deed.  It has been easy to worship the lie of scarcity instead of trusting your promise of abundance. By this, the way of the world has worked into our hearts and minds.   Forgive us and free us from ourselves.  Equip us anew with an outpouring of Your love.  By this of You, form us into channels of grace.  Deepen our love, expand our generosity, and mold us and the world with Your abundant mercy. Let the heart and mind of Christ take up residence in us anew.  Amen.

Words of Grace 
I have good news!  The Holy One, Love Almighty, interrupts our missteps and misdeeds, our distractions and our detours.  In Christ Jesus, God has shown us what forgiving love has already done and continues to do.  It heals, it mends, and makes a new chapter possible. This is the forgiving power of God that embraces you and me, here and now. It is the good news!  You can trust it with your life. Thanks be to God!

Invitation to Generosity
Jesus reminds us that God works by a different economy.  He tells us, “If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High.” Friends, by this, joy is given space to rise.  May we discover it growing in us as we bring our gifts to God.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication  (Unison)
Generous God, thank you for pressing Your holy love into the lap of our lives.  Bless these gifts we bring that they may be multiplied into a good larger than we can imagine.  Also, bless us, that we might live our lives in gratitude, sharing freely without expectation of return.  Through this way of Jesus, stretch our hearts, minds, and lives into channels of Your Holy grace.  Amen.

Benediction
May you be blessed with the courage to interrupt revenge with love.
May you be strengthened with a gratitude that freely shares with others.
May you discover again and again the merciful embrace of the Holy One.
And may the love of God, empower you to help change the world with forgiveness.
Blessings on you all!  Amen and Amen!

Prompts for a Pastoral Prayer 
O Love, that will not let us go, turn things around.
Turn us from revenge to creative good…
Turn us from clenched fists to open hands…
Turn us from scarcity to generosity…
Turn us from retribution to mercy…
Turn us from judgment to forgiveness…
Turn us from fear to gladness…
Yes, turn us, take our measured lives, and multiply in us the immeasurable joy You have revealed through Jesus Christ.

A Good Measure: Service Prayers for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Year C was written by the Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins, Conference Minister of the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ.