Note: before using the ‘Digital Manifesto’ in full, consider the congregation. What are local concerns and worries about digital usage? Perhaps a selection from the Manifesto might suffice. Perhaps there are other concerns to be added or inserted. May this act of faith be meaningful. Worship offers us space in which to reflect on our […]
Read full textAffirmation of Faith
O Holy Spirit of Fire — Hildegard, Germany
O Holy Spirit of Fire, life in the life of all life, holy are you, enlivening all thing. Holy are you, a healing balm to the broken. Holy are you, washing blistered wounds O Holy Breath O Fire of Life, O Sweetness in my breast infusing my heart with the fine scent of truth. O […]
Read full textI am who I am, Exodus 3.14 — Ian Smith, UK
Arising from Exodus 3.14 (Year A, Season after Pentecost, Proper 17) I am. I am who I am. There are times when I know who I am. There are times when I don’t know who I am. There are times when I wish I didn’t know who I am. I have a God, who when […]
Read full textTo You — Jim Burklo, USA
with homage to Rumi, the Sufi poet You, the pollen on the bee’s leg That made my flower a pomegranate, You, the haze of yeast on the grapes That made the wine That inebriated Shams of Tabriz, You, who made the clay birds fly, You, who cleansed the soul of ‘I’. You, the reason that […]
Read full textParent, Restorer, Love, affirmation — John van de Laar, South Africa
We believe in the Divine Creator of all that has been made, the Parent of the whole creation. We believe in the Divine Saviour of all that has fallen, the Restorer of our broken world. We believe in the Divine Life of all that lives, the Love that binds all things together in one divine […]
Read full textCreed for Christians — Jim Burklo, USA
God is Love, the cosmic creativity present everywhere and in everything, Gently urging all toward the good. To transcending Love, we raise our awestruck praise! Jesus embodied the Love that is God. He loved the poor, the sick, the outcast, He loved the unpopular, and even his own enemies. He loved so completely, he loved […]
Read full textGod in Solidarity — Anna Blaedel, USA
God in solidarity God takes on flesh and joins life in the struggle – this is what radical solidarity feels like. Lives and souls and bodies entangled. Risks and possibilities shared. We’re in this together. The mess, the beauty, the work. Don’t be afraid to feel hopeful. God’s promises are kept. God won’t opt-out or […]
Read full textWhat we believe, responsive reading — by Jim Burklo, adapted
A Statement of Faith appropriate for Trinity Sunday, or any time. To be read responsively. God is Love. God is the cosmic creativity present everywhere and in everything. God gently urges all toward the good. To transcending Love, we raise our awestruck praise! Jesus embodied the Love that is God. Jesus loved the poor, the […]
Read full textYou could, Easter poem — Sam Goodman, UK
You could have ridden a stallion Up to the city gates Instead you chose a donkey As palm leaves strew your way You could have left the temple With its money making schemes Instead you turned the tables And denounced the den of thieves You could have just had supper And not blessed the bread […]
Read full textBy Faith, a Christmas reflection — Bronwyn Angela White, New Zealand
By faith, Mary let go of fear, and engendered a mothering God. This faith may lead us through labyrinths of doubt, laughing hysterically, shouting in protest, lurching in denial, finally making it to our foundation, our place in the world, our home. By faith, Joseph took comfort from a dream, embracing complex, reconstituted, extended family […]
Read full textVoice, hymn — Sam Goodman
Tune: Hereford A voice for the voiceless A promise of forgiveness A chance to be A people of blessing A call to share love that God richly gives so freely A love that encompasses A world that needs its healing A voice in the darkness To shine a light on visions That show us the […]
Read full textMission Statement — Deptford Church, London, UK
A church’s mission statement can hold words of affirmation, hope and promise. Our mission statements, our statements about who we are, have an important place in our churches, not just posted on the wall or printed on the website, but proclaimed aloud in our worship. Our vision is to have a healthy church […]
Read full textLitany of Love — Zach Ford, UK
‘We stand for…’, a Litany of Love We do not stand against, We stand for: Love, inclusion, life, and dignity, Offering a hand to those in need, Or a shoulder to those who weep. We do not stand against, We stand with: The fearful, the oppressed, The rebels and truth-tellers, Those who take action. We […]
Read full textPatient dawn — Sam Goodman
The next time it gets light I will awake with hope And tonight as it gets dark I will not fear The next time it grows light I will welcome the dawn The next time morning comes I’ll be reborn The next time it grows dark I will not hide away The darkness does not […]
Read full textAdvent affirmation — Bronwyn White, Aotearoa New Zealand
You can make this a litany with the responses in bold italics, and substitute the indigenous, Māori language words with the English translations in square brackets—although you might appreciate the explanation of these concepts in the footnotes. By faith, Mary let go of fear, and engendered a mothering God. This faith may lead us through […]
Read full textAffirmation of Faith for Complex Times – Red Crearte, Argentina
We believe in divine tenderness, which is no stranger to our anxieties, which is generously supportive in Jesus of Nazareth, a tireless walker to the directions that herald Life. We affirm our faith and renew our hopes in times of uncertainty, isolation, sickness and death, because we have heard the proclamation of those who have […]
Read full textAffirmation — Stephen Best, UK
The world is full of good things As well as things which could be better We are full of good things As well as things which could be better Today , whether we feel full of good things Or full of things which could be better God’s open arms Sweep us up again in a […]
Read full textProgressive Christian’s statement of faith — Jim Burklo, USA
I’m a progressive Christian who: keeps the faith and drops the dogma experiences God more than I believe in any definition of God thinks that my faith is about deeds, not creeds takes the Bible seriously because I don’t take it literally thinks spiritual questions are more important than religious answers cares more about […]
Read full textIt’s taken a long time, an affirmation — Jeremy McLeod, USA
Affirmation of faith It’s taken a long time, but I’ve come to trust that God’s Shalom is growing continually, upheld with justice and righteousness right here and right now when we let ourselves breathe into that presence within and around us. Fear and Grief triggered by the often brutal violence of our world need not […]
Read full textPsalm 145, responsive reading — Duncan Wilson, UK
Reading for: Proper 13 (usually 9th Sunday after Pentecost), Year A 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, Year C; Inspired by Psalm 145 part 2 (verses 14-21) You, our God, are gracious and compassionate, long suffering and ever faithful. You are good to all; your compassion rests upon all you have made. You keep faith and […]
Read full textStardust — Lorraine Steel, USA
Genesis 1 is often included in readings for the Easter vigil, Trinity Sunday and Epiphany. As the stars slid down the beams of the universe in it’s beginning, they burned with love…. so much so that some became vulnerable and exploded. Eons later, in free fall toward our planet many of their parts held us […]
Read full textAll one in Christ — United Church of Zambia
One: All one All: in Christ! One: In Christ All: all one! This responsive call-out (or shout-out!) arises during services in the United Church of Zambia. It might be used as a call to worship, after celebrating a communion meal or after a prayer of reconciliation.
Read full textYou could have…, a prayer of thanks — Lawrence Moore, UK
You could have given up on the world, left us God-forsaken, abandoned to darkness and despair. You could have shut your ears to our groaning, your eyes to our bleeding, your heart to our tears. You could have left us to live with our choices, our death-dealing, our cries of ‘Crucify him!’ But you are […]
Read full textWho is like you?, Praise & Thanksgiving — Lawrence Moore, UK
Who is like you, Passionate God? You heard the groans of the slaves in the brick pits of Pharaoh, liberated them, and made them your people. You will not allow our systems of death and greed to have the last word. The slavery of sex-trafficking will not stand against you. Poverty and starvation will be […]
Read full textChildren’s song, God loves me and God loves you — George Stuart, Australia
Tune: Ba Ba Black Sheep Choose which verses are most relevant, omit the others. Arrange them in the sequence most suitable for your purpose. The last two lines of the first verse are the same for all other verses. George suggests: consider teaching the children only two verses and help them to memorise them by […]
Read full textChild of God — Steve Garnaas-Holmes, USA
I am a child of God, God’s beloved, in whom God is pleased. I dwell in the arms of God. You are a child of God, God’s beloved, in whom God is pleased. You dwell in the arms of God. We all are children of God, God’s beloved, in whom God is pleased. We all dwell in […]
Read full textLitany of the Circle — Tom Hanson and Loretta Whalen (adapted)
May be read responsively by many voices or with two voices. One: Every part of this earth is sacred, Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore. Every mist in the dark woods, All: Every clearing and humming insect is holy. One: The rocky crest, the juices of the meadow, the beasts and all the people, […]
Read full textWhat I do and do not believe — A Statement of Faith for a Blue Christmas service — Loren Richmond, USA
Written for a Longest Night (21 December) service in Colorado, USA God is with us in our suffering, loving us, walking with us, comforting us. I do not believe God is the cause or author of such suffering, I do not believe God “allows” bad things to happen. I can’t imagine why God would “allow” […]
Read full textWhat we believe — Center for Spiritual Living, Seattle, Washington USA
Our faith is not a revelation of some particular individual or of any one group. Rather, it is a correlation of the most empowering truths found in religious texts and the discoveries of science. We start with the simple proposition that God, known to many by many names and traditions, is an immediate Presence not […]
Read full textGod is not a she…not a he — Brian Wren
God is not a she, God is not a he, God is not an it or a maybe. God is a moving, loving, doing, knowing, growing mystery. From The Song of Three Children, libretto copyright © Brian Wren, 1986, copied from the article “Taking the Next Step in Inclusive Language” by Pamela Payne Allen which […]
Read full textMothering God — Cara Heafey, UK
Inspired by Julian of Norwich Ready-to-use printable copies: WORD Mothering prayer, Cara Heafey PDF Mothering prayer, Cara Heafey Mothering God, you birthed the universe into being. Home-maker, your creation is habitat and sustenance to all that lives. How costly for you our freedom must be. How painful the separation From the parent who has numbered […]
Read full textWho is God? — Eleanor Hubbard, USA
For Emalyn (a youth being mentored by Eleanor) I see God skiing in the snow-capped mountains. I see God suffering with the ragged guy begging for help. I see God sharing in the worship services at our church. I see God playing in graphic artistry. I see God enjoying diverse cultures: how they live, work, and […]
Read full textCredo for Christians — Jim Burklo, USA
God is Love, the cosmic creativity present everywhere and in everything, Gently urging all toward the good. To transcending Love, we raise our awestruck praise! Jesus embodied the Love that is God. He loved the poor, the sick, the outcast, He loved the unpopular, and even his own enemies. He loved so completely, he loved […]
Read full textPrayer for our magical world — Hartwell Church of Christ, Melbourne, Australia
Our God, The world is more magical, less predictable, more autonomous, less controllable, more varied, less simple, more infinite, less knowable, more wonderfully troubling than we could have imagined being able to tolerate when we were young. More surprising, able to operate without us adaptive, resistant robust fragile complex and into this environment, we are. […]
Read full textLife’s connecting strands — Liz Grant, Salisbury, United Kingdom
Life winds in many connected strands, Most controlled by other hands, We’re often pulled this way and that, Minds changing like the drop of a hat. Their expectations running high, We can only strive and try, Comes a time we clearly see, This is not a life meant for me. The things that matter beyond […]
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