Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Sunday prayers 19th in Ordinary Time 08-10-08

Approaching God

Announcements & A Word of Welcome

Prelude & Gathering Song

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer
Guide: Almighty Creator and Immortal Lord, whose holiness purifies the universe, and whose sacred words sustain all life; we humbly gather before You as servants seeking to honor You and as sinners needing salvation. Your ways are beyond our imagining and Your noble works have been glorified for centuries. We reverently approach Your Throne of grace, looking for mercy, favor and love.

People: Heavenly Father, we have built barriers of pride and prejudice, insolence and ignorance, faithlessness and fear around our souls. We have damaged our spirits by our greedy ways; we have diminished our faith by our selfish sins. Remove the sinful fruits of our fallen lives. Pardon our guilt and forgive our foolish choices. Enable us to seek Your Son Jesus Christ to crush the rocks of rebellion in our hearts and restore the foundations of His peace in our minds. Hear us now as we confess and pray.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide: Loving Father, Your forgiveness restores us to Your divine favor and godly grace. The blood of Jesus Christ our Lord has atoned for our guilt. Without His sacrifice, we would have no salvation. Without His perfect obedience, we would have no everlasting hope.

People: Our prayers are given in the Name of Jesus Christ and through His words, we unite our hearts, saying, “Our Father…” THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel
Guide: Jesus lived among us to show us God's love. His goodness and grace established in the hearts and minds of many people a new faith, a new understanding, and a new hope. We have received His blessings and are called to be His disciples. He forgives all our faults and releases us from the wrath of God. So let us rejoice and be glad, for Christ is our Savior and we are restored to God's everlasting favor. 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.

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students come forward)

Encountering God

Anthem Glenfinnan

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: O Lord, come amongst us and let Your Spirit abide in our presence. Loving Father, extend Your power and favor upon us as we pray.
People: In the midst of all that troubles us, be our strength. Throughout our times of worry and fear, be our shield. You are our constant hope and the solid foundation of our faith, so we present our prayers for healing to You alone.
Pastor: Gracious Lord, hold us in Your precious hand. Heal us from all that harms us in body, mind, heart and soul. Let Your sovereign and sacred power touch all our loved ones in the midst of their pain, sickness and distress. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit.

Pastor: Lord, refresh our spirits with Your love that heals. Lift up our hearts, so that we may praise You alone. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 110)

Singing of ‘Jesus Draw Me Close’

Prayer for Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, sow seeds of salvation within our hearts and minds. Let the scriptures enrich our lives so that we may serve Christ all of our days. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Scripture Readings & Sermon & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God
Offering & Offertory

Dedication:
Lord Jesus, across the centuries You have spoken to our people in the language of hope, faith and love. Today, we willingly give of ourselves and our resources to continue Your sacred work on earth. Bless our tithes and offerings. May they be used for the praising of God and the glorifying of His kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction: May Christ diminish our doubts by enhancing our faith each day; may the Father sustain us by supplying our daily needs; and may the Holy Spirit keep us from sin with good guidance and constant counsel; to the glory of the One, Triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; etc & Postlude

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