Sunday Worship prayers - Ordinary 14C - July 07

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               Sing to the Lord and praise His Name, all you His people.
People:                 We will rejoice in His presence and lift up our hearts to glorify Him.
Liturgist:               May the Lord favor our praises, as we proclaim His faithfulness forever. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty God, who has appointed the days of our lives and the seasons of this planet, we come here today to glorify Your goodness among us, and to adore Your everlasting holiness. We are servants of Your Kingdom, seeking to please You with our lives and wanting to love You with all of hearts.

People:                 Merciful Lord, You have given us the great gift of freedom, but sometimes we use it to fulfill our selfish desires and sinful ways. You have planted the unalienable seeds of liberty in our hearts, but sometimes we have reaped recklessly and harvested havoc in our lives. Our ways have not always been pleasing to You, and our choices have frequently disappointed You, as well as other people. Forgive us for wasting our freewill and spoiling our liberty. Hear us now, as we come to You silently, in order to make our humble confessions.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Gracious Father, we have asked You for forgiveness and we have received this through the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ. By Him, we have been restored to Your favor and peace. Hear us now as we thankfully conclude our prayers in Christ’s everlasting words, saying, “Our Father...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).    

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  We are meant to be harvesters for the Kingdom of God and servants of His Son Jesus Christ. By confessing our sins, we are re-welcomed into God’s company and have been granted Christ’s peace in our lives. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus is our Savior, Redeemer, and Lord forevermore. Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung in 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

Anthem

Prayers for Hope and Healing

Pastor:                 O Lord, we call upon You for help and seek to be healed of all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Spare us from pain and distress; allow us security and sanctuary in Your holy presence.

People:                 O God, keep us from being overwhelmed and dismayed by the current issues and crises in our lives. Turn our fears into faith and our cries into confidence. Hear us now as we silently approach You on behalf of our loved ones and ourselves.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 Precious Lord, may our hearts sing of Your faithfulness to us, and may we always give thanks for Your presence in our daily lives. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.       

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 30)

Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, strengthen us as a family of believers through the reading, hearing, and preaching of God’s Word. May Your peace descend upon us, so that we may apply Christ’s teaching with grace and love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. 

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor):  May the marks of Christ be shown in our lives through the good works and holy giving that we complete each day. May our gifts and tithes be blessed and used for the preaching of the Word, the practice of the Gospel, as well as the praising of God’s Kingdom throughout our community and across the world. In Jesus’ Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Communion

Closing Hymn

Benediction (in unison):               May Christ continue to encourage us to go forth into the world to share His message; may the Father teach us the everlasting values of life, liberty, and love; and may the Holy Spirit enable us to stand in the glorious presence of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude