Sunday Prayers for Ordinary 5 - February 05

Approaching God

Prelude

Welcome and announcements

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Pastor:             May the LORD teach us His ways; may we keep His word throughout our lives.

People:           God grants us meaning and purpose, when we obey Him and praise His deeds.

Pastor:             May the LORD direct us as we delight in worshipping and glorifying His Name. Amen.

First Hymn:

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:              Sovereign Lord, we gather here in Your sacred House of Prayer and come to honor Your authority over all Creation. We seek to please You with our praises and want to serve You with our worship.

People:           Merciful Father, we are ashamed of our past sins and sorry for our continual mistakes. We regret being selfish and tarnishing our lives with foolish choices. Instead of finding joy in Your salvation, we fret over our failures. Instead of trusting Your strength, we weaken our faith through being proud and angry, bitter and self-centered. Forgive us for ignoring Your guidance and influence over our lives. Hear us now as we humbly pray.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:              Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing us to confess our sins; for granting us mercy, and for giving us Your Son, Jesus Christ, as our One, True and Holy Savior. In His Hands, we place our souls; in His Name, we make our confessions, and in His words we continue to pray, saying, "Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide:              The world questions who Jesus was, but we know that He is all that He ever claimed to be. He is the Holy Son of God, the Savior of our souls, and the Ruler of the Universe. By Him, we are granted forgiveness and through Him, we can receive eternal life. Let us rejoice and worship Christ, both now and forever. 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

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:             How long, O God, will we experience sickness and pain? How long will we endure illness and anxiety? How long must we wrestle with our worries, and find sadness in our hearts? How long shall we strive and be subjected to stress?

People:           Look upon on us, O LORD, our God, and mercifully answer us. Lighten our loads and save us from despair. When our hopes seem to fail, heal our hurts. When we falter through fear, restore our faith.

Pastor:             O Lord, we will trust in Your unfailing love; we will rejoice in Your salvation. Come among us, Gracious God, and be present with our loved ones. Heal us from all that harms us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit.

Pastor:             We will praise the Lord, for He has been good to us. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 13)

Unison singing of “Jesus Draw Me Close.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:           Holy Spirit, each time we visit God's House, we learn more about the truth of Jesus Christ. His words and ways come to us across the centuries, from the events and experiences of His amazing Earthly Life. Open our hearts and minds, our spirits and souls to Him today. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & The Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, You come among us and grant us Your peace. You forgive our sins and restore us to God's love. In response, we give our lives to You, and we ask that You will bless them, so that we may honor God throughout our days. We also bring before You our tithes and gifts. Bless these tokens of our gratitude to the continuing life, work, and mission of Your Church on Earth, in this community, and all over the world. In Your Precious Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Communion

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ continue to help us as He intercedes for us; may the Father keep us thankful for the favors He grants us each day; and may the Holy Spirit guide us as we worship, serve, and glorify the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.                  

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Worship Prayers - Ordinary 2 - Jan 15

Approaching God

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Pastor:             Let us praise the Lord for every good thing He brings into our lives.

People:           May He open our eyes that we may see His glorious deeds; may He open our hearts that we may truly worship Him.

Pastor:             May our souls be consumed with His love; may our spirits delight in His presence. Amen.

First Hymn:

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:              Almighty Father, each week we collectively worship in Your Holy House; each day, we walk in Your Holy Presence. You have given us life and granted us faith. You have blessed us with hope and filled us with Your love.

People:           Gracious God, our sins create a wall between us; our faithless ways separate us from Your sacred and holy kingdom. We are sorry for our past mistakes and personal failings. We regret allowing temptation to overcome our spirits, causing our faith to collapse, and our souls to be damaged. Hear us now as we silently and sorrowfully make our confessions to You.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:              Everlasting God, we owe everything to You, especially our salvation. You have given Jesus as the joy of our lives and the Savior of our souls. Without His grace, our faith is groundless; without His mercy, our lives are meaningless. We therefore pledge our hearts to Christ our King and seek to serve Him all of our days. In His sacred words, we continue to pray saying, "Our Father, Who art in heaven...THE LORD'S PRAYER" (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide: Jesus teaches us that unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins.  Because we have come to Him today, to seek His pardon and to look for His mercy, Jesus receives our confessions and restores us to God's pleasure. Let us rejoice in Christ, for He is our Eternal Savior and King, both now and forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung 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

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:             In the Lord, we will take our refuge. In His love, we will be encouraged and endure. The Lord sees our trouble and knows of our afflictions. He confronts our fears and seeks to calm our worries.

People:           Sometimes Lord, our faith is assailed by sickness and our doubts cause us to question You; please hear our prayers and listen to our pleas. From on high, You watch over us. You examine our plight and understand our pain.

Pastor: God knows His people and He preserves us. He alone has the power to heal us with peace, strength, and love. O Lord, we bring before You our prayers for healing. Come amongst us and touch us with Your loving hands. Be with our loved ones and heal them from all that harms them. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit.

Pastor:             The Lord is righteous and He loves justice. He hears our prayers in Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 11)

Singing of “Jesus Draw Me Close.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:           Holy Spirit, we have heard that Christ has the words of eternal life and that He is the true source of all that can nourish our souls, and spirits. Let His words and ways enter our hearts and minds, so that we may accept and apply His Gospel teaching each day of our lives. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, You built Your church upon the faith and experiences of all Your followers. Today, we are the heirs of Your ways and the messengers of Your words. Take our tithes and gifts and bless them for the continuing work of Your church here in this place, this nation, and throughout the world.  In Your Holy Name, we faithfully give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ remain within our hearts and encourage us each day; may the Father enable us to depend upon His blessings; and may the Holy Spirit raise and enhance our faith, so that we may cheerfully, lovingly and thankfully serve the One, Triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen.                 

Doxology         May God's Blessing & Postlude