February 14, 2021
CALL TO WORSHIP
Gathering together yet separate we consider this time of worship sacred. We anticipate new wonders each week. For wherever two or three are gathered to worship, a holy spirit is present. Open our eyes to witness the fantastic love and wondrous joy waiting to be revealed, even this day, even in this space. We may want to linger in this gathered space just as Peter, James, and John did on the mountain top, but when we leave today may our hearts be open to all the wonders of God’s beautiful world.
INVOCATION
O Holy One, on mountaintops and valley floors you reveal to us the light of your love. Our hearts desire is to bask in the amazing glory of the divine presence. With each encounter we are changed and transformed. Draw us nearer that we might receive a double portion of your Holy Spirit. Help us, O Holy One, to live our lives as a reflection of divine glory. May we walk among our siblings and friends as a blessing, bearing light into dark places, hope to displace despair, and love that casts out hate. Our world is hurting and we need the followers of Jesus to follow more closely. Maybe then we will hear your voice speaking to us and saying, … “listen to my Child, the Beloved!” Amen.
SCRIPTURE
SERMON
A Love Letter from God
Dear Disciples of Broad Brook Congregational Church,
This is Valentines Day. A day set aside to honor loved ones. The following are my words about my love for you. I created humankind in my image, male and female I created in my image. I blessed you. I saw what I created and declared it good.
I wanted a relationship with humankind so I gave this commandment. I am your God and you shall love me with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words in your heart. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. If you observe these commandments, I will maintain with you the covenant loyalty that I swore to your ancestors; I will love you, and bless you.
When you call to me I will answer you. I will be with you in trouble, and honor you. I am in your midst, I will rejoice over you with gladness. I will renew you in my love. I loved the world so much that I gave my only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.
Nothing can separate you from my love. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate you from my love. My love was poured into your hearts through the Holy Spirit.
Love is patient and kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. Remember faith, hope, and love abide. The greatest of these is love. So make love your aim.
The grace of the Savior, the communion of the Sustainer, and my love be with all of you.
Amen
A Love Letter to God
Dear God,
Holy One we gather this morning to praise you. All the earth makes a joyful noise to you, the Creator of all that is. We come into your presence with hearts full of song and filled with gladness to worship you.You have made us and we are yours; you are the shepherd and we your sheep. We enter your gates with thanksgiving and we bless your holy name; for your steadfast love endures forever.
O God you are faithful in all your words and gracious in all your deeds. You are merciful and slow to anger. You raise up the downtrodden on eagles wings. You are just and full of grace. When we call on you, we know that you are near. You hear our cries and our joys.
We love you, O God, our strength, our rock in whom we take refuge. Your love for us is steadfast.
Let the high praises of you, O God, be in our speaking. God, we want to express our love for you on this Valentines day and all our days. Praise the Lord! We praise you in our worship time this day and at all times in our daily lives. Psalm 150 says to praise you with trumpet sounds, with lute and harp, with tambourine and dance, and with strings and pipe! But we are in this crazy time of the Covid-19 pandemic and we can’t sing or have instruments on this technology called Zoom where we see each other in little squares, each in our own homes. So God please know that we praise you with every breath we take. Every living thing praises you, O God Maker of heaven and earth.
We love you God with all our hearts, and with all our souls and with all our might.
Praise the Lord!
With Love,
Disciples of Broad Brook Congregational Church
Amen.
PASTORAL PRAYER
BENEDICTION
Now may the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” and has shone in our hearts, give us light to bear to the world that all may see and know that God is love. Amen.