Face to Face

Call to Worship

As we gather to worship today, turn to a neighbor* and say to each other, “Welcome! I am glad you are here!”
Welcome! I am glad you are here!

Now, turn to another neighbor* and say to each other, “You are loved by God and by me!”
You are loved by God and by me!

Beloved children of God, how can we love each other today?
By meeting and listening and caring for one another face-to-face.

Beloved children of God, how can we love God today?
By practicing our love for one another and God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Let us worship God together today!
We come to worship God by living our love for God and neighbor face-to-face. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, April 2023.

General Prayer for the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

From The Book of Common Prayer (New York: Church Publishing, Inc., 2006), 235.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, you have told us what to do. But this love thing is hard. You’ve invited us to love you with everything we have; instead we have fallen in love with our jobs, houses, and electronic toys. Loving you intimately is scary, and we often opt for another way. You’ve invited us to live in loving relationship with everyone we encounter, but there are folk who are downright hard to love. We confess our inability to love as we should. We need your forgiveness and help living out this love thing. Free us to love as you do. Amen.

Written by Lillian C. Smith, The Africana Worship Book, Year A (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2006), 150.

Benediction

Go to celebrate the God who is our home forever.
God’s love goes with us!
Go to follow Christ’s example in loving God, self, and neighbor.
God’s love goes with us!
Go with the Holy Spirit to change the world with love.
God’s love goes with us!

Written by Laura Jaquith Bartlett. Posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website. Reposted on the re:Worship blog, https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/10/benediction-proper-25a.html.