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Hoping and Dreaming with Creation
Service Prayers for Pentecost Sunday 
During The Fifty Great Days of Mission 4/1 Earth
May 19, 2013

Today, Pentecost Sunday, marks the closing of Mission 4/1 Earth during this Easter Season.  It is also the day on which congregations of the United Church of Christ take up their Strengthen the Church collection.  Themes of Creation and Church are woven below.

Dreams and Visions to Build the Church
At the start of the service, distribute rocks of various sizes and shapes to those in the congregation.  Have permanent markers available.   Invite those present to reflect throughout the service on their hope, vision or dream for the future of the Church.  Later in the service, they will be invited to write those dreams on their rocks and build the vision together. 

Readings
Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9  •  Psalm 104:24-34, 35b  •
Romans 8:14-17 or Acts 2:1-21  •  John 14:8-17, (25-27)

Call to Worship
One: 	We are given water
Many: 	To renew our arid paths. 

One: 	We are given fire
Many: 	To ignite our dreams.

One: 	We are given winds
Many: 	To move us towards our visions.

One: 	We are given the earth
Many: 	In which we plant seeds of hope.

All: 	Through the pieces of Creation, we see the steadfast presence of God;
Through the stirring of the Spirit, we no longer stand still.

Prayer of Invocation
All:	Creator God, Divine Artist, 
you have placed climate, plants, seas and mountains 
to be great encouragers in our lives.  
Your Spirit moves seeds to trees, 
bulbs to lilies, 
and clouds to rainbows.  
The air we breathe enlivens us.
The streams we touch awaken us.
May we see Creation as a friend on our journey-  
one who will teach us of your steadfast love.  Amen.

Call to Reconciliation
Quite often, we forget the great connection 
among God, our neighbors, Creation and us.  
Let us take time to reflect on our broken relationships.

Prayer of Reconciliation (Based on Psalm 104)
One: 	Loving God, You make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers,
Many:	And yet we turn our faces from the significance of Creation’s call.

One:	You make the springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,
	giving drink to every wild animal,
Many:	And yet we forget that clean water has become a privilege and not a right.

One:	By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches,
Many:	And yet we have destroyed the homes of your wildlife.

One:	You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, 
and plants for people to use, to bring forth from the earth,
Many:	And yet those who reap our crops are often forgotten.

One:	When You give to them, they gather it up; 
when You open your hand, they are filled with good things.
Many:	And yet we are ungrateful, and close our mouths to praise.

All:	In order for us to live into our dreams, 
we are called to remember that caring for Creation is part of your vision.  
Spirit of wisdom and forgiveness, 
open our hearts to a new way of caring, 
one that remembers Creation as part of God’s family.

Words of Assurance
One:	Like the warm rain that falls in the summertime
or the light snow of winter,
God’s grace is showered upon us,
reminding us that this is the moment to begin again.                   Amen.

Call to Offering
One:	In all of Creation, we see God’s vision for the future.  
The gifts from Creation lead us to build the dreams God.  
With a heart of hope and a soul of gratitude, 
let us share our offerings, 
especially our UCC Strengthen the Church Offering,
to create the Church of today and tomorrow.

Prayer of Thanksgiving
All:	We delight in your Creation, Loving God.  
We rejoice in your hopes, visions and dreams.  
In a spirit of thanksgiving, 
we ask that you give us the courage
to take these talents to build and not bury,
To strengthen your Church in the world.  Amen.

Writing the Dreams, Building the Vision
Invite everyone to write, in a word or two, their dream for the church on the rock they were given at the start of service. Designate a place, preferably outside, where this  structure of rocks will be placed. At this time, those present will walk to this location and create this vision structure, which the leader will then bless: 

Blessing of the Visions
One:	God of time,
Spirit of space,
Bless these visions.
Use these dreams to carry us to tomorrow
Bringing love, grace and joy in your name.  Amen.

Benediction
One:	As we go forward, Spirit of God,
help us to collaborate with Creation responsibly-
to order our lives around a Mission 4/1 Earth:
to give hope to the hopeless,
to stir us from complacency to action,
to create a world and Church that will inspire us,
crafting a new earth that reflects your heaven.               Amen.

Hoping and Dreaming with Creation during the Fifty Days of Mission 4/1 Earth was written by Rev. Michelle L. Torigian, pastor of St. Paul United Church of Christ, Old Blue Rock Road in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Other Mission 4/1 Earth materials may be found at http://www.ucc.org/news/mission-for-one-earth-website.html

4/1 earth logo: globe and leaf

Copyright 2013 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.