Sunday prayers: First in Advent - Advent 1 - Nov 29

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Gathering Song & Prelude

Call to Worship

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Hope Bringer of the Universe, whose gracious promises strengthen our faith and brighten the spirits of our people.

All:                  You bring justice and righteousness to the Earth. You save the world from sin and free us from our fears.

(Lighting of First Purple Advent Candle)

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus, Your Everlasting Light restores our eternal hopes. You are our Righteousness and Redeemer forever. Amen.

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Immortal and Almighty Lord, Most Powerful and Everlasting Majesty, we sing of Your greatness and praise Your magnificent ways. Your strength is undiminished and Your words are always fulfilled.

People:  Lord of Salvation and Grace, we adore Your Holy Presence and devote ourselves to Your Sacred Kingdom. We are sometimes sinful and selfish people. We follow our own stubborn ways and damage our faith with pride, greed, and neglect.

Guide: Merciful Majesty, come into our hearts and help us to seek forgiveness so that we may find salvation in Christ alone. Hear us now as we humbly pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Loving Father, without Jesus we would have no hope of being forgiven. Without His sacrifice, we would have no salvation. We thank You for this opportunity to sincerely confess our sins, to declare our guilt, and be completely pardoned by Your grace and favor. In Christ’s holy words, we unite our hearts together, saying, “Our Father...” THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  When we come to the Lord and feed upon His words, He releases us from the wrath of God. When we ask Jesus to cleanse us by His blood, He restores us to God’s holiness. So let us truly rejoice and give thanks, for Christ is our Savior and we are completely forgiven, from this day forth and forevermore. 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: Let us declare our joy to God, who is our strength; let us proclaim His great and mighty works! Gracious Lord, remove our burdens from us; release us from our deepest worries and concerns.

People:                        In the midst of our sickness and illnesses, at the time when we are weak and helpless, we look to You, O Living God to answer our prayers. Give us patience to wait for Your healing; grant us mercy for all of our requests.

Pastor: Subdue our fears and heal us of all that harms us in body, mind, heart and spirit.

Let all our loved ones be graciously touched by Your healing Hands. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: The Lord will feed us with hope and strength. By His goodness and grace, we shall experience healing, hope, and salvation. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Singing of “Jesus, Draw Me Close.”

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, bring us into Christ’s Presence and let Him answer all our questions about life. Show us how powerful God’s love is and enable us to apply these lessons of faith in our daily lives.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

Sermon

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication(unison): Lord Jesus, there have been many times when this church has become a sanctuary to us and we have been protected and supported by the love of Your people. We trust You to work among us each week and we hops that we serve You faithfully, diligently and sincerely. Take our tithes and offerings and bless them for the life, work and ministry of this church, to this congregation and to the wider community. In Your Name, we give and pray, both now and forever. Amen. 

Hymn:

Benediction(unison):  May we give thanks to Christ each day for all that we personally owe Him; may we respect and revere God’s work throughout today’s world; and may we honor the guidance and counsel, the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, in this life and the one to come, to the glory of the One, Triune and Living God,  both now and always. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude

2009 Advent Prayers: Call to Worship & Advent Themes

November 29, 2009 - First Sunday of Advent  (purple candle, theme is Hope)
• December 6, 2009 - Second Sunday of Advent  (purple candle, theme is Love)
• December 13, 2009 - Third Sunday of Advent  (purple or pink candle, theme is Joy)
• December 20, 2009 - Fourth Sunday of Advent (purple candle, theme is Peace)

First in Advent: HOPE

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Hope Bringer of the Universe, whose gracious promises strengthen our faith and brighten the spirits of our people.

All:                  You bring justice and righteousness to the Earth. You save the world from sin and free us from our fears.

(Lighting of First Purple Advent Candle)

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus, Your Everlasting Light restores our eternal hopes. You are our Righteousness and Redeemer forever. Amen.

Second in Advent: LOVE

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Almighty Messenger, sent from heaven to proclaim God’s Gracious Love to the people of this planet.

All:                  You have freely come among us to lovingly challenge our beliefs and change our ways.

(Lighting of Two Purple Advent Candles)

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus, sanctify our people and make us acceptable to You. Reclaim and restore us to God’s Everlasting Love. Amen.

Third in Advent: JOY

Advent Guide: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Everlasting Joy of God’s Heart and the Holy Savior of the nations.

All:      You come among us to release us from our burdens and take great delight in our eternal happiness.

(Lighting of Two Purple candles and the Pink Joy Candle)

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus, quieten us with Your Precious Love and fill our spirits with heavenly joy. Amen.

Fourth in Advent: PEACE

Advent Guide:  Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Strength of God and the Sacred Shepherd of our souls.

All:      Your greatness is amongst us and Your power reaches out to the ends of the Earth.

(Lighting of Three Purple Candles & Pink Candle)

Advent Guide:              Lord Jesus, let us live securely in Your peace and be blessed forever by Your Holy Name. Amen.

Sunday prayers: Christ the King Sunday - Sun November 22

Approaching God

Announcements & Welcome

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, we gather before You as worshippers and servants, believers and disciples.

People: Eternal Sovereign of the Universe, we long to please You with our lives and hope to honor You with our praises.

Guide:  Loving Lord, we know that we are not all that we should be. We admit to making mistakes, surrendering to sin, and yielding to temptation. Pardon our pride and forgive our fallen ways. Hear us now as we silently confess our past mistakes to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Merciful God, we rely upon Jesus to save us from ourselves. We look to Him to cleanse our souls, acquit us of our sins, and restore us to Your favor. In His Holy words, we unite ourselves in prayer, saying: Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Only Jesus can give us eternal life through the forgiveness of our sins. He truly guides us each day and leads us to the point where we completely rely upon His grace. His body was broken for our mistakes; His blood was shed for our sins. He is our Lord and Redeemer, both now and for ever.  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

Minute for Mission: PW Thank Offering

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: Hear us, O Living Lord as we call upon Your Name. Be our shepherd and guide us in the midst of our troubles. Come amongst us, Gracious God, and touch us with Your Healing hands. Save us from our sickness and deliver us from despair.

People:            Restore us, O Lord, to health and strength. Look favorably upon us and grant us hope with peace. Hear our prayers, LORD God and give us patience to wait upon Your answer.

Pastor: Listen to the cries of our hearts and heal us, and all our loved ones, from all that harms us in body, mind, heart and spirit. In the midst of our discomfort and pain, grant us rest. At the time of our greatest anxieties and deepest concerns, be our strength and solid foundation. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be healed.

In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 80)

Singing of “Jesus, Draw Me Close.”

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, no matter who we are or what we have done, You will always have a message for us each time we read the scriptures. Today, we humbly pray that You will touch our hearts and minds with God’s Word and Christ’s Teaching.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication(unison): Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your precious love and for the many ways You protect us from evil. We rejoice in Your Life, we celebrate Your Truth, and we are here to support Your Way. Take these gifts and bless them for the continuing ministry that You have ordained amongst us. May these tithes and offerings bring blessing to our community and glory to Your Most Holy Name, both now and forever. Amen. 

Hymn:

Benediction(unison):  May we serve Christ each day through our love, faith and devotion; may we worship the Father as dedicated disciples and devoted servants; and may the Holy Spirit govern our choices and guide all our decisions, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude

Sunday worship prayers - 33rd Sunday in ordinary Time - November 15

Approaching God

Welcome & announcements

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Lord of bounty and blessing, God of Creation and wonder, we have come here to Your Holy house of prayer, seeking refuge and looking for hope. We lift up our hearts and voices to praise and honor You. We are called to be disciples and servants of Your Kingdom, so we rejoice in this sacred place of peace and power.

People:  Almighty Father, You know everything about us. You are aware of our sinful deeds and selfish ways. You have witnessed our bitterness and shallowness, our indifference and lack of compassion.

People: Merciful Lord, forgive our sins and pardon our foolish mistakes. Save us from temptation and rescue us from doing wrong. Hear us now as we humbly approach You with our personal confessions and individual prayers.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Everlasting God, we are eternally indebted to You. Only Your Son can heal the breach between us; only Jesus can restore us to the joy of Your Kingdom. We place our lives into His hands and seek the blessing of His forgiveness. In His words, we now pray saying:  “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  How can Jesus save us from our sins? By giving His life as a ransom for our own. By shedding His blood to cleanse us from our mistakes. By sacrificing Himself on the Cross so that we may be forgiven and restored to God’s favor and grace. So let us rejoice and be thankful, for Christ our Savior has fulfilled all that was needed to save our souls, both now and for ever.  Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung in unison): 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: How long, O LORD, must we suffer and experience discomfort? How long will our ailments continue? Do not leave us without hope. May Your mercy come quickly to us, for we are in desperate need.

People:            Help us, O God, our Savior, for the glory of Your Name; deliver us from harm and restore us to health. Send forth Your Holy Spirit to touch us and all our loved ones with Your healing touch, Your bountiful blessing, and Your compassionate love.

Pastor: May the cries of our hearts and the prayers of all our loved ones come before You; may You strengthen and preserve them, delivering them from despair and healing them from all that harms them in body, mind , heart and soul. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. We will praise You forever. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 79)

Update on Campaign

Singing of “Jesus, Draw Me Close.”

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, meet with us today in this sacred place and enable us to encounter Jesus through these holy words. Penetrate our hearts and minds with the true meaning of these scriptures and help us to apply these eternal truths in our daily lives. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message  & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication: Lord Jesus, from the bounty of our resources, we give back to You these gifts. You have blessed us each day and enabled us to offer our time, talents and treasures to the glory of God. We seek Your approval of our tithes and offering, praying that we may use them for the life, work and ministry of this church in Your Sacred Name, both now and forever. Amen. 

Hymn:

Benediction(unison):  May we submit to Christ’s authority each day; may the Father preserve us from evil by giving us His grace; and may the Holy Spirit keep us conscientious and faithful as Christian people, who worship glorify and adore the One, Triune God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude

Sunday prayer: 32nd Sunday in ordinary Time: November 8

Approaching God

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Almighty God, whose ways are mysterious and whose works are marvelous, we humbly ask that You place Your Hand upon us that we may have rest and peace in our lives.

People: Patient Lord of Power and Love, we gather beneath Your throne and seek to please You with our praise and delight You with our devotions.

Guide:  Everlasting Father, whose justice brings joy to the oppressed and despair to the wicked, we confess our mistakes and misdeeds, our falsehoods and failures, our selfish and stubborn ways. Hear us now as we personally confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Immortal Majesty, Your love and grace, through Your Holy Son Jesus, save us from Your wrath and delivers us from our sins. We bow in Your Sacred Presence and unite our spirits with Christ our Lord by praying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Christ is our living bread and He promises us eternal life. If we accept His ways and apply His words, if we receive Him as Savior and know Him as our Lord, then His Sacrifice at Calvary pays the full price for our sins and completely pardons us of our past mistakes. So let us rejoice and be glad, for Christ is our King, both now and always.  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: We are called to be God’s people, to listen to His words and to apply His teaching. For generations, our people have known the bounty of hope and the blessing of healing from the LORD.

People:            O LORD, we seek to experience Your Holy touch; we pray for recovery, renewal, and restoration. We call upon You, O Living God, to show us Your wonders by healing our hearts, mending our minds, and strengthening our spirits

Pastor: Eternal Lord, let miracles of hope and health, of blessing and healing be granted to us now, and all whom we pray for, on this holy day. May all our loved ones and neighbors, our friends and colleagues trust in Your word and experience deliverance from pain, discomfort, suffering, and disease. Hear us now as we quietly pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: May the Lord shepherd us to salvation and lead us towards an abundance of health, wholeness and healing. In Jesus’ Name, we ask and pray. Amen.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 78)

The Message: Part #1

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, as we read and hear this sacred message, may we fully believe and receive its teaching. Open our hearts and fill our minds with Christ’s ways so that our faith may be enhanced and our trust in God increased. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message: Part 2 & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication(unison): Lord Jesus, in response to Your loving ways, we freely give to You our pledges, tithes, and offerings. We seek to please You with these gifts and pray that You will bless them for the continuous ministry of this church. We ask that You will help us to patiently grow our faith and grant us the confidence to truly place our time, talents, and resources in to Your Hands. In Your Holy Name, give and we pray Amen. 

Gathering of the 2009 pledges – placed on the Communion table and given special prayer.

Hymn:

Benediction(unison):  May Christ keep us focused on serving God’s Kingdom; may the Father prevent us from diminishing our faith; and may the Holy Spirit steer us from all wrong and guide us to do good, in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God forevermore. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude