Sunday prayers - May 20, 2007

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements
Prelude
Gathering

Word of Acclamation ( based on Psalm 143)
Leader: Teach us to do Your will, for you are the One, True and Living God.
People: May your good Spirit lead us and keep us faithful to You.
Leader: Let us turn to the Lord, to worship and glorify His Wonderful Name!

First Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Eternal Creator of Life, whose precious words gave birth to the Universe and whose wonderful ways sustain this planet we call Earth, we approach You with our prayers and praises, asking that You will hear our heartfelt cries and be pleased with our songs of salvation.
People: Loving Lord, whose power is displayed throughout the nations of the world and whose will can never be diminished nor thwarted, we give You thanks for being mindful of our needs, our concerns and cares.

Guide: Merciful Father, we know that our lives are not perfect, not fully faithful nor thoroughly devoted to You. We have gone astray and fallen into temptation, letting sin overtake our souls and permitting greed to damage our spirits.
People: Gracious God, forgive our foolish ways and grant us Your pardon. We regret the mistakes we have made, the disappointments we have caused, the responsibilities we have neglected and the opportunities we have wasted. Help us to glean Your goodness in our lives by yielding our hearts and humbling our pride to Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Hear us now as we confess our sins to You alone..

- SILENCE -

Guide: Compassionate Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers and petitions. Thank You for bringing Jesus into our lives. We know that His Sacrifice has canceled all our sins and created clean hearts, new lives, faithful spirits within us all.
People: We make these prayers in Jesus’ Name and unite our hearts with Him, saying, “Our Father, etc...

Promise of the Gospel:
Guide: Jesus is the Bread of Life that we seek to nourish our souls and strengthen our spirits. He alone has the power and authority to forgive our sins and restore us to God’s favor and grace. So let us celebrate His goodness and glory in His love, both now and forever. Amen.

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.

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Leader: Be merciful to us, O God, for worries constantly burden us; all day long we are under pressure.
People: O Lord, when we are afraid, we will trust in You.
Leader: O God, whose words we praise, take away our fears and grant us peace of mind.
People: We place our lives, our loved ones, our prayers and concerns into Your healing hands.
Leader: We pledge ourselves to Your Kingdom and humbly ask that You will heal us, and all whom we pray for, from all that harms us in body, mind, soul and spirit.
People: Deliver us from despair and keep us from falling into fear or frustration. Hear us as we sincerely pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Leader: May we walk before the Lord in the light of life and His love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 56)

Anthem

Singing of Jesus, draw me close

Prayer for Illumination :
Reader : Holy Spirit, may we walk with Christ as we read and hear the sacred scriptures. May we be drawn nearer to Him, so that we may praise and glorify His wonderful ministry on earth. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings & Sermon & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication : Lord Jesus, we all belong to the Your body of believers and we each are called to honor and bless Your continuing work in this church, community and country. Take our gifts and set them apart for the life, work and mission of Your church here on earth, in this town, nation and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Final Hymn :

Benediction: May Christ’s keep us humble; may the Father’s blessings keep us faithful; and may the Holy Spirit keep us loving and serving the One, True, Triune God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude