Author: Steve

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                   Chapter 1

1.1-2
From Paul, sent by Jesus Christ, according to God’s pleasure;
to the saints in Ephesus, who are faithful to Jesus:
grace to you and peace, from God our Life-Giver
and from the Beloved, Jesus Christ.

1.3-7
God is a blessing!
God birthed real love among us in Christ, the Beloved,
and gave us every spiritual blessing, making this life heavenly.
God intended this blessing for us before Creation,
and from the beginning has always seen us as holy
and considered us to be blameless.
It was God’s deep delight to choose to claim us
as God’s own children in Christ Jesus.
In this self-giving love, so generously lavished on us,
we are redeemed, and all our wrongs are forgiven.
Stop and wonder at this grace, and give thanks!

1.8-12
May God give you the wisdom and wonder
to appreciate the mystery of God’s pleasure,
God’s design for all Creation,
which is to always be gathering everything,
seen and unseen, into the body of love.
This is our destiny, God’s will, which is always fulfilled:
that we, who began by hoping in the Love that Fills the World,
would ourselves live lives that radiate that love.

1.13-14
When you first heard this wonder—
the good news of your life made whole in Christ—
and you entrusted yourself to it, the Holy Spirit changed you.
So now you know that God’s hopes for you will be fulfilled,
since you have already been turned into holy people.
You belong to God.
You are God’s “Alleluia!”

15-16
Friends, I have heard of your deep trust in Jesus,
the Beloved, the Anointed of God,
and of your love for all the saints,
so I never cease giving thanks for you
as I remember you in my prayers.

1.17-23
I pray that God—
the God the Beloved, Jesus Christ, showed us,
God our beautiful Life-Giver—
may give you a spirit of mindfulness and wisdom
as you deepen your openness to God,
so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened,
you will have the hope God has for you.
May you live in wonder and trust
of the gifts we all receive as God’s Beloved.
May you feel in your bones
the immeasurable greatness
of the power of love when we trust it.
This is God’s power in us.
Love is the power that raised Christ from the dead,
the power that orders the universe,
the power above all human systems,
every rule and authority and dominion,
and above every seen or unseen power,
force or value you could imagine.
God subjects everything to love.
And we—we are the embodiment of that love,
which conquers everything, and fills everything,
and completes everything.
We are the body,
and Love is what makes us alive.

                   2

2. 1-10      version A

Once you were drowning in a chaos of fear and desire
that sucked all the life out of you.
You were tyrannized by voices outside of you,
enslaved by the Prince of Expectations,
indebted to The Corporation,
obediently oblivious.
All of us have been there,
slaves to our ego’s fearful desires,
children of anxiety, shards of ourselves,
desperate for our own lives.
But the Loving One, who is pure tenderness,
with this huge, heartbreaking love
gets beneath us in our mass graves
and rises to life in us,
and pushes us out and makes us alive,
arm in arm with Christ,
restoring our belonging at the heart of life
us as part of God’s great, holy presence on earth.
By pure gift—no reason but love!—you’ve been salvaged,
pulled right out of the wreckage of your life.

God’s gentle kindness—you get a taste of it in Jesus—
blossoms within us with blessings beyond our knowing,
blessings that outlast everything you see.
God has saved your life—trust it.
And be grateful, not smug:
this is not your doing, but God’s.
It’s pure gift, unconditional and absolute;
nothing you do can influence it.

God created you good, and nothing can undo that.
You are part of God’s love made real in this life:
that’s your true self.
Who you are, and the reason you exist,
is beautiful love.

2.1-10        version B

You used to be dead.
You were trapped in life-stealing ways:
under the sway of this world
you thought you could force your way,
write your own cosmic laws.
We all do it.
We act like little self-contained body-pods,
slaves to our ego’s fearful desires,
children of fear and despair. All of us.

But God, overflowing with mercy,
loves us with this huge, heartbreaking love.
Even when we drive our life into a fatal crash
God makes us alive,
raising us up out of the grave
arm in arm with Christ.

You’ve been saved, kid: pulled right out
of the wreckage of your life.
God raises us up and sets us gently
right next to Christ,
at the center of Life, in God’s heart.
Only afterwards will we begin to see
just how immensely deep God’s grace is,
in showing us such kindness in Christ Jesus.

You have been rescued by God’s grace.
Just trust this.
This is not your own doing;
it’s totally a gift from God.
It’s not anything you can influence.
Nobody can claim that.
There’s no such thing as a self-made person:
we are what God made us,
which is God’s Beloved,
created for the purpose of goodness.
This is your destiny, your identity,
your whole life.
Get used to it.


2.11-22
You have been treated like an Outsider
by people who thought of themselves as Insiders—
though that was nothing but human discrimination.
You know what it’s like to feel distant from God,
aliens to the community of the Beloved,
with no confidence that God is there for you—
nothing to root your hope in.
But Jesus has no Outsiders:
in Christ’s self-giving love we’re all brought in.
Christ is our peace.
In the embodiment of God’s love
both “insiders” and “outsiders” are in.
Christ has broken down the diving wall between us,
the cruel illusion that we are different.
Love has no requirements, no merit, no deserving,
so there aren’t different categories—just the beloved.

Christ’s self-giving love, that we see on the cross,
isn’t just for some people,
but for everybody, all of us together,
reconciling us all to God and making us all one Body.
What died on the cross was the notion
that some people are better than others.
Love establishes peace
between those who think they’re insiders and outsiders.
We all breathe the same Spirit that is God.
So you are not strangers or aliens,
but members of the family of the Beloved,
members of the household of God,
which is built on the foundation of ancestors before us
who lived in love and faith,
with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
In Christ we all are joined together in an organic whole,
growing into God’s holy temple, God’s home—
so God lives in us.

           3

3.1-9
That’s why I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus
for the sake of you outsiders.
Surely you have heard about the gift of God’s grace,
the mystery God revealed to me for your sake,
as I have already written briefly.
In reading this you can see
my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which up till now people haven’t seen,
but it has now been revealed by the Spirit
to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

This mystery is this good news
that there are no outsiders or insiders,
but family members,
members together of one body.
What Christ Jesus promises is promised to everybody.
Everybody.
I became a servant of this gospel
by God’s grace working in me,
powerfully, as a gift.
Although I am less than the least of all God’s people,
this grace was given me: to preach to outsiders
the unsearchable riches of Christ,
and to make plain to everyone the unfolding of this mystery,
which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.


3.10-13
God’s intent is that now, through people who live in love,
the manifold wisdom of God should be made known
in the face of “the powers that be” in this world.
This is God’s eternal purpose,
which God accomplished in Christ Jesus, the Beloved.
In Christ,that is, in trust in God’s love,
we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
So don’t lose heart if I suffer for you; you’re worth it.


14-15
For this reason I bow my knees before the Life-Giver,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

16-21
I pray that, by the beauty of God’s love for you
you will be strengthened in your inner being
with power through God’s Spirit,
and that Christ—God’s grace, embodied—
may dwell in your heart;
and that you will trust this,
as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

I pray that with all the faithful
you may have the wonder to behold
the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to God,
who by the power at work within us
is able to accomplish abundantly far more
than all we can ask or imagine,
to God be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

                    4

4.1-6
Therefore, as a prisoner in the Beloved, I beg you:
You have been called to a worthy calling. Live it.
Live with gentleness, and patience, and deep self-giving.
Bear with one another in love.
The Spirit makes us one, in a bond of peace.
Do your best to honor that unity.
There is one body and one Spirit,
one hope we’re given and called to embody,
one Supreme Savior and Guide, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Life-Giver of all,
who is above everything, within everything,
working through everything,

7-10
God, in love, gives each of us gifts,
each in our own way.
So scripture says,“When God ascended on high
God imprisoned oppression itself,
giving gifts to God’s people.”
When it says, “God ascended,” what does it mean
but that God had also descended
into the lower parts of human life?
The God who descended
is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens,
filling all things.

11-16
God gives us gifts, so that some people will organize,
others will bear public witness, others will inspire,
others will teach, or give care to one another.
God gives us these gifts to equip people of love
for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
the body of love in the world
until all of us come to a shared trust in God,
and intimate connection with the Beloved of God—
so we become mature,
and we ourselves become Christ, whole and complete.
We’re no longer immature,
tossed around and blown about by arguments,
by clever, self-justifying ideologies.
Instead, speaking the truth in love,
we grow up in every way
into the One who is the head, into Christ,
from whom the whole body,
joined and knit together by all its connecting ligaments,
as each part is working properly,
promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

17-24
Now this I affirm and insist on in the Beloved:
you must no longer live as the rest of the world lives,
hamstrung by illusion.
Some people have no true discernment,
because they are alienated from the life of God,
comfortable in their delusions and selfishness.
They have lost all sensitivity
and have sold themselves to their own comfort,
greedily willing to practice every kind of injustice.
That is not what you learned in Christ
when you heard about the Beloved
and were taught Jesus’ truth.
You were taught to let go of your former way of life,
your old self, addicted and deluded by false desires,
and to allow your way of thinking to be transformed,
and to receive a new self,
God’s self-expression in you,
devoted to justice and shining with the holiness of truth.

4.25 – 5.2
So. No more lying, No BS.
Let’s all speak the truth,
for we are members of one another.
You may be angry, but do not sin;
work through your anger,
and do not make room for its temptations.
If you’ve been benefiting from what is not yours,
give that up. Make your own contributions.
Make your life of benefit to the poor.
Don’t say things that are false or demeaning,
but only say what is needed,
what builds up the community,
so that what people hear in you is grace.
You have been claimed by the Holy Spirit of God,
set aside for ultimate redemption;
so don’t break the Spirit’s heart with bitterness or resentment.
Don’t speak with unkindness. Don’t be putting others down.
Be kind to people, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
just as God in Christ has forgiven you.


                       5

5.1-2
Be imitators of God, as beloved children,
and live in love, as Christ loved us
in complete self-giving for our sake,
a sweet gift, a devoted offering to God.

5.3-7
Don’t get caught up in things that cheapen life.
You are called to be a blessing.
Avoid abusive, hurtful or demeaning talk.
Instead, convey gratitude.
Idolizing promiscuity, greed, or violence
makes no contribution to the Commonwealth of God.
In the grand scheme of things, God erases it.
Have nothing to do with it.


5. 8-14
Once you were darkness,
but now in Christ you are light.
So live as children of light—
for light produces what is good and right and true.
Try to discern what is pleasing to God.
Make no peace with injustice,
but instead expose it.
When people hide what they’re actually doing
it’s because they’re ashamed.
But everything exposed by the light
becomes visible,
and everything that becomes visible is light.
So it is written,
“Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead,
and Christ will be your light.”


5.15-20
Be intentional about how you live;
don’t settle for easy foolishness; practice wisdom.
Use your time wisely, for this time needs it.
Don’t be oblivious: try to discern God’s will.
Don’t fill yourself up with whatever makes you feel good;
that cheapens your life.
Instead, open yourself to be filled with the Spirit.
Let your life be a psalm, a hymn, a love song to God.
Make harmony in it with others.
And with every breath give thanks
to God the Life-Giver; give thanks for everything
in the name of the Beloved, Jesus Christ.

5.21-33
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
If you are in a committed relationship
be subject to your partner as you are to the Beloved.
For you belong to your partner, just as Christ belongs to us—
as well as being our Savior.
Just as we humbly serve Christ,
we ought to humbly serve our partners.
So love your partner, just as Christ loved us
and gave his life for us to make us holy.
We are washed clean by the water of God’s Word of love:
to God we are beautiful, like a child fresh from the bath,
without any dirt or wrinkle, holy and perfect.
Love your partner with that delight.
Love your partner as you do your own body—
since love of your partner is love of yourself.
If you’re healthy you care for your own body;
you aren’t mean to it;
you tenderly care for it and nourish it—
just as Christ does for us, because we are members of Christ’s body.
You know how you leave your parents and join with a partner,
and the two of you become one flesh.
Isn’t this a beautiful mystery?
This is Christ’s relationship with the church!
And it’s your relationship with your partner.
Love your partner as yourself, and respect them.


                            6

6.1-9
Children, obey your parents in the spirit of Jesus;
this is now harmony comes about.
“Honor your father and mother” —
this is the first commandment with a promise:
“so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
And, parents, don’t pick on your kids.
Bring them up in the discipline and teaching of the Beloved.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling,
with the will only to bless, as you obey Christ;
not only while being watched, and in order to please them,
but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Render service with enthusiasm,
as if serving the Beloved, not other poeple,
knowing that whatever good we do,
we will receive the same again from the Beloved,
whether we are slaves or free.
And, masters, do the same to your slaves.
Stop threatening them,
after all, both of you have the same Master in heaven,
who loves everybody infinitely.

6.10-18
So. Be strong in the Beloved.
Let God’s power be your strength.
Put on the whole armor of God,
so that you will be able to stand
against the powers of injustice,
and against the power of your own selfish desires.
For our struggle is not against other people,
but against the influence of evil,
against habits and assumptions and power dynamics
that sustain injustice.
You’ll need the whole armor of God
to be able to resist evil and stand firm.

So stand firm!
For a belt that holds your outfit together, wear truth.
For a breastplate, use faithfulness.
For shoes for your feet, put on whatever will make you ready
to proclaim the good news of peace.
For a shield carry trust in God, which will protect you
from all the flaming arrows of fear and selfishness.
For a helmet wear God’s love for you.
Instead of a sword carry the Spirit, and the Word of God.
The Spirit is in you; be mindful of this all the time:
let it guide your prayer, and turn you toward God.
Keep alert. Persist in praying for all who join in God’s work


19-20
And pray for me, so that when I speak
God’s love comes through loud and clear.
This is the cause for which I’m wiling to suffer.
Pray that I may embody it boldly, and speak it clearly—
because I have to!


21-22

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing,
Tychicus will tell you everything.
He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Beloved.
I am sending him to you for this very purpose,
to let you know how we are,
and to encourage your hearts.

23-24
Peace be to all of you as a community.
May love be yours, and faith,
from God the Life-Giver
and the Beloved Jesus Christ.
Grace be with all who have an undying love
for the Beloved, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

_________________

Matthew 5.3-12

[Download this here.]

Ten Versions

  

                  Given everything

Blessed are you who are depleted, who have nothing,
           for God will give you everything.

Blessed are you who are broken-hearted,
            for in through those cracks seeps God.

Blessed are you who have no power in this world,
            for God has power in you.

Blessed are you who despair of justice ever coming,
            for justice will come.

Blessed are you who offer grace,
            for you will live in grace.

Blessed are you who live by love alone,
            for you will meet God.

Blessed are you who bring about healing,
            for the name of God will shine in you.

Blessed are you when the world is against you,
            for God is for you, so deeply for you.

________________

               My whole world


Blessed are you who don’t have it:
            I give you my whole world.

Blessed are you who are broken:
            I hold you close.

Blessed you who are gentle:
            my love in you will conquer the world.

Blessed are you who yearn deeply for more:
            here it is.

Blessed are you who practice mercy:
            my mercy flows through you.

Blessed are you who love no matter what:
            you will always know my presence.

Blessed are you who do not pass hurt on to others:
            beloved child, that’s when you are most like me.

Blessed are you whom the world scorns:
            I am right there with you.

_______________

                     In God’s hands

Blessed are you who are empty handed;
            you are in God’s hands.

Blessed are you who are brokenhearted;
            your broken heart is God’s.

Blessed are you who are powerless;
            love’s power will never fail you.

Blessed are you who wish you were closer to God;
            your wishing is God in you.

Blessed are you who are kind;
            the universe will be kind to your soul.

Blessed are you who seek Oneness;
            you are One.

Blessed are you who stand with the poor
            that is where God is standing.

Blessed are you who are wounded
            when you stand for justice;
you are embraced, you are enfolded,
            you stand among the great.

________________


                       God lives in you

Blessed are you when you feel you have nothing to offer,
            for God lives in you.

Blessed are you who grieve for this world,
            for you shall be comforted.

Blessed you who are gentle in the face of brutality,
            for the universe welcomes you.

Blessed are you who long for a culture of peace
            for you shall be satisfied.

Blessed are you who seek healing, not revenge,
            for you shall be healed.

Blessed are you who desire only blessing for all,
            for you shall see God.

Blessed are you who work for the healing of the world,
            for you shall be called children of God.

Blessed are you who meet opposition
            in working for peace and justice,
            for yours is the realm of heaven.
Blessed are you when people dismiss and defame you.
            Rejoice, and be glad:
            great is your reward in the heart of all things,
for in just this way
           they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

___________________


                      True power

Blessed are you who are powerless
            for love is a true power.

Blessed are you who are depressed,
            for the Beloved holds you.

Blessed are you who are scorned,
            for God preserves your dignity.

Blessed are you who weep for justice
            for God will establish it.

Blessed are you who love in the face of hate,
            for you are vessels of God.

Blessed are you who look for God in unlikely places,
            for you will see God.

Blessed are you who are a healing presence,
            for you shall be healed.

Blessed are you when people try to silence you;
            you are in the company of saints and prophets.
Blessed are you no matter what,
            for grace will never be denied you—never

_________________


                    God in them

Blessed are the lives that are all messed up,
            for God is in them.

Blessed are the losers
            for they are receivers.

Blessed are the gentle,
            for they have the power of God.

Blessed are those who do not believe,
            for God believes in them.

Blessed are those who appear worthless,
            for they are not.

Blessed are the ugly,
            for they will be called Beautiful.

Blessed are the wounded,

            for God’s miracles unfold in them.

Blessed are those who are judged and condemned,
            for they are not judged or condemned.

Blessed are you when you have nothing to say,
            for you are a love note from God.

Blessed are you when you fail,
            for God does not fail you,
            nor fail in you,
            but shines with glory and delight.


_________________


                     Given more

Blessed are they who have been robbed of everything,
            for they will be given more.

Blessed are they who are heartbroken,
            for it is they who know joy.

Blessed are they who are silenced,
            for God is among them.

Blessed are they who stand alone,
            for they are not alone.

Blessed are the queer,
            for theirs is the image of God.

Blessed are they who listen,
            for they shall hear God.

Blessed are they who love without judging,
            for they are children of God.

Blessed are the truth-tellers,
            for their voices shall ring out forever.

Blessed are they who long for justice and cry out,
            for they shall prevail until the end of time.

Blessed are you when people revile you
            and persecute you and say
            all manner of evil against you,
for so people project their inner demons
            on all who are vulnerable.
Do not return their hatred,
            but meet them with love,
            for love alone changes the world.

_______________


                   In the Realm of God

Treasured are they who aren’t good enough.
            They live in the Realm of God.

Happy are those who know deep sorrow,
            for they know deep joy.

Lucky are those who are powerless,
            for the world will be given to them.

Beloved are they who hunger and thirst
            for God alone shall fill their lives.

Blessed are they who are gentle,
            for they will always have a soft place to land.

Gifted are they who are transparent to love,
            for they will see God in every moment.

Treasured are they who bring reconciliation.
            They are children of God.

Warmly embraced are those who suffer in order to love.
            They live in the heart of God.

______________


               Belonging in God

Blessed are they who don’t fit in,
            for they shall find belonging in God.

Blessed are they who have lost much
            for they shall be given joy.

Blessed are those who have been silenced
            for God sings in harmony with them.  

Blessed are they who have been shamed
            for their glory shines like the noonday sun.

Blessed are they who stand firm
            for God will be their firmness.

Blessed are the truthful,
            for they are light in the darkness.

Blessed are they who wonder
            for they shall be called wonderful.

Blessed are they who are afraid
            and yet choose love
            for theirs is the dominion of God.
Blessed are you when the path is frightful
            and you know all manner of fear
           and you choose love anyway.
Blessed are you, and blessed is your place
            in the heart of all things.

________________


             I give you myself

Blessed are you who don’t have it:
            I give you myself.

Blessed are you who are broken:
            I hold you close.

Blessed you who are gentle:
            my love in you will conquer the world.

Blessed are you who yearn deeply for more:
            here it is.

Blessed are you who practice mercy:
            my mercy flows through you.

Blessed are you who love no matter what:
            you will always know my presence.

Blessed are you who do not pass hurt on to others:
            beloved child, that’s when you are most like me.

Blessed are you whom the world scorns:
            I am right there with you.

___________________________________

Meditations

Praying the Beatitudes

         
You comfort me and snuggle me at first,
your blessings like a warm embrace,
a womb of sorts,
assurance of your peace and consolation
in poverty and mourning,
in hunger and powerlessness.
And then you stand me up
and put a hand on my back,
expecting purity of heart,
still hungering for justice.
And you usher me out the door
to be merciful among the unmerciful,
a peacemaker amidst violence,
knowing it gets worse,
accepting persecution.
This is what it is, this birthing,
to do justice, love mercy
and walk humbly with you,
out of the softness into the street,
all the while trusting you
and thanking you for your blessing,
your blessing,
your blessing.

Blessed

When you have nothing
           then God fills your life.

When you are powerless
           here is nothing but the infinite power of God.

When you are stripped naked
           you are clothed in the glory God gave you.

It is in darkness and chaos
            that God creates.

When you are on the cross,
            you are where God saves;
when you are in the grave,
            you are where God raises us up.

When you are weak and discouraged,
alone and hurting,
in that lowest place,
            you are in the very place where Christ comes:
            you are accompanied;
            you are blessed.

What we most fear is all we desire:
            to lose everything,
            falling in love until all we have is love
            and the Beloved.

Empty your life
            and all will be God.

_____________

All but you

God, I let go of all but you.
            Help me let go of all but you.

I trust your grace alone,
             not wealth, power or happiness,
to give me life, to hold me with love,
            to bless me.

I let go of all but you.
             Help me let go of all but you.

Give me grace to trust you,
            deeply, freely, wholly.

Give me eyes to see your blessing
            that stands like a rock
            in the winds of circumstance,
that pours like sunlight
            no matter my deserving.

I let go of all but you.
            Help me let go of all but you.

___________________

I will stand

Beloved, by your grace
I willingly accept my poverty of spirit;
            for you bless me with your Realm of love.

I honestly mourn,
            for you bless me with your comfort.

I will be gentle,
            for you bless me with the gift of the earth.

I continue to hunger and thirst for you,
            for you fill me with yourself.

I will show mercy,
            for you shower me with mercy.

I seek to be pure in heart,
            that I may see you.

I will be your peacemaker,
            for I am your child.

I will accept persecution
            for you bless me with your Realm of grace.

I gladly accept that justice and peacemaking
            attract persecution and resistance,
            for so people treat all those
            who do justice, who love kindness,
            who walk humbly with you.

In my poverty I will stand unbowed,
            for in your grace you bless me.

_____________________


Unburdened

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they
who are not burdened by the past,
who do not posses a future,
who do not carry either
the riches of this world around with them,
nor the riches of a world they wish for,
impoverished of all that they want,
and even of wanting,

but who simply receive the present moment
as it is
as a gift.

of their own making,
but in the realm of heaven,
a world granted purely by God.

___________________


Poor in Spirit

Eternal God,
humbly confess my riches,
illusory as they are,
to which I cling:
that I am right,
that I am acceptable, or ought to be,
that I have reason to be beloved,
or to be abandoned.
I have hoarded worthiness
and unworthiness.
I have kept account.

I am sorry, and I renounce
my whole account,
and all to which I cling.
I repent of the wealth
of what I think and what I fear
and what I want.

O I am truly poor; I have nothing
but this one breath, and its release,
and my openness to you.

Bereft as air, I await
the song of your grace
to fill me, bless me, redeem me.

Keep me free,
and sustain my blessed poverty,
an open hand,
reaching out in this present moment,
to your open hand.
Amen


_________________

Blessed

Your blessing does not come from this world,
it comes from God.
It is not even visible, but is within:
the Heart of All Things embracing your Heart.
You are free to believe this. What stops you?

Your Blessedness has nothing to do
with whether you are happy or sad, rich or poor.
It is your belovedness.
It is a gift, not a wage.
It is a mystery. It is not a result.

Suffering and difficulty
may happen to you like weather.
You may wear comfort or success
like a garment.
But your Blessedness is who you are.

You can’t prove it.
Don’t measure anything.
Don’t look for God’s love to come
in the form of something else.
Simply trust that you are Blessed.

__________________

Blessed are you

Blessed are you, children of Aleppo, Ferguson, Standing Rock,
            prisoners, immigrants and bullied queers,
blessed are you, welfare mothers, discouraged rednecks,
            depressed teens, bipolar and suicidal,
blessed are you, unarmed young black men,
            women bearing memories of abuse.

Blessed are you who are discouraged or afraid or doubting,
            and you, the forgotten who are no one at all,
you are blessed because God blesses you.
            Don’t let your circumstances tell you otherwise.

Blessed are you, for God gives the Realm to you;
            gives it readily to all whose hands are empty;
not to the powerful—they’ve already gained what they sought.
            Those whose hands are full can’t receive.

Blessed are you, for you are God’s saints,
            made beloved by God’s love, not ours,
made holy by God’s grace, not your accomplishments,
            made sacred by your being, not your experience.
Blessed are you, and woe to us who do not see it
            and bow down in humble amazement.
Woe to us who do not empty our hands
            and receive the infinite gift.

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: Eternal God, whose breath is the universe, whose Word is the world—
All: amazed, we praise you.
Creating God, who with delight and play, with wisdom and beauty
fashions every creature—
in love, we thank you.
Loving God, you weave us into the great web of life,
which is our shared home, our common body, our one belonging.
Grateful, we worship you.

2.
Leader: ”The heavens are telling your glory, God;
and the firmament proclaims your handiwork.
All: Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares your Word.”
The stars have lit their candles
The dawn puts on its robe and begins the procession.
The great organ of the wind and the choir of the sea sea lift up their music.
The trees and mountains stand in awe of you.
The whales and the meadowlarks sing their praise.
The rivers flow with their offerings.
And even the continents, ever so, slowly, dance with joy.
And we, your creatures, gather with all our sibling creatures
to glorify you, to hear your Word., and to worship. Alleluia!

3.
Leader: The land holds us.
All: Sky breathes in us.
Trees stand around us alike ancestors.
Birds sing to us like friends.
Rivers flow with tears of joy.
Living beings feed us and walk with us.
In the end the earth receives us.
All Creation is God’s love poured out;
we receive it with joy, care for it with gratitude,
and in unity with all Creation we worship God. Alleluia!.

4.
Leader: Creator of the universe, you have made us, and we are in awe!
All: You have saved us and we are grateful!
You inspire us and we are full of your love.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

5.
Leader: Creating God, the rising sun proclaims your goodness.
All: The flowing river speaks of your grace.
The fruit of the earth feeds us with your love.
We worship you with humble gratitude.
Bless us that we may live in harmony with all living beings,
as members of the Body of Christ, one in your Holy Spirit,
to your glory and delight. Amen.

6.
Leader: Eternal God, maker of all things, all Creation dances before you.
All: The stars and planets circle in joy and wonder.
The seas wave and clap their hands.
The trees sway to the music of your wind.
Every living thing is a song of praise to you.
And our hearts sing with thanksgiving.
Alleluia! We worship you with joy and reverence. Alleluia!

7.
Leader: Creator, O Mystery, Our Source, we praise you.
All: You have made one great Creation and we are part of it.
The harmony of all living things, woven together, is the hymn of your praise.
Our oneness is your will. Our belonging is our inheritance.
With stars and microbes, ocean currents and nerve fibers, we are one.
We dwell in the ecosystem of heaven.
We are your microbiome, O God.
We who have thought ourselves separate return.
We who have acted as if we are alone, rejoin you.
We worship you as the Body of Christ.
May our harmony with you, with one another and with all Creation
be our praise and our worship. Amen.

8.
Leader: All of Creation surrounds us, the great Circle of Life.
All: We are a part of the circle. We give thanks to you, O God our Creator!
God has blessed us with all living things, and with the gift of love.
Christ, our Teacher, lead us in the path of love, the Way of Life.
Every living thing bears glory to God.
Come, Holy Spirit, and fill us with your grace,
that we may bear fruit and give glory to God,
in our worship now, and in all of our lives. Alleluia!

Prayers

1.
Eternal God, in the beginning was the Word, and all things were created in the Word. All Creation is your Word made flesh. Speak your Word to us now, that our flesh may become your Word. We open our hearts to your presence and your grace. Amen.

2. Leader: Creator God, we celebrate your gift of Earth, your gift of all Creation.
All: We give thanks that you embodied your love in Jesus,
made your compassion real with the dust of the earth,
and so blessed our lives, our breath and our bodies.
Loving Creator, we renew our reverence for your gift.
We look to Earth not as a “resource,” for our use, but a temple of your presence,
a living being that we are part of and in relationship with.
God, we, praise you; we confess our self-centeredness.
We open our hearts to your Spirit, that we may love as you have loved us.

3.
God, you spun the stars out of the Word, you molded planets with your hands, you brought forth green living things with your breath and birthed every creature with love. The winds praise you, the mountains stand in awe, and the birds sing hymns of gratitude. We share the thanks of the waving grasses, the joy of the leaping dolphins, and the reverence of the seas. We belong to your Creation; may we honor your work, live peaceably with all living things, and work for the healing of the wounds of the earth. Amen.

4.
Creator God, we are grateful to be a part of your Creation. We give thanks for the gift of life around us, and we open our hearts to your gift within us as well. Speak your creating word to us, that re-weaves us in the web of life, that we may bear fruit, fruit that gives life, in the name of Christ. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

1.
Creator God, we confess we have not honored your Creation;
we have not loved it as you have loved us.
We have thought ourselves separate, not part of your Creation.
Forgive our ignorance and arrogance,
our greed and destructiveness.
Bring us again into the oneness of your Creation;
forgive us, heal our fears and transform our desires,
and shepherd us to be good stewards
of the gift of life.

2.
God of love, we are a broken people.

The fabric of life is tattered in our hands;

the web is torn.

Even as we wound the earth
we dream of its wholeness.

Even as we deplete Creation
we marvel at its abundance.

Even as we separate ourselves
from the natural world

we long to rejoin it,
 to reclaim our sacred belonging
 in the Body of Christ.

We have starved ourselves of your grace, O God.

Though we have tuned away, forgive us.

Heal us and renew us.

Deepen our hunger for unity.

Renew in us the gift of your Spirit

that we may truly be branches of one vine,

all Creation, bearing the fruit of your love.

Amen
.

Response
Leader: People of God, children of the earth,

know that the God of Life forgives all our sin,

and heals our brokenness.

As the earth receives us at our death,

God receives us and includes us. 

As spring renews the face of the earth,

God renews the Holy Spirit in us,

that we may have life, and have it abundantly,

in the great ecology of grace.

By the grace of God, in the name of Christ,

the oneness and the blessing and the beauty of all Creation
are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Readings

1. [from Psalm 104, paraphrased]

Sung Response: Praise be to God, the Almighty, who rules in Creation.

Bless the Holy One, O my soul.
          O Holy One, my God, you are great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
           wrapped in light as your robe.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent;
           You make the winds your messengers,
           fire and flame your ministers.
You set the earth on its foundations,
           and dress it with oceans and land .
You make the springs bubble forth in the valleys;
           they flow between the hills,
           giving drink to every wild animal.
By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation;
           they sing among the branches.          R

You cause the grass to grow for the cattle
           and plants for people to use,
to bring forth food from the earth,
           and wine to gladden the heart.
oil to make the face shine,
           and bread to strengthen the human heart.
The trees of God are watered abundantly;
           in them the birds build their nests.
O God, how wonderful is your working!
           In wisdom you create this whole miracle.
Every living being looks to you to give them their food in due season;
           when you open your hand they are filled with good things.
When you take away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
           when you send forth your spirit they are created,
           and you renew the face of the ground.
May your glory, O God, endure forever.
           I will sing to God as long as live.
           I will sing praise to God while I have being.      R

2. [From Psalm 148]
Praise God! Praise the Holy One from the heavens;
       praise God in the heights!
Praise God, sun and moon;
       praise God, all you shining stars!
Let them praise the name of the Creator,
       who commanded and they were created.
Praise the Eternal One from the earth,
       you sea creatures and all deeps!
Fire and hail, snow and frost,
       stormy wind fulfilling God’s command!
Mountains and all hills,
       fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle,
       creeping things and flying birds!
Rulers of the earth and all peoples!
       People of every gender, age and race together!
Let them praise the name of the Loving One,
       for God’s name alone is exalted.
God’s glory is throughout earth and heaven.
       Praise God!

Response / Creed / Affirmation

1.
       We believe in God, Creator of all, who is creating even now, bringing all things into existence, whose Word is made flesh in all Creation, whose presence is embodied in all living beings.
       We follow Christ, who perfectly embodied God’s love. He taught and healed; he fed the hungry and embraced the outcast. He was at one with all Creation: even the seas upheld
him, and the wind and the waves listened to his voice. He was crucified, but even in death life blessed him: God raised him from the dead, the Ruler of Life.
       We live by the Holy Spirit, the breath of life in us and all creatures: the power to love, to forgive, to create, to give life. We trust in this grace that makes us one with all Creation. And by the power of that Spirit we devote ourselves in covenant faithfulness to humble reverence and grateful service to all Creation, in the name of Christ. Amen.

2.
           We praise you God, for your Creation of all that is, of galaxies and toadstools, of earth and all its wonder and goodness.
           We thank you, O Christ, for you have embodied God’s love among us. You healed people in mind and body; you touched those who were rejected and laid your hands on those who were broken. You fed the hungry with the gifts of the earth. You created a new community that embodied God’s vision of justice. You have shepherded us in green pastures of love, through the deepest valleys, to a place of feasting and hospitality. You laid down your life for us, and God raised you from the dead, redeeming all flesh, making holy all living things.
           We belong to you, Holy Spirit. You make us one Body with one another and with all Creation: one divine, living ecosystem of love. You empower us as stewards of life, to care for Creation, to lead all living things toward wholeness. Holy One, we belong to you; and we give our lives for the sake of life. Amen.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)

An Offering verse (Tune: This Is My Father’s World)

This is your world O God, a gift of love from you.
We pray that we may faithfully serve you in all we do.
Since all we have is yours, and bears deep love from you,
Bless us with care to gladly share your love as you would do.

All Things Bright and Beautiful
[ Words: Refrain and v. 1 Cecil Alexander; vv. 2-4 Steve Garnaas-Holmes]

(Refrain) All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful: the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors, and made their tiny wings.

The animals that guide us and bear our heavy loads
remind us of the God who walks with us on all our roads. (Refrain…)

The creatures who befriend us and love us faithfully
make God’s pure love, that never tests, so clear and plain to see. (Refrain…)

With many kinds of glory, all fish and bugs and birds
call forth our thanks and wonder and praise beyond all words. (Refrain…)



Heavens Are Telling        (Tune: Morning Has Broken)
[Ps. 19.1]

Heavens are telling, galaxies singing,
your Word compelling, “Let there be light.”
All living beings shine with your glory;
all we are seeing is your delight.

God, your love flows in every direction,
filling and blessing every dark place.
Even the shadows shine with your presence,
even the darkness hums with your grace.

Everything moving moves by your Spirit:
flight of the birds and dance of the stars,
migrating whales and flow of the river;
breath of the wind is breath that is ours.

Bless every creature, bright with God’s glory;
bless every feature, fin, fur and wing.
Each is completing God’s wondrous story;
each is God’s greeting; praises they sing.


Join in the Circle     (Tune: Be Thou My Vision)

God, we are one with the water and land,
made from the dust of the earth by your hand:
one in your Spirit that in us all sings,
one with Creation, and all living things.

Giver of Life, God, our Source and our Womb,
in selfish greed we abuse and consume.
Heal us, forgive us, and bring us new birth;
bring us back home to our place in the earth.

Maker, Sustainer and Healer of all,
Servant of Love, may we honor your call:
“Join in the circle, and flourish and live:
take, bless and share, now, this life that I give.”


O Great Creating God     (Tune: This Is My Father’ World)

We sing in awe, O God: each wondrous, living thing,
earth, stars and sun you made as one, and all your praises sing.
O great creating God, creating still, in grace
these gifts you give, and let us live on earth, this holy place.
       
We breathe as one, O God, one Body with all earth,
one flesh, one blood, one common good, one love that gives us birth.
O great creating God, your cry goes out, unheard,
for when we bruise or we misuse your earth, we scorn your Word.
        
We cry in grief, O God. Creation’s wounds we mourn:
by war and greed, disease and need, the web of life is torn.
O great, creating God, forgive our prideful sins
for we have scarred your earth and marred the gift where life begins.
       
We live in hope, O God, and bear your holiness:
in Christ we turn our hearts and learn to heal and serve and bless.
O great creating God, in grace creating still,
may we renew this world with you, in peace with your good will.


The River of God (Original Song)

[A dialogue between cantor/song-leader and congregation]

Cantor:
Praise is due to you, O God, our Beloved.
To you alone we devote our lives.
O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.

Congregation (Refrain):
The river of God is full of water.
Praise to you, O God!

By mighty deeds you deliver us.
You are the hope of all people on earth. …Refrain

Morning and evening resound with joy.
We are silent in awe. —Refrain

You bless the earth and water it,
granting the blessing of bountiful growth. …Refrain

Meadows and wilderness overflow,
wearing their finest in joy. …Refrain

When the depth of our sin overwhelms us,
you forgive all our transgressions.
How blessed we are, O God,
that you hold us near your heart. …Refrain

Preaching Thoughts

Why do we give to the church? Here are some thoughts.
      —Giving is commanded.
      — Giving is a spiritual discipline: we are trying to become more Christlike, which includes becoming more generous. Giving—especially disciplined, regular, committed giving—is like exercising our generosity muscles.
      —It’s not our money. It’s God’s, and we ought to spend it as God would have us spend it.
      — Giving is a way to break our addiction to possessions. An addiction is anything we think we can’t be happy without. People who say they’re not attached to their money actually are attached until they give it away. Otherwise they’re the the alcoholic who says “Oh, I could quit anytime.” Oh, yeah? Well then do. Tithing is a way to break the habit.
      — Giving is a way to be happier. When we claim we can’t give more because we’re worried about our financial state we’re just locking our anxiety in place. When we practice regular stewardship we confront our fear—and live through it— and learn that we’re not so close to the edge of misery after all.
      —Giving also makes us happier because it creates gratitude. We often think that when we receive something, we feel grateful and then we respond with generosity—but it’s the other way around. We receive abundantly all the time, but aren’t always particularly grateful. It turns our gratitude is not just a feeling in response to receiving, but a practice. And the way we practice gratitude is by giving thanks. Giving generates gratitude, which generates more giving, which generates more gratitude, which is way more fun that waiting to feel grateful.
      — Giving is a way to keep our priorities straight. People often say they “wish” they could give more. No, they don’t, or they would., They give as much as they wish. (Pretending to be close to poverty is a ruse. Few people in middle class churches are anywhere near tithing themselves into poverty.) Giving is a way to literally put our money where our mouth is. Even if we have a hard time with it, it’s a practice that shapes us. Our priorities move to match our behavior. “Where your treasure is, there your hearts will be also.”
      — Giving teaches humility. We’re likely to think that our money is best spent the way we want to spend it because we know best, and we are more important than others. Giving our money away helps us practice humility: others’ needs and priorities are just as valid as ours.
      — Giving gets us out of the habit of expecting something for nothing. God’s grace is free. But running a church isn’t. Doing justice isn’t. Healing the neighborhood isn’t. We give simply to bear our fair share of the load.
      — Giving is a way to make the world a better place. Sure, the the church spends money on furnaces and staff salaries. But it also carries out some aspects of healing that no one else does.
      —

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: God of abundance, you provide every good thing!
All: In gratitude we thank you.
Loving Christ, you bear our forgiveness to us with wounded hands and a generous heart.
In gratitude we praise you.
Holy Spirit, you fill us with your love and courage, your deep desire for justice and mercy.
In gratitude we serve you.
In gratitude, with our whole lives, we worship you. Alleluia!

2.

Leader: Creator God, you give us life, and we thank you!
All: Risen Christ, you bless us with your grace, and we praise you!
Holy Spirit, you give us the power to create and to work, to love and to bless.
You have given us such rich and wonderful gifts!
We come to you joyfully, grateful for your generosity
Earth is generous with food and air, with color and beauty.
You are generous with grace and blessing, with love and grace.
Teach us, God, how to be generous.
Tell us again the story of your grace, so that we may become a part of it.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
Gracious God, we empty our hearts out before you. Receive us, and bless us with your Word. Fill us with your grace, that we may perfectly reflect your glory. As the scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed, help us to hear, and to be changed. Amen.

2.
Gracious God, among the ways of the world our hearts have wandered. Bid them come home and be still, now. We rest in the blessing of your grace, upheld by the abundance of your gifts to us. May our hearts be calm, and desire nothing but you. May our appetites be stilled, so that we might see the riches you have given us. May our fears be healed, so that we might trust the grace you offer us. We throw open the windows of our hearts, that the warm light of your Word may flood in and change us. Bless us, God, that as the scriptures are read and your good news proclaimed we may hear with joy what you are saying to us today. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

1.
Gentle God, trusting in your tender mercy, we confess our sin to you with one another.
We confess that we forget you.
We are so concerned for our own comfort that we forget our neighbors.
We are so attached to our own will that we forget yours.
We are so aware of our need, we forget our calling.
We are so pleased with our possessions that we forget that they are yours.
Bring us back to mindfulness, God. Forgive us, and be generous with your grace.
Heal our hearts, restore your Spirit in us, and re-create us in your image.
Awaken us to your gifts in us, that we might live by them with trust and courage.
Lord, have mercy on us, and grant us your peace.

2.
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, we open ourselves in honesty to God.
We confess our sin; we confess our need for God’s grace and mercy.
For letting fear and anger guide us, for all selfish thoughts,
we need your mercy, God, and we pray for your grace. …
For our wounds and weakness, for our sorrow and despair,
we need your mercy, God, and we pray for your grace. …
For our divisions as a nation, for judging and excluding whole groups of people,
we need your mercy, God, and we pray for your grace. …
For those whom we blame and judge, for the sake of their wholeness
we need your mercy, God, and we pray for your grace. …
For hope in the face of despair, for courage in the face of injustice,
we need your mercy, God, and we pray for your grace.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who healed the sick,
who loved the outcast, who forgave the sinner.
Forgive us, God, in your mercy.
Heal us with your grace. Make us whole, Lord. Make us one.

Prayer of Dedication / Sending

Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace, and use them according to your will. Send us into the world to share all that we have, knowing that it is yours, with joyful and trusting generosity, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)

See all songs with “Giving” tag, especially these:

All of the Gifts I Have     (Tune: Fairest Lord Jesus)

All of the gifts I have, all that is within me,
you give to me, O God, with care;
all of my prayers and skills, passions and energies
you grant to me to freely share.

Here are my hopes and dreams, attitudes and deepest loves,
all of the treasure to which I cling.
I will not hold them in, stilling my ardent song,
but serving you I’ll freely sing.

In all I keep or give, may I do my very best
in everything I say and do,
in harmony with you, only to love and bless,
with joy, to serve and honor you.


All That We Hold in Our Hands (Original song)

What do we hold in our hearts?
The hopes of a hungering people,
longing for you, and for bread,
and to truly be free.
What can we do, who are small?
The power is not ours at all:
God, you have hidden such grace
here in our hands.

What do we hold in our hands?
Nothing we have is unworthy.
An everyday gift you can use
in miraculous ways.
All that we hold in our hands
you’ll use if we give it to you.
Use what we hold in our hands
for what you will do.

What do we hold in our hands?
In it you’ve hidden the wondrous,
fishes and loaves you can use
to feed thousands with love.
All that we hold in our hands
we give in the name of your Son:
more than we ask or imagine,
may your will be done.

What do we hold in our hands?
Grace is abundant, not lacking.
Look now and see what we have
and find power and life.
All that we hold in our hands,
all that we have or can do,
all that we are by your grace
we give now to you.

All that we hold in our hands,
all that we have or can do,
all that we are by your grace
we give now to you.


Giving Heart (Tune: The Water is Wide- Gift of Love)

O God of grace, you set us free
and feed us all abundantly,
so help me trust the gifts you give,
with giving heart and hands to live.

Come, Spirit, come, and set me free
from all I cling to fearfully.
Come heal my heart, my fears relieve,
so I may give as I receive.

Your Bread of Life transforms us, Lord,
so we become your living Word.
Our lives no more are ours to hold,
but yours to share with all the world.


The Giving Song (Tune: DOVE OF PEACE — I Come with Joy)

God, send me out into the world to share all I possess.
My generosity shall be the faith that I confess,
the faith that I confess

For you have given me such gifts, grace infinite and deep,
that I can only share them all. There’s nothing I will keep,
there’s nothing I will keep..

And let my giving change me, Lord, to make me more like you:
to let your blessing flow through me, creating me anew,
creating me anew.

My life will not be known by what I have, but how I share,
courageously, with trust in you, with love and joy and care,
with love and joy and care.


God, We Give You All Our Gifts (Tune: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling)

God, we give you all our gifts, for they have come by grace from you.
Take them, bless them, use them for the work that you intend to do.
We are grateful for your blessings, grace you give a million ways.
May our gratitude resound through all our lives with joyous praise.

All that you entrust to us is meant for all the world to share;
we are stewards of your grace to scatter wide your loving care.
All our gifts are yours, not ours, and meant for us to humbly bear
to the world, in trust that in our grateful giving you are there.

Take our treasure, all our earnings, all our silver and our gold;
take in grace the things we cling to, those possessions that we hold.
In our giving may we find release from fear and trust in thee,
love for all, not just ourselves, for all the whole community.

Take our prayers, our loving presence; let compassion be our creed;
help us be there for each other and for those in greater need.
Take our many, varied, gifts, our works and service, God, employ;
let our lives bear witness to your grace, with thanks and boundless joy.


The Harvest of Your Grace [2 Corinthians 9.6-15]

God scatters abroad, and gives to the poor, and fills the hungry with good things.
Alleluia! O God, we rejoice in the harvest of your grace.
How blessed the poor, and all those that mourn. “You do to me as to them.”
Alleluia! We offer our gifts for the harvest of your grace.
Now come to the Feast. Our cups overflow. With grateful hearts we remember.
Alleluia! We come now to work in the harvest of your grace.
God’s grace will abound, in seed and in bread. In joy then sow as you reap.
Alleluia! God, gather from us the harvest of your grace.
You will receive, so that you can give, and yield a harvest of good hearts.
Alleluia! God send us to share in the harvest of your grace.