Anoint us, O God (short)

*Call to Worship responsive

We gather to worship the One whose love knows no bounds.
We gather in unity with friends from other churches.
Anoint us, O God!

But our hearts are heavy. Outside these walls the world is fragmentation and despair.
We call out, “Fix it for us!”
Anoint us, O God!

Places of worship are no longer sanctuaries from violence and xenophobia. Our children practice active shooter drills in their classrooms.
We call out, “Fix it for us!”
Anoint us, O God!

Terrorism. War. Hunger. Poverty. White supremacy. Climate change. Loss of civil discourse. Hatred.
We call out, “Fix it for us!”
Anoint us, O God!

We live in a scary place and time. Closed minds and hardened hearts abound. We, too, are not the people you call us to be.
We call out, “Fix it for us!”
Anoint us, O God!

Moment of Silence.

And you remind us that death and resurrection are the way of creation.
Anoint us with hope, O God! 

You remind us that the path to Easter is through Good Friday.
Anoint us with trust, O God!

You call us to love you whole heartedly, with all our strength and being, and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Mark 12:30-31)
Anoint us with love, O God!

You call us to love faithfully and do justice in our fragmented world. (Micah 6:8)
Anoint us with humility, O God!

Praise be to the One who shows us the way!
Amen.

About Tim Graves

Tim is a runner, a hiker, a devoted husband, a father of two adult children and their spouses, and Granddaddy to four perfect children. Retired from early childhood education and ministry, Tim writes from his home in rural northwest Connecticut or wherever life takes him.