Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Sunday Worship Prayers - 5th Sunday in Easter - Easter 5A - May 22

Approaching God

Announcements & A Word of Welcome
Prelude

First Hymn:

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                         LORD God Almighty, whose power is greater than thunder and earthquake, whose strength is mightier than windstorm or tempest, we gather before You in reverence and awe. Your authority extends across all time and space; Your dominion is boundless and infinite. Humbly, we gather together to worship and glorify Your Holy Name.
People:            Merciful God, we confess that we are unworthy of Your grace and have lived unholy, sinful and selfish lives. We have constantly discarded Your words and frequently ignored Your commands. We have neglected Your charitable ways and disparaged some of Your holiest of works.

Guide:                         Gracious Lord, forgive our foolish actions and fallen ways. Pardon our pride and pretense. Absolve us from our arrogance and avarice, and protect us from our godlessness and greed. Hear us now as we personally pray.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                         Blessed Father, whose favor and blessings we yearn, we humbly thank You for providing us with Jesus, our Perfect Savior and Only Lord. We are truly grateful for His sacrifice and we are overwhelmed by His Grace. We praise You for the forgiveness of all our mistakes through the powerful presence of Christ in our lives. We offer these prayers in His Victorious Name, saying, Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)


Promise of the Gospel

Guide: Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets, removing the curse of sin and the wrath of God over us. We are liberated from everlasting punishment and eternal separation from God, through Christ alone. So let us rejoice in His grace and praise Him forevermore. Amen.

Gloria Patri(sung – unison): 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

Choir Anthem


Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:             When illness oppresses us and anxiety overwhelms us, we call upon God for healing. In the midst of our suffering and sickness, may the Lord bring us strength and recovery.
People:                        The Lord is righteous and merciful. He can free us from our pain and distress. May our God grant us healing and wholeness, peace and protection, restoration and renewal.

Pastor: When we depend upon the Lord, He will not fail nor forsake us. When we call upon His Name, He will hear our prayers. May our God heal us and all our loved ones from everything that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. May He gather us in His arms and embrace us in the midst of our troubles.

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

Pastor:             May the blessings of the Lord be upon us all. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 129)

Singing of 'Jesus, Draw Me Close.’

Prayer of Illumination:
Reader:            Holy Spirit, let these words from God inspire our hearts and minds. May we find ourselves serving Him through the power of these scriptures, by applying Christ's message in our lives. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & The Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison):
Lord Jesus, we praise You for the lessons You have taught us today and for the blessings You have bestowed upon our spirits. We bring before You our tithes and offerings as thanksgiving tokens of our service and symbols of our dedication to You alone. Bless them for the continuing work of Your ministry here on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. 


Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ enable us to serve Him faithfully each day; may the Father empower us to witness to His ways; and may the Holy Spirit embrace us as servants and children of the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.

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

No comments: