Joining the family A service of welcome into our faith community

 

	God calls us to be a family of faith: young and old,  children and parents, grandparents,  brothers,  sisters and friends. God invites us to learn and grow together. We give thanks to God that our learning and growing never end. God provides for us people and places of belonging. God welcomes us to worship in this place and at this time. Because God loves and welcomes us first: we are able to be a community of love and welcome for others. Because God's Spirit goes with us: we are able to greet others as fellow-travellers and friends. Today we welcome David and Trish into the life of this community. We give thanks to God for them  -- for the gifts that they bring; for the faith that has been part of their journey so far; for their willingness to join with us as we learn and grow in grace together. There are many different gifts: but it is the same Spirit who gives them. There are many different ways of serving God: but it is the same God who is served. God works through different persons in different ways: but it is the same God whose purpose is at work in them all. Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were baptized into the one body. Now we are the body of Christ and individually members of it. David and Trish,  we welcome you as members of Christ's body in this place. As you join the family of the Dunedin Methodist parish we invite you to share in the privilege of finding good in everyone and finding God in everyone, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whose loving way we follow. Amen.    A blessing is spoken or sung together.     (This liturgy was created by the Revd Dr Geoff King. The words in bold type were said by everyone together.)

 

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