8-Feb-26 (Matthew 5:13-20)

What makes the world livable? What helps us see the world in a light that gives us hope?
Surely acts of kindness and love do that better than anything else we do.
As hard as we struggle to make sense of the world and as far away as hope seems at times, dedicating our time and efforts and resources to sharing God's love in our world through concrete acts of justice and caring bring our world closer to the realm of God.
[Insert some examples from the congregation here.]
In those ways and many others, we continue the work of creation and restoration which God began for us.
Consider your part in that as the deacons come to collect the offering for today.

Prayer:

Please join me in a spirit of prayer.
God who sent your son into the world to show us your love, help us to go into our world and share that love as well. When we can go ourselves, give us caring hearts and strong constitutions. In other cases, use the gifts we give back into your hands to send others in your name for us.
May the world know your love through us.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Lord, Amen.