Offertory Prayer

Invitation to the Offering
The offering you made last week empowered ministry within our congregation and in response to the needs of our community. It also helped support the work of ministries beyond the local church that reach people who are in desperate need to hear the good news of love and redemption. Ministries that bring medical care to the poor and elderly in our own communities, following in the footsteps of Christ who sought to heal and give hope. I invite you once again to give generously as we worship God through the sharing of our gifts, tithes and offerings.
http://www.umcgiving.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=qwL6KkNWLrH&b=3935565&ct=12937633&notoc=1


June 23, 2013 — Fifth Sunday After Pentecost

God of the universe and God of our hearts, speak to us this morning in our giving with your still, small voice. Remind us who we are; remind us whose we are; remind us why we have chosen to follow your Son Jesus the Christ. As we share in this offering today, remind us that when we feel as if we are the last ones left who have not turned from you, that we are not alone. What we do, and what we give is multiplied with the compassion of others. Keep us faithful in that knowledge. We pray this in the name that is above all others, Jesus the Christ. Amen. (1 Kings 19:1-15a)


Written by Ken Sloan, Director of Stewardship for GBOD. http://www.gbod.org/lead-your-church/offertory-prayers

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Getting righteous, a Reflection on Matthew 5:19-20

Righteousness is not superficial. Righteousness is following the commands of the Lord--not just parading around acting like we are, but really, really following them. Not trying to look better than some other religious person, but to live out their intention.

Thomas Long, in his commentary on Matthew, expresses it this way:
...a righteousness that seeks to be ever expressive of the merciful, forgiving, reconciling will of God that likes at the center of the law.

1 comment:

Unlikely said...

the funny thing about righteousness is when you recognize that you don't have it on your and can't fake it.

Righteousness is Jesus' to give and it's only in turning to him completely that we discover it's really the way we were meant to live. Funny thing is how readily we'll fake it until times really get tough