Sunday worship prayers - Ordinary 7/ Epiphany 7 - Feb 23

Approaching God

Welcome & Church Announcements

Prelude

Hymn:

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                         Almighty and Infinite God, Majestic and All-Powerful Creator, we approach You with awe and reverence; we gather in humility and service. Your Hands have formed our universe; Your Will sustains our lives. What are we that You are mindful of us? Who are we to receive Your compassion and care?

People:  Gracious Lord, nothing is hidden from Your gaze; no secrets can be kept from Your heart. We have shamefully sinned and selfishly centered our lives upon greed, power, desire and deceit. We have neglected our faith; spoken harsh words; passed by people in need and have put You to the back of our minds. We are guilty of many sins, so we seek Your compassion and ask for mercy. Hear us now as we solemnly pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Loving Father, we are unworthy to receive grace and yet You have given us Your Son Jesus. He died for our mistakes. He took the punishment due for our sins and sacrificed Himself for all the wrong things that we have ever said and done. Without Jesus as our Savior, we remain unforgiven. Without Christ’s obedience, we are unrestored. Hear us now as we unite our hearts with His, through Christ’s own words, saying “Our Father…(THE LORD’S PRAYER – debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Christ knows all of our secrets and everything that goes on in our minds, hearts and lives. Only He can fully offer us salvation. Only He can restore us to the One, True and Living God. When we honestly believe in Him and sincerely confess our sins, He will forgive us and bring us back to God. So let us rejoice and be glad for Jesus has pardoned our foolish ways and re-established our everlasting relationship with the LORD, both now and always. 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

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:             Lord, You have been our dwelling place and healing source throughout all generations. Before the Earth was made with its seas and mountains, You existed.

People:            O LORD, how long shall we suffer from our sicknesses? Have compassion upon us and heal all Your servants. Satisfy our prayers with Your unfailing love, so that we may praise and glorify You every day.

Pastor:             Lord God, make us glad by restoring our health; bring peace, hope and healing to all our loved ones. May Your compassionate deeds be shown to us; may the splendor of Your strength be experienced by all, for whom we now pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor:             May the favor of the LORD rest upon us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

                        (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 90)

Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw Me Close’

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, open our hearts to Christ’s teaching, and enable us to spread His message amongst the people that we know and love, through applying these sacred words in our everyday lives. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

Sermon & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, in all that we do, we witness to Your ministry. Today, we gather this offering as a true token of our faith and loving response to Your sacred words. Take these gifts and tithes and bless them for Your continuing work and ways amongst us. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen. 

Hymn:

Benediction(unison):  May Christ feed us with faith, hope and love; may the Father look down upon us with compassion and care; and may the Holy Spirit perfectly lead us into the presence of the One, Triune and Living God, where we shall live and be accepted forevermore. Amen.

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

Church Prayers for Ordinary 6 - Epiphany 6 - Feb 16

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               We wait for the LORD to come among us, as we place our hopes in His Word.

People:                 We trust in the LORD and His unfailing love. We are restored to His glory and kingdom.

Liturgist:               The LORD redeems us from our sins, so let us worship and glorify Him! Amen.

Hymn:  

               

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty Lord, whose words have shaped our civilization and whose love sustains all our people, we humbly approach Your Holy presence and seek Your protection, providence, and peace. Each day, we are confronted with sinful and sorrowful distractions. We are tempted to give in to our sinful desires, and vain enough to justify our misdeeds.

People:                 Gracious Father, enter into our hearts and minds and fortify our Christian beliefs. Anoint our souls with Your Holy Spirit so that we may endure times of temptation. Forgive us for being weak and sinful people. Pardon our neglect of good works, charitable deeds, and sacrificial giving. Teach us Your ways and redirect our paths so that we may sincerely serve and honor You. Hear us now as we personally confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Merciful Lord, may we enter Your Presence with hope and thanksgiving. May we adore Jesus as our Savior, who gave of His Life so that we may be cleansed of the past, strengthened in the present, and restored to Your eternal Kingdom in the future. We make our confessions in Jesus’ Name and through His Own Words, we now pray, saying “Our Father….THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)”

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  When events go against us and we are fearful of what lies ahead, Jesus is there beside us, ready to calm the rough times in our lives with His mercy, grace, and never-ending love. So let us celebrate His wonderful deeds and glorious ways, both now and forever. 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.

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                  We have heard what God has done in the past and we have each experienced His unfailing love in our lives. By His guidance, we have overcome our troubles, and through His mercy, we have flourished.

People:                 The Lord is our King and God forever. We seek His favor to forgive us. We look to Him for the hope of our healing. We pray that God will give us victory over our pain and sickness, over illness and disease, as well as discomfort and despair.

Pastor:                  Almighty LORD, hear our prayers and answer our heartfelt pleas. Touch us with Your Holy Spirit and enter into the hearts, minds, bodies, and souls of all our loved ones, so they may also be healed of all that harms them and restored to health, happiness, and wholeness.

               

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  May the LORD rise up and help us, restoring us through His unfailing love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.                  (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 44)

Unison Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                                Holy Spirit, possess our minds with Christ’s goodness and fill our spirits with the power of these sacred scriptures. Open our hearts to godly ways, and change our lives by challenging our ideas, opinions, and beliefs. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings                         

The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory     

Dedication Prayer (in unison – led by pastor):                   Lord Jesus, today You have given us a new hope and restored us to Your Father’s Kingdom. In return, we cheerfully give these tokens to You, praying that You will bless them for the ministries and missions that You have called our church to establish and accomplish. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.   

Hymn                                     

Benediction (unison):    May Christ bind us to His love, so that we may truly witness to Him; may our Heavenly Father keep us free from temptation, so that we may honor His ways; and may the Holy Spirit keep reminding us of God’s mercy and grace, so that we may remain truly thankful for all that we have been eternally promised and given. Both now and forevermore. Amen.

Doxology and Postlude

Prayers for Ordinary 5 and Epiphany 5 - Feb 9

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               May God’s everlasting love be shared with us; may we each know of His grace and salvation.

People:                 We will live together in His Kingdom; we will seek God's wisdom and teaching in His House.

Liturgist:               Let us lift up our hearts and voices as we praise the Lord, whom we worship forever. Amen.

First Hymn:

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty God, whose power sustains all that lives and exists, and whose promises remain unbroken, as well as undiminished across the centuries; we worship You with our hearts and serve You with our lives. Your ways are infinitely beyond our own, and Your works are gloriously displayed throughout the universe; therefore, we pledge our loyalty and allegiance to You alone.

People:                Gracious Father, there are moments when we pursue our sinful desires and selfishly make bad choices; there are also times when we cast aside Your holy words and choose to follow our own understanding. Forgive us for being unfaithful, ungrateful, and unworthy of Your grace. Pardon us for separating ourselves from You, and forgive us for allowing pride, as well as greed, to dictate our self-centered decisions. Hear us now as we silently pray.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                  Loving God, we look to You for our salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ. In Him, we find peace and pardon, faith and forgiveness, as well as restoration and redemption. We are thankful for His sacrifice and in His Holy Name, we continue to pray, saying, "Our Father, Who art in heaven...THE LORD'S PRAYER" (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus shows mercy to us and restores us to God's kingdom forever. We rely upon His love and grace. We do not deserve these wonderful gifts, but we are truly thankful and eternally grateful for these blessings. With Christ, we are reunited to God's everlasting favor. To Him be the glory and power, forever and ever. 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

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 O Lord, in all of our hearts we know that You are with us. In each of our lives, we experience Your love. Look upon us, O Lord, and grant our prayers. Have mercy upon us as we seek Your favor and compassion.

People:                 We turn to You for help to diminish our fears. We call on You for healing, and to release us from pain. When our strength is at its lowest, grant us Your power. When our health is weak and fragile, be our support and shield. Hear us now as we silently pray.

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

Pastor:                  May the Lord restore us physically and mentally, as well as emotionally and spiritually. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.                 (Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 14)

Singing of 'Sanctuary.’

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, You have called us to be here today. You want us to receive Christ’s message, and to apply His teachings in our daily lives. Open our hearts and minds to all that God gives us through His sacred words. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor)

Lord Jesus, You have called us to be Your followers, even though we are sometimes the least faithful among Your people. With this offering, we express our desire to re-dedicate our lives to You, and pledge our service to God’s Kingdom on Earth. Take our tithes and gifts, and use them for the continuing work of Your Church throughout the world. In Your Sacred Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (in unison):               May Christ make each of our lives a living testimony of faith; may the Father's love keep us focused on His ways; and may the Holy Spirit grant us wisdom and shower us with grace. To the glory and honor of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.     

Doxology & Postlude

New Year Devotions: Happy New You

Like everyone else, I try to make resolutions at the beginning of the new year. Like most people, I fail to live up to my own expectations. This year I'm going to try something different. I've written a new e-book called "Happy New You," which contains 31 short daily devotions for the month of January. My plan is to read and reflect on God's Word each day and try to get closer to Christ right at the beginning of the year.

I believe that if I do this, then I will make God the focus of my 2014 journey. Would you like to join me? If so, then you can also do this by getting the e-book for your kindle, PC, Mac, or mobile device. The link to the book is contained in the box below.

God bless you all. May 2014 be a year where your hopes and dreams are all fulfilled in Christ!

Jigsaw Nativity by Stushie