Sunday Prayers: 27th Sunday in ordinary Time - October 4

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Almighty God, Creator of the majestic mountains and Maker of the spacious sky, we come before You as humble servants, devoted disciples, and seekers of Your way, truth and life.

People: Loving Father, You have power over life and death, faith and failure, love and grief. We look to You for help and strength, guidance and counsel, purpose and meaning for our lives.

Guide:  Merciful Lord, we recognize that we are imperfect and unwise. We know that our actions can be foolish and selfish. We understand that our choices can be rebellious and wrong, hateful and unhealthy, sinful and destructive. When we give into temptation and give up our faith; when we disregard Your words and disrespect Your ways, forgive us. Hear us now as we silently pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Heavenly Father, cover our many sins with the cleansing blood of Christ. Remove us from temptation and restore us to Your Kingdom. For it is only through Jesus that we can be completely pardoned and totally forgiven of all our faults and faithless ways. In His precious words, we continue to pray, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide:  When we believe in Jesus, we have everlasting life. When we ask Him for forgiveness, He has the power to fully pardon our past mistakes. Let us rejoice and give thanks to God, for Christ is our Savior, both now and 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

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: O LORD, why does trouble come to us and why do good people suffer? We remember Your deeds of deliverance and Your ways of salvation. Come to us and heal us.

People:            Turn towards us, O Living God, and take away our fears by strengthening our faith. You have helped our people across many generations. Come to us now, in this holy place. Touch us with Your Presence. Heal us by Your Love.

Pastor: Do not forget those whom we cherish and love, Almighty Lord. Heal them of all that harms them in body, mind, soul and spirit. Do not let our loved ones give into to despair. Fill them with peace and hope, strength and health, restoration and power.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: May God rise up and deliver us. May His Healing touch be with us all day long. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 74)

Prayer for Illumination :

Reader :            Holy Spirit, lift up our hearts through these sacred scriptures, so that we may be blessed by the teaching of Christ and the turning over of our lives to Him this day. In the Precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication(unison) : Lord Jesus, we present these gifts cheerfully and lovingly. We ask that You will bless them for Your ministry and mission in this community. May we declare our loyalty to God’s Kingdom and dedicate our lives to Your service, both now and forever. Amen.

Communion

Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ enable and encourage us to love those we like the least; may the Father give us compassionate hearts to care for others each day; and may the Holy Spirit help us to change other lives through acts of mercy, kindness, and love, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude