Sunday, January 29, 2012
Offered by Calum I. MacLeod, Executive Associate Pastor

What powerful emotions we encounter this day, O God,
as we live into this season of endings and beginnings.
What a complex mix of human feelings
is present in this holy space
as we worship you, O God, who in Christ
is the Alpha and Omega, your very being
our beginning and our end.

With sad hearts we say farewell and
Godspeed to John and Sue,
yet with hearts full of glad thanksgiving
for John’s long and faithful ministry,
preaching, teaching, ministering, leading, inspiring.

Hearts full of glad thanksgiving for their commitment—
to each other, to their family, to the church, the community
and always, always to your gospel, your good news
of God’s love made real in the world in your Son,
Jesus the Christ.

We hear the poet say that
“in my end is my beginning,”
and we pray for good beginnings for John and Sue,
for time for recreation and family,
new challenges and new horizons
and always, always love-centered lives.

What powerful emotions we encounter this day, O God,
as your faithful people gathered in your house.
For this is a time of endings and beginnings for us too.

So draw us in the Spirit’s tether and bind us together,
give us a vision for our future together;
one graced by peace and courage,
holding fast to the good, honoring all of your children,
loving, serving, rejoicing,
working for justice, showing kindness, living humbly.

And in love we join our voices in the prayer Jesus taught his friends to say: Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church