Sunday Prayer - 18 March

Approaching God

Welcome & Church Announcements
Prelude & Gathering

Acclamation (based on Psalm 32)
Leader: The LORD instructs us and teaches us in the way we should go.
People: Our God counsels us and promises to watch over us.
Leader: Let us rejoice in the LORD and be glad. Let us sing with our hearts and voices!

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Lord of Life and Creator of the Universe, we proclaim You as our One, true and Holy God. We serve You as Your called and chosen people.
People: Everlasting King and Eternal God, we adore Your wonderful ways and are constantly amazed by Your powerful deeds.
Guide: Heavenly Father, we seek to please Your heart and follow Your will. Yet we allow pride and bitterness, prejudice and anger to hurt other people, to have our own way, to fulfill our selfish desires.
People: Gracious Lord, when we fall into temptation, we separate ourselves from Your Love and deaden our spirits to Your commands. Forgive us for rejecting Your words and damaging our faith by our unloving, unholy and un-Christian actions. Hear us now as we humbly confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Merciful God, You have the power to wipe out our dreams and punish our sins. Instead, You graciously give us Your Son Jesus to die for our failures, faults and fallen ways. By His wounds, we are healed. By His sacrifice, we are forgiven and restored
People: We bring these prayers in Christ’s Name and through His own words, we unite our hearts with Him, saying, “Our Father, etc.” (Isaiah 26v14)

Promise of the Gospel
Guide: Jesus saves us from sinful destruction and the eternal wrath of God. He wants us to choose life over death, faith over fear and obedience over defiance. When we sincerely come to Him for forgiveness, he grants us mercy and grace. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus our Savior rescues us forever. Amen. (John 6:67)

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)

2nd Hymn

Encountering God

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Leader: The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.
People: God establishes our world and sustains our lives.
Leader: Eternal God, we are finite and frail, in need of help, healing and wholeness.
People: We lift up our voices of prayer to You, from our pounding hearts and troubled minds.
Leader: Mighty Redeemer, have mercy upon us and heal us of all that harms us in body, mind, heart and spirit.
People: Gracious God, we also bring to You our families and friends, colleagues and neighbors who need Your Loving touch and holy healing. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Leader: The LORD is merciful and holy; just and faithful. He hears our prayers in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 93)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary’

Prayer for Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, help us to see what Christ is doing amongst us. Enable us to hear His words from these holy passages. Teach us His ways so that we may tell others of His ministry, mission and kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. (Acts 4:20)

Scripture Readings & Sermon & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication: Lord Jesus, we have worshipped You in song and praised You with our music. We have gathered our tithes and offerings and placed them before Your throne. Take these lifeless tokens and bless them, so that we may bring life to Your words by ministering in our congregation, across our community and throughout this country. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. (1 Corinthians 14:7)

Hymn:

Benediction: May Christ remind us that our lives are not our own, but chiefly belong to Him; may the father bestow His favor upon all that we do; and may the Holy Spirit reside in our hearts so that we may die to sin and live for faith in the One, triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen. (Romans 14:7)

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