Call to Worship
One: As the sun climbs from the horizon
Many: God’s presence endures with us.
One: As the clouds mask the sun’s warming presence,
Many: God’s presence remains with us.
One: As the sun drifts back to the horizon,
Many: God’s presence lingers with us.
One: As light rests until morning,
Many: God’s presence persists with us.

Invocation
Gleaming God-
No matter how cold the winds whip around us,
No matter how chilly stares and words may appear,
No matter how frigid our despairing hearts,
Your light warms our souls and melts our cynicism.

Divine Brilliance-
May your morning light encourage us to walk your way.
May your rays of sun reach us from behind the clouds
And encourage us in these weeks of winter.  Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
Holy God, Holy Light who abides within our souls,
We have hoarded the light-
thinking we will spend it on a rainy day.

We have stashed the light far away from our neighbors.
We worry: Would they steal our light from our souls?
Would we have enough illumination when the clouds roll back in?

Through your eternal, inspirational light, encourage us to share the light with our neighbors.
May this light feed the hungry, house the homeless, care for the sick.
May this light draw us closer to one another.
May we become people moved by the brilliance of Christ.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
Like the sun each morning at daybreak,
God’s grace renews our spirits,
energizing us to start fresh in each moment.
Live in the bright, excitement of this grace!  Amen!

Invitation to Offering
Like a flame spreading from one candle to the next, we, too, are encouraged to share light and love with our neighbors and church. We give because God has given us much.  We love because God’s love is overflowing.  In this time and place, may we give our treasures so that God’s love and light can be experienced by all.

Prayer of Dedication
Gleaming God, with these offerings, may our neighbors experience your love.  With these treasures, may the world know your light and continue to pass your brilliant hope to all.  Amen.

Benediction (Based on Isaiah 58)
May your light break forth like the dawn.
May your gloom be like the noonday.
May God guide each of us continually
So that we live as bright, watered gardens
Where water and light never fail.  Amen.