Monday, November 19, 2007

Sunday Prayers 25 Nov 2007

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude and Gathering

Call to worship

Pastor: With thankful hearts and grateful spirits, we approach You, O King of the Universe.
People: We seek to love and serve You; we wish to please You and follow Your commands.
Pastor: We are truly grateful for Your presence in the world and Your influence over our lives. Hear us now as we worship and glorify Your wonderful Name. Amen.

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Everlasting God, who looks at the entire world and sees the lives that we each lead; whose wonders and deeds far outshine our greatest achievements and highest successes; we humbly approach Your Holy Presence, seeking Your approval and hoping for Your favor.
People: Almighty Lord, without You, we are a people of no significance, a church without meaning, a community with no purpose. You created us in Your Perfect image, fillings our hearts with eternal notions and the hope of everlasting life.

Guide: Gracious Lord, at times we have forsaken Your paths and followed our limited understanding. We have exalted our intellect and replaced Your ways with our ideas. We have stripped Your Holy Word of meaning, and have rebelled against Your sacred scriptures. We have falsified our faith and denied our dependence upon You.
People: Heavenly Father, we have made selfish choices and shameful decisions. We have damaged our souls with pride and anger, stubbornness and greed. Forgive our faults and cleanse us of our careless ways. Hear us now as we personally confess our sins to You.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Merciful Lord, reclaim our rebellious lives and restore us to Your Son’s salvation. Rekindle our faith in Jesus, renewing our hearts and minds, so that we may gratefully, thankfully and cheerfully serve You forever.
People: For we make our confession in the mighty and powerful Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and through His own words, we continue to pray, saying, “Our Father,…”

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide: Jesus gathers us to Himself, filling us with His grace and love. He takes the broken pieces of our sinful lives, to heals us of all our past and personal sins. Let us rejoice and be truly thankful, for Jesus is our Savior, both now and forevermore. Amen.

Gloria Patri : Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Children’s Sermon

Anthem

Encountering God
Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love.
People: The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.
Pastor: O Living God, who formed the hearts, minds and bodies of us all, consider our present troubles and provide for our personal needs.
People: Your eyes are constantly on us; You know our worries and fears. We place our lives into Your hands and put our hope in Your unfailing love.
Pastor: You are our help and shield, O Lord. We wait for Your mercy and ask that You heal us, including our families and friends, of all that hurts, harms and hinders us.
People: For we trust in Your Holy Name and we humbly ask that You hear our heartfelt petitions and personal prayers.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 33)

Sing: Jesus Draw Me Close

Prayer for Illumination :
Reader : Holy Spirit, descend upon us and open our hearts to God’s message. Grant us understanding of these scriptures, and give us opportunities to apply these sacred words in our daily lives. For the sake of our Savior and in Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings, Sermon & the Apostles’ Creed
Serving God
Offering & Offertory

Dedication : Lord Jesus, through Your death, You made a new covenant with the world. We freely give our lives to You in service of Your Everlasting Kingdom. Take the tithes and gifts that we offer, blessing them for the ministries and missions that You would have our church undertake, support and fulfill to the glory of God, and the preaching of His Word. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Hymn :

Benediction: May Christ deliver us from all evil and enable us to do His will; may the Father spare us from temptation and reclaim us as His own; and may the Holy Spirit continue to guide, counsel and comfort us, as we worship and glorify the One, triune and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

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