Easter 7 Sunday prayers - May 17

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering

Call to Worship

Pastor:                  Almighty God, we come to worship You in this holy place of prayer and praise.
People:                 We thank You for calling us here, where we can freely worship and serve You.

Pastor:                  May our songs and praises, prayers and devotions be acceptable to You. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Everlasting God, we thank You for creating Life and sustaining our planet. We praise You for bringing us together as a community of faith and a church of Your Kingdom. Your ways are always fulfilled and Your works declare Your glory each day. We are blessed to be alive and to be here in Your Sacred Presence.

People:                 Merciful Lord, You know that we constantly struggle with temptation and often succumb to our self-centered desires. Instead of serving You, we serve ourselves. Instead of helping others, we mainly help ourselves. Save us from our sinful and selfish ways. We seek Your forgiveness and humbly ask for Your grace. Hear us now as we silently make our confessions to You.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                  Gracious God, without having Jesus as our Savior, we would be cast away from Your presence forever. Without His powerful sacrifice, we would have no opportunity to be forgiven, or ever be restored to Your everlasting kingdom. Thank You for sending Jesus to us, and for the constant gift of the Holy Spirit, who guides and counsels us. We make these prayers in Christ's Name and through His own words continue to pray, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus challenged the people, rulers, and leaders of His day to repent of their sins and be restored to God. Today, we face the same challenges from Christ, therefore we have humbly confessed our sins and sought His mercy. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus is our Savior and we are all accepted by God.

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.

Kids Sermon

Encountering God

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Let us come to the Lord and seek His blessings; let us dwell in His presence and abide in God’s love. May the Lord grant us health and healing, as well as strength and support. May the fruits of our prayers enhance our faith and increase our devotion to God.

People:                 May our loved ones and siblings, as well as our families and friends, receive help and power, energy and strength to overcome their illnesses or crises, their troubles or worries. O Lord, we seek peace for our souls, health for our hearts, and strength for our bodies, and wholeness for our minds.

Pastor:                  Gracious God, may we be granted Your healing mercies. May we experience Your Holy Spirit among us and be restored physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Hear us now as we silently pray, for our loved ones and neighbors, our families and ourselves.

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

Pastor:                  May the LORD favor us with His blessings of health and strength. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 128)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary’.

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, You inspired the disciples of long ago to spread Christ's Good News and to proclaim the victory of God's Kingdom over all the Earth. Lift up our spirits in the same ways and rekindle our faith through the reading, hearing, and applying of these sacred words. In Christ's Name, we ask.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

Sermon & the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, we have sang Your praises and received Your message this day. We have been empowered by Your Spirit and embraced by God. Take these gifts and tokens, tithes and offerings as our cheerful response to Your Word and our grateful thanks for Your Love. Bless them for the continuing work of the Gospel, the glorifying of God's Kingdom and the praising of Your Everlasting Name. Amen. 

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ continue to welcome us into His heart; may the Father constantly enhance our faith in Him; and may the Holy Spirit challenge us each day, so that we may glorify, worship, and serve the One, Triune, and Living God forevermore. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude