Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

In your wisdom, you created the heavens and the earth, the stars and the mountains, the planets and the seas. In your wisdom, you created the plants, the animals, the birds, and mankind. You brought order out of chaos, all of creation came into being just as you designed it. 

In your wisdom, you formed mankind in your likeness – aware of who you are, aware of who we are, with a consciousness of right and wrong, responsible for our actions, in authority over all of your creation here on earth.  

In your wisdom, you have given mankind the responsibility of making your glory known to all – in our words, in our actions, in our writing, and in our singing, we are to glorify you above all else, to tell of your greatness and of your character, to urge all men to give glory and honor and praise to you alone. 

So this morning, we want to proclaim your righteousness. You expect obedience from your creation in all things, you are eternally and always opposed to sin. Your righteousness demands punishment and atonement for our sin. 

And we proclaim your goodness. Everything you are, everything you do, is perfect and right and wholesome and beneficial. You are the source of all blessing and the greatest good that we can know. 

And we proclaim your jealousy. You are the one and only God, we are to have no other gods besides you. You alone are worthy of all our worship and praise and devotion. You will share none of your glory with another.  

And we proclaim your love. A perfect love that you give to your people, a love expressed through your word, through the giving of your spirit, through the giving of your son. An abundant love, a love without end; a love without error or shame. A love that is personal and intimate. 

And we proclaim your grace. You have shown favor to those who do not deserve it, to those who have not merited it, a favor toward those who were your enemies. It is through your grace that you save us from our sins, a grace manifested in your son. In your grace, you sent your son to die in our place, to completely and fully atone for our sin. Yours is a grace that never ends. 

And we proclaim your faithfulness. The promises you made you will keep. The words that you have spoken will never go away. The grace that you have shown to us will never end. The love that you have given to us will never be taken away. Great is your faithfulness. 

In your wisdom, you have made all of these things known to us so that we might have confidence and not fear, that we might endure in our faith and not fail, and that we would give you praise and honor and glory in all things.  

Amen.