Tell in the Light

Call to Worship

People of God, tell it!
We are not alone! We are children of God!

People of Christ, tell it!
The Light has come in love and truth, teaching us to live in the Light.

People of the Spirit, tell it!
The Spirit of truth reveals hidden things, offering healing through honest confession.

People of God, tell it!
We are not alone! We are children of God! Amen.

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

Prayers of the People

Loving God,

You tell us it is enough for us to be like you. Yet we are overwhelmed and discouraged by the injustice that surrounds us and our seeming inability to do anything about it. How are we supposed to be like you, all-powerful God, when we feel so powerless?

God, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

You tell us not to fear those who can kill the body but not the soul. Yet the violence in the world threatens to deaden our hearts, and that scares us. How are we supposed to resist fear when threats seem to abound on all sides?

God, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

You tell us we are of more value than sparrows. Yet we notice so many in our neighborhoods and our world who are treated as less than human, even less than a sparrow. How are we supposed to restore dignity to all those whom the world has devalued?

God, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

You tell us to tell in the light what we receive in the dark, to shout from the rooftops what is whispered in secret. In the face of the world’s suffering, violence, and despair, whisper in our hearts that we learn to grow as your disciples who declare in the light the love and goodness of God with our voices and our lives. Amen.

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

Prayer of Confession

God of Justice and Mercy, we know that we have fallen silent when we should have spoken up. We have ignored the cries of the innocent and joined the crowds in calls of judgment. We have mistaken justice for revenge and have sought punishment to ease our pain. Forgive us, God, for not seeing our own faults, our own sins, and for not holding ourselves responsible for our inaction and injustice. Restore us, God, to the ways Jesus taught us, to drop our stones and instead seek forgiveness and restoration. Call us into the paths of love and reconciliation, knowing Your mercy extends to all of us, Your grace is a gift, and there is nothing we can do to deserve or earn it. Guide us into living into Your forgiveness, peace and reconciliation, in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

God has opened our ears and our hearts to know God’s love and forgiveness. There is nothing we need to do other than love one another and love God, for all things come from God’s love. Go forth knowing You have been forgiven and You are restored to God. Live in the way of Christ. Amen.

Written by Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, http://rev-o-lution.org. Reposted on https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=400.

Benediction

People of God, go and tell it! When it’s hard, when it’s joyous, when it’s inconvenient, when it’s healing—go tell the good news of the Light in the light. And remember that you do not go alone. We are children of God! Thanks be to God. Amen.

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