Sunday prayers - 4th Sunday of Easter - Easter 4 - 3 May

Approaching God

Announcements & A Word of Welcome

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Almighty God, whose power controls the Universe and whose kingdom never ends, we humbly approach You as servants and children of Your grace, as seekers and followers of Your ways. You know all of our secrets and see everything that happens in our lives. Help us to focus our minds on You alone, and open our hearts to Your will.

People:  Merciful Father, sometimes we set aside our faith. We neglect to support the needs of other people. We omit to set aside time to worship You each day. We follow our own selfish impulses and to choose to fulfill our sinful desires. Have mercy upon us and forgive our foolish deeds. Be patient with us and pardon us for the mistakes we make, the faults that we have, and the sins we commit. Hear us now as we silently make our confessions.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Compassionate Lord, instead of causing us to hide from Your anger and flee from Your wrath, You graciously allow us to seek forgiveness from Jesus Christ, Your Holy Son. His mercy endures forever through His sacrificial obedience to You, and we are thankful for His grace. In Christ's name, we pray and through His own precious words, we unite our hearts saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Christ is our shelter from sin and we abide in His mercy. He deletes our past mistakes and opens our lives to the love of God. He calls us by name, so that we may celebrate, feast and rejoice in His goodness, grace and glory. So let us be truly glad and worship our Savior forever.  Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung) : 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

Minute for Mission

 

Prayers for Health and Healing

 

Pastor: The LORD reigns over all the nations. He sits enthroned above the Earth. Great is the LORD throughout the world. He is exalted above all others.

Guide:             We praise the great and awesome Name of God. We seek His holiness and healing. The LORD is our mighty King. We pray for His favor, help, and strength

Pastor:              As we exalt the LORD, may He hear and bless our prayers. As we worship His ways, may He heal us by His love. O LORD our God, we ask that You will answer our prayers. Release us from our restless ways. Save us from sickness. Deliver us from distress and disease. Heal us and all our loved ones from all that harms us in body, mind, heart and soul. Hear us now as we quietly pray.

 

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

 

Pastor: Let us praise and worship our God in this holy sanctuary, for He is gracious and merciful, benevolent and compassionate. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

                        (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 99)

Choir Anthem

The Message: Part # 1

Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw Me Close’

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, may we take our stand with Jesus, the King of all the earth. May these scriptures help us to gather our thoughts together, so that we can focus on His teaching, His Truth, and His Life. In the Name of Jesus, our Lord and Anointed One, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message Part #2 & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication(unison): Lord Jesus, You have spoken to us through Your gospel. We have interpreted Your words and seek to apply Your ways in our daily lives. In response, we bring to You our gifts and tithes. We ask that You will bless these tokens of gratitude for the purpose, work and ministry of Your Kingdom in this community and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Communion

 

Benediction(unison):  May Christ enable us to give our lives to Him alone; may the Father keep us accountable for all that we seek to do in His Name; and may the Holy Spirit lead, guide, and counsel us each day, so that we may glorify God both now and always. Amen.

 

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