Approaching God
Announcements & A Word of Welcome
Prelude, Gathering
Acclamation (based on words from Psalm 150)
Pastor: Let us worship God in His holy sanctuary; let us praise Him from here to the highest heavens.
People: We adore the Lord for His acts of power; we exalt His Name for His surpassing greatness.
Pastor: Let every living thing praise the Lord and let all who gather here ascribe glory to His Kingdom. Amen.
First Hymn:
Prayers of Confession
Guide: Lord God of hosts and Ancient of Days, we gather in Your holy place to proclaim Your Name above all names; to worship You as the God of all creation.
People: Almighty Father and Everlasting King, our lives are sustained by Your words of grace; our days are continued through Your sacred power.
Guide: Merciful God, sometimes we take You for granted and even try to set You aside. We plunder life to sustain our pride and desires, our longings and wants. We waste our resources and time on trivial pursuits and unholy matters.
People: Gracious Lord, we are guilty of being unfaithful to You; we are wayward and unreliable, sinful and selfish, hard hearted and self-centered. Forgive these sins that we commit, and those sacred deeds that we omit in our lives. Hear us now as we silently pray to You alone.
- SILENCE -
Guide: Immortal God, we seek Your Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Lord. He alone can forgive our foolish ways and faithless words. Our salvation depends upon His mercy and grace. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved.
People: Therefore, we pledge our lives to Christ and place our souls into His hands. In His words, we continue to pray, saying “Our Father... (THE LORD'S PRAYER” debts/debtors)
(Isaiah 33:4)
Promise of the Gospel
Guide: Jesus speaks for us before the throne of God. He intercedes on our behalf and asks for mercy and grace to be applied in our lives. Let us praise Him for opening up our heart and minds to His ways and words, His valor and victory, both now and forevermore. Amen. (John 9:21)
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)
Encountering God
Anthem
Prayers for Health and Healing
Pastor: Endow us with Your healing, O God; strengthen us with Your righteousness.
People: Look upon our loved ones and us with mercy and grace; comfort those of us who are afflicted with pain and grief, fear and worry.
Pastor: Restore our strength to us, O God, and enable us to recover from all that ails or harms us.
People: Defend us from all illness or injury, any accident or anxiety. Sustain us and overcome our fears.
Pastor: Lord God, throughout the generations Your loving kindness has endured; grant us the gift of such holy blessings.
People: Refresh our weary spirits and renew our tired souls. Heal us and our loved ones from all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now we pray.
Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit
Pastor: May Your righteousness sustain our hopes. May we know of Your healing, both now and forever. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 72)
Singing of '"Jesus Draw Me Close." (Choir leads this)
Prayer of Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, come down amongst us and present the Gospel to us. Let the teaching of Christ be proclaimed as we read and hear these sacred scriptures. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. (Acts 8:5)
Scripture Readings & Sermon & The Apostles' Creed
Serving God
Dedication: Lord Jesus, we fully give ourselves to You and humbly ask that You will accept our lives for Your Kingdom. We also bring our tokens of gratitude and our tithes of faithfulness for Your work in this congregation, and Your labors throughout our community. Take them and bless them. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Closing Hymn:
Benediction: May Christ open our hearts to His work in the surrounding community; may the Father lead us to people and places that need us to express His love; and may the Holy Spirit inspire us to live out the Gospel, so that others may come and worship the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.
(2 Corinthians 4:3)
Doxology May God's Blessing & Postlude
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