17-Nov-24 (Mark 13:1-8)

In times like those Jesus talked about in our gospel story for today, there are a lot of folks who are affected by the instability. Those folks have real, physical needs that have to be addressed. There are people who need a safe place to live. There are people who are hungry, either for a word of love and compassion or for actual food. There are those who are suffering and need someone to sit with them.
Meeting those needs takes time, effort, and even resources and we have the opportunity to give of them and ourselves to meet people where they are and give them hope.
Let's consider that as we take up our offering for today.

Prayer:

God whose love reaches out to us in the midst of our uncertainty and meets us where we are. Bless these gifts, returned to your hand, that they would make it possible for your love to be shared, especially for those in need. Bless us as well, that we can become instruments of your love and signs of your presence in this world.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Christ, Amen.