AFFIRMATION OF FAITH December 31, 2006

We believe in God, who promises to be with us always, in all our seasons of life. We believe God wants to fill us with power so we may be witnesses to all the ends of the earth. We believe in the risen Christ, who shows that God's love is stronger than our fears, more enduring than our worries and deeper that our despair. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the hidden power of God, working for good, bringing hope, encouraging justice, building peace, promoting healing, creating joy. We believe God is at work in us and in this community of prayers and doers.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH December 24, 2006

(Apostles Creed)

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH December 17, 2006

(Apostles Creed)

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH December 10, 2006

(Apostles Creed)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH December 03, 2006

(Apostles Creed)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH November 26, 2006

We believe we should take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which we harvest from the land that the LORD our God has given us. We believe we should set it down before the LORD our God and celebrate all the bounty that the LORD our God has given to us. We believe that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. We believe that those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. We believe that he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply our seed for sowing and increase the harvest of our righteousness. We believe that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore we must ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH November 19, 2006

We believe that Jesus came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. We believe that in God's love, where our sin increased, grace abounded all the more. We believe that as we received Christ Jesus the Lord, so we should live in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as we were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. We believe that God is able to provide us with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, we may share abundantly in every good work. We believe that Jesus Christ is the power at work within us able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH November 12 , 2006

We believe that God heard the groaning of the children of Israel, and that God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and God saw the people of Israel and knew their condition.
We believe that the LORD raised up judges for these same people, and that he delivered them from the hand of their enemies, for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning. We believe that God hears us when we say, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?" We believe that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH November 05, 2006

We believe in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who by the Spirit came through the water of human birth to bring grace and truth. We believe we must be born of water and of the Spirit. We believe that in baptism the community celebrates the gift of grace and our birth into life in the Spirit. We believe that Jesus was resurrected and sits on a throne from which runs the river of the water of life. We believe that as Christ was raised by the glory of God, so we, too, can be raised to newness of life. We believe that in baptism the church is saved according to God's mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH October 29 , 2006

We believe in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who by the Spirit came through the water of human birth to bring grace and truth. We believe we must be born of water and of the Spirit. We believe that in baptism the community celebrates the gift of grace and our birth into life in the Spirit. We believe that Jesus was resurrected and sits on a throne from which runs the river of the water of life. We believe that as Christ was raised by the glory of God, so we, too, can be raised to newness of life. We believe that in baptism the church is saved according to God's mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH October 22, 2006

We believe in God, our source of hope. Though our hopes are sometimes fragile and often battered, we cling to God, who points us to the eternal and everlasting. We believe that hope is woven with faith and love to form a tapestry of beauty and possibility. We believe that out of suffering, hope and new life can emerge through the grace of God. We believe Jesus showed us how to live with hope, keeping our eyes on the Creator and letting songs and prayers unite us. We believe the Spirit fills us with power to be witnesses to hope, examples of caring and tellers of good news. We believe the church is a community of hope - all through the week.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH October 15, 2006

We believe in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who by the Spirit came through the water of human birth to bring grace and truth. We believe we must be born of water and of the Spirit. We believe that in baptism the community celebrates the gift of grace and our birth into life in the Spirit. We believe that Jesus was resurrected and sits on a throne from which runs the river of the water of life. We believe that as Christ was raised by the glory of God, so we, too, can be raised to newness of life. We believe that in baptism the church is saved according to God's mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH October 08, 2006

We believe in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who by the Spirit came through the water of human birth to bring grace and truth. We believe we must be born of water and of the Spirit. We believe that in baptism the community celebrates the gift of grace and our birth into life in the Spirit. We believe that Jesus was resurrected and sits on a throne from which runs the river of the water of life. We believe that as Christ was raised by the glory of God, so we, too, can be raised to newness of life. We believe that in baptism the church is saved according to God's mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH October 01, 2006

We believe in God, who blessed water and invited us to enter into the family of God through its healing flow; who saw in the broken bread the possibility of being made whole and who called us to share bread with others so all might be fed; who placed the chalice in our midst and said this is the symbol of serving others, of loving deeply, of being poured out. It is the wine of compassion, the cup of hope. We believe God calls us to welcome all into the redeeming community of love and gives us the bread and cup as signs of the risen Christ, present with us now as friend, guide and comforter. We believe the mystery of God is seen in the common elements of our lives.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH September 24, 2006

We believe that those who feel their spiritual need will be found in heaven. We believe that those who mourn the neglect of God's purposes will know the Messiah's comfort. We believe that those who seek the gentleness and humility of Christ will have a share in his kingdom. We believe that those who seek God's salvation will be saved. We believe that those who offer to others what they themselves have received from God will be doubly blessed. We believe that those who are single-minded will enjoy spiritual fellowship with the Father. We believe that those who seek the reconciliation of the world will show their moral kinship to the God of peace. We believe that those who know the suffering of a servant will be found in heaven.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH September 17, 2006

We believe in God, who blessed water and invited us to enter into the family of God through its healing flow; who saw in the broken bread the possibility of being made whole and who called us to share bread with others so all might be fed; who placed the chalice in our midst and said this is the symbol of serving others, of loving deeply, of being poured out. It is the wine of com-passion, the cup of hope. We believe God calls us to welcome all into the redeeming community of love and gives us the bread and cup as signs of the risen Christ, present with us now as friend, guide and comforter. We believe the mystery of God is seen in the common elements of our lives.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH September 10, 2006

We believe in God, who blessed water and invited us to enter into the family of God through its healing flow; who saw in the broken bread the possibility of being made whole and who called us to share bread with others so all might be fed; who placed the chalice in our midst and said this is the symbol of serving others, of loving deeply, of being poured out. It is the wine of com-passion, the cup of hope. We believe God calls us to welcome all into the redeeming community of love and gives us the bread and cup as signs of the risen Christ, present with us now as friend, guide and comforter. We believe the mystery of God is seen in the common elements of our lives.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH September 03, 2006

We believe in God, who loves us as a parent, searching for us when we are lost, embracing us in our hurt, always looking for any reason to throw a party. We believe in the risen Christ, who gathers all the lost and forgotten into a new community and tells them and us we are all forgiven, blessed and loved. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who empowered the new community of followers
to share bread, tell stories of God's love and turn the world upside down. We are a faith-filled, Spirit-empowered, God-blessed community.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH August 27, 2006

We believe in God, our source of hope. Though our hopes are sometimes fragile and often battered, we cling to God, who points us to the eternal and everlasting. We believe that hope is woven with faith and love to form a tapestry of beauty and possibility. We believe that out of suffering, hope and new life can emerge through the grace of God. We believe Jesus showed us how to live with hope, keeping our eyes on the Creator and letting songs and prayers unite us. We believe the Spirit fills us with power to be witnesses to hope, examples of caring and tellers of good news. We believe the church is a community of hope - all through the week.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH August 20, 2006

We believe God is our shield, who saves the upright in heart. Our hearts shall rejoice in our salvation. We believe God has made a new covenant, as promised by his prophet, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. We believe that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also. We believe that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We believe that, according to the riches of his glory, God will grant that we may be strengthened in our inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith, as we are being rooted and grounded in love.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH August 13, 2006

We believe that Jesus came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. We believe that in God's love, where our sin increased, grace abounded all the more. We believe that as we received Christ Jesus the Lord, so we should live in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as we were
taught, abounding in thanksgiving. We believe that God is able to provide us with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, we may share abundantly in every good work. We believe that Jesus Christ is the power at work within us able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH August 6, 2006

We believe in God, who loves us as a parent, searching for us when we are lost, embracing us in our hurt, always looking for any reason to throw a party. We believe in the risen Christ, who gathers all the lost and forgotten into a new community and tells them and us we are all forgiven, blessed and loved. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who empowered the new community of followers
to share bread, tell stories of God's love and turn the world upside down. We are a faith-filled, Spirit-empowered, God-blessed community.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH July 23, 2006

We believe God is our shield, who saves the upright in heart. Our hearts shall rejoice in our salvation. We believe God has made a new covenant, as promised by his prophet, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. We believe that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also. We believe that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We believe that, according to the riches of his glory, God will grant that we may be strengthened in our inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith, as we are being rooted and grounded in love.

We believe that those who feel their spiritual need will be found in heaven. We believe that those who mourn the neglect of God's purposes will know the Messiah's comfort. We believe that those who seek the gentleness and humility of Christ will have a share in his kingdom. We believe that those who seek God's salvation will be saved. We believe that those who offer to others what they themselves have received from God will be doubly blessed. We believe that those who are single-minded will enjoy spiritual fellowship with the Father. We believe that those who seek the reconciliation of the world will show their moral kinship to the God of peace. We believe that those who know the suffering of a servant will be found in heaven.

We believe we should rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering and persevere in prayer. We believe that the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. We believe we should devote ourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. We believe that we should not worry, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known to God. We believe that if any among us are suffering they should pray, if any are cheerful they should sing songs of praise, and if any among us are sick they should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. We believe we should pray without ceasing, building ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are the light of the world. We believe we should let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. We believe that our love should be genuine. We believe that we should hate what is evil, and that we should hold fast to what is good. We believe that if we live by the Spirit, we should also be guided by the Spirit. We believe we should not become conceited, compete against one another, or envy one another. We believe that we are God's chosen ones. We believe that we should clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We believe that we are called to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..

We believe that we should not envy the violent nor choose any of their ways. We believe that the violent entice their neighbors, and lead them in a way that is not good. We affirm Jesus' words, that we not resist an evildoer, but if anyone strikes us on the right cheek, that we turn the other also. We affirm that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We believe that we are called to speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. We believe we can be angry but not sin; nor should we let the sun go down on our anger. Finally, we affirm, that whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, we will think about these things.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH June 11, 2006

We believe that we are the light of the world. We believe we should let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. We believe that our love should be genuine. We believe that we should hate what is evil, and that we should hold fast to what is good. We believe that if we live by the Spirit, we should also be guided by the Spirit. We believe we should not become conceited, compete against one another, or envy one another. We believe that we are God's chosen ones. We believe that we should clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We believe that we are called to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..

We believe in God the Creator, the risen Christ and ever-present Spirit. We believe God whirled fire and wind into a closed room to stir up the hesitant and cautious disciples. We believe God still stirs things up, turns things upside down, sets people on fire with inspiration and zeal. We believe the Holy Spirit moves unexpectedly, creating opportunity, guiding reconciliation, fostering community. The Holy Spirit will not be housebroken or bound by narrow rules or closed minds or doors. The Holy Spirit is like wind and fire, and we believe the church is most alive when we dare to cooperate with the surprising, creating, loving Spirit of God.

We believe that we are the light of the world. We believe we should let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. We believe that our love should be genuine. We believe that we should hate what is evil, and that we should hold fast to what is good. We believe that if we live by the Spirit, we should also be guided by the Spirit. We believe we should not become conceited, compete against one another, or envy one another. We believe that we are God's chosen ones. We believe that we should clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We believe that we are called to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We believe in God - who brings Easter into our Good Friday worlds, who brings sunshine after rain, hope in the midst of pain and tenderly calls our name. We believe in Jesus Christ - the risen Savior, not locked in some cold-tomb past, but alive and appearing to the women who followed him, the disciple who fled from him, to Paul, who persecuted him, and to us who seek him today. Christ is risen, and we can know that and experience his presence. We believe in the Holy Spirit - the invisible presence of God at work in our world bringing reconciliation instead of hatred, creating communities of support in the face of senseless tragedy. We believe God is at work in the church and in us, creating a center of compassion, a fellowship of forgiveness, a gathering of grace; where joy glistens like dew on spring flowers and love flows like a mighty stream. Alleluia! Amen.

We believe that the man named his wife Eve, Life, because she was the mother of all living things. We believe that we should honor our mothers, "so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." We believe that mothers give us life and pass on to us their life of faith, even as Paul said to Timothy, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you." We believe that God's love for us is like a mother's love, comforting us and giving us life, even as the psalmist says: "O LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me."

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH April 16, 2006

We believe in the risen Christ. Like the disciples who were amazed at what they saw, so are we amazed at what we experience. We see the face of Christ in children's smiles, in the eyes of our families. We hear the voice of Christ in the stillness of a clear night, in the way our friends call our name, in the song that brings tears to our eyes. We know the touch of Christ in every warm embrace. We taste the presence of Christ in bread that is blessed, broken and shared. We feel the power of Christ in standing up to injustice, in reaching out to help another, in building strong communities of welcome and support. We feel the love of Christ when another wipes away our tears, takes us by the hand and leads us through the valleys and shadows to a new place. We believe the risen Christ. We know the risen Christ. We are blessed.

HOLY WEEK PRAYER April 13, 2006 Maundy Thursday

Hold us close, patient God, for we know how hard this week can be. We see our own failures mirrored in the Passion story. We know we betray the trust given to us. We let our children down. We avoid the eyes of the homeless. We treat your creation with indifference and abuse. We deny your love by covering up our talents, hiding behind low self-esteem, looking to others to lead the way. We are frightened by the costliness of following you and fear that we will be found fleeing the scene or joining in with the accusing crowd. Loving God, hold us close so we may move through the shadows, confront the darkness and rejoice in the surprising triumph of your stronger-than-death love. Through Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Prayer of confession April 9, 2006

Awesome and challenging God, hold us close for this moment, so that with your support we might look deep within and let your healing light purify our darkness. Only in your grasp can we face our struggles - our frantic pursuit of busyness; the ease with which we tolerate the troubles and inequities of our divided society; the acceptance of bottom-line thinking as the final word; the fear of differences that keeps us from receiving gifts of others; our reluctance to get involved. Holy and disturbing God, keep us close to the cross and let us experience your transforming love that turned a sorrowful Friday into an Easter hope. Renew our hearts, refashion our lives and revive our spirits. Amen.

Prayer of confession April 2, 2006

Call us forth, O God, to tend the places of beauty long forgotten, to plant gardens in the deserts of hurt, to pick flowers of hope when others see only despair. Take us deep this Lent and let us discover some boldness for action, some rest for our weariness, some healing for our wounds. Let forgiveness flow like a gentle river, and let our tables overflow with bounty and friendship. Let memories linger like fragrant roses and our hearts be connected to the wellspring of your love and grace. God of all life, deepen our walk with you during these days of Lent. Amen.

Prayer of confession March 26, 2006

Awesome and challenging God, hold us close for this moment, so that with your support we might look deep within and let your healing light purify our darkness. Only in your grasp can we face our struggles - our frantic pursuit of busyness; the ease with which we tolerate the troubles and inequities of our divided society; the acceptance of bottom-line thinking as the final word; the fear of differences that keeps us from receiving gifts of others; our reluctance to get involved. Holy and disturbing God, keep us close to the cross and let us experience your transforming love that turned a sorrowful Friday into an Easter hope. Renew our hearts, refashion our lives and revive our spirits. Amen.

Prayer of confession March 19, 2006

Whose words echo in our ears? Are they the words of our consumer culture with catchy jingles and clever rhymes? Are they the words of our past, remembering every put-down, every angry word? Are they the words of our inner doubts where we hear that we will never amount to anything? Holy One, open our ears to your words. Let us find comfort for our need, hope for our future, challenge for our journey. Let us hear blessing and love enough to drown out the cheap temptations. Give us reassuring words to face our fears and follow Christ along the path to Calvary . Amen.

Prayer of confession March 12, 2006

Divine Companion, you meet us every day, in the ordinary moments of encounter, in the common hungers of life. Yet, how often we miss you, failing to look deep enough, failing to stay long enough, failing to hear clear enough. We confess to setting up narrow boundaries, maintaining established prejudices, refusing to shift perceptions and thus miss the new thing you are doing. In this season of Lent, send your living water to wear away our rocklike defenses. Let our thirst for truth take us to the heart of God, to the healing river. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayer of confession March 05, 2006

God of day and God of darkness, all our time belongs to you. Yet how often we fail to notice your nearness, feel your presence, trust your guidance. We desire only good times, happy moments, and miss your work in the shadows. We avoid conflict with others and fear looking deep within ourselves. Sometimes it feels we have no place left to run, no place left to hide. Loving God, hold us during these Lenten days so we can look at ourselves, our relationships, our openness to you. In brightness or darkness, let us always know your healing, freeing, guiding presence. Amen.

AFFIRMATION February 26, 2006

We believe Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?" We believe that the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For ... we proclaim Christ crucified ... Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. Therefore, we affirm our desire to never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to us, and our-selves to the world.

AFFIRMATION February 19, 2006

L: We believe that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles.

6 C: For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

L: We affirm that now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! Therefore we believe we should work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in us, enabling us both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

C: The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all!

L: And so we lift our voices with the great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands, who cry out in a loud voice, saying,

C: "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb! ... Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power [belong] to our God."

AFFIRMATION February 12, 2006

We believe in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who by the Spirit came through the water of human birth to bring grace and truth. We believe we must be born of water and of the Spirit. We believe that in baptism the community celebrates the gift of grace and our birth into life in the Spirit. We believe that Jesus was baptized by John in the water of the Jordan to fulfill all righteousness. We believe the children of Israel crossed into a new land through the waters of the Jordan , cleansed and set apart for service. We believe that in baptism we repent from sin and are washed and set apart in order to proclaim the mighty acts of God. We believe that Jesus Christ was a man who knew the tears of obedience and the sweat of suffering. We believe that following God often means to weep, if only for a time. We believe that in baptism the people of God drink the cup that Jesus drank and are baptized with his baptism. We believe that our Savior died on a cross, water mixed with blood gushing from his side. We believe that in this blood of the new covenant we are called to follow him. We believe that in baptism we are buried with Jesus. We believe that Jesus was resurrected and sits on a throne from which runs the river of the water of life. We believe that as Christ was raised by the glory of God, so we, too, can be raised to newness of life. We believe that in baptism the church is saved according to God's mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

AFFIRMATION February 05, 2006

We believe in God, who loves us as a parent, searching for us when we are lost, embracing us in our hurt, always looking for any reason to throw a party. We believe in the risen Christ, who gathers all the lost and forgotten into a new community and tells them and us we are all forgiven, blessed and loved. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who empowered the new community of followers to share bread, tell stories of God's love and turn the world upside down. We are a faith-filled, Spirit-empowered, God-blessed community.

AFFIRMATION January 29, 2006

We believe that the righteous ones are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. We believe that no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. We believe that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We believe those who abide in Jesus and he in them bear much fruit, because apart from him we can do nothing. We believe the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We believe that through Jesus Christ we are strengthened to continually offer the fruit of lips that confess praise to God. We believe that God is able to provide us with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, we may share abundantly in every good work. We believe that Jesus Christ is the power at work within us to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

INVOCATION January 22, 2006

We believe that they are happy whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. We affirm that the LORD sets the prisoners free; the

LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.

We believe Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." We believe there is one thing we know, that though we were blind, now we see.

INVOCATION January 15, 2006

We believe in God, our source of hope. Though our hopes are sometimes fragile and often battered, we cling to God, who points us to the eternal and everlasting. We believe that hope is woven with faith and love to form a tapestry of beauty and possibility. We believe that out of suffering, hope and new life can emerge through the grace of God. We believe Jesus showed us how to live with hope, keeping our eyes on the Creator and letting songs and prayers unite us. We believe the Spirit fills us with power to be witnesses to hope, examples of caring and tellers of good news. We believe the church is a community of hope all through the week.

INVOCATION January 08, 2006

We believe in God, who promises to be with us always, in all our seasons of life. We believe God wants to fill us with power so we may be witnesses to all the ends of the earth. We believe in the risen Christ, who shows that God's love is stronger than our fears, more enduring than our worries and deeper that our despair. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the hidden power of God, working for good, bringing hope, encouraging justice, building peace, promoting healing, creating joy. We believe God is at work in us and in this community of prayers and doers.

AFFIRMATION January 01. 2006

We believe in a bold God, Creator of splendor, spinning stars into night skies, warming the planet with life-giving sunshine, filling the earth with all creatures great and small. We believe in a big God, Creator of 150 billion galaxies, who is big enough to receive our praise and loving enough to answer our prayer. We believe in the risen Christ, who meets us in the brokenness of life, accompanies us on all our wanderings and forever seeks to welcome us home with open arms. We believe in the Holy Spirit, guide and companion, who fills the church with windy hope and fiery compassion. We believe in the church, where we can taste some of the heavenly banquet and live as a renewed people for the world.