Sunday worship prayers - Easter 3 - Third Sunday in Easter - April 22

Approaching God

Prelude

Welcome and announcements

Gathering

Call to Worship

Youth:             Lord, revive us again, so that we may rejoice in You.

People:           Show us Your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation.

Youth:             May we listen to what the LORD has to say, because He promises us His peace. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:              Lord God and Almighty Father, whose dynamic wonders surround us and whose glorious works inspire our souls, we gather before You, to praise and honor Your majestic ways. Your peace calms our restless spirits and Your blessings strengthen our faithful hearts; we worship and adore Your Holy Name.

People:           Gracious Father, we mourn the past mistakes that we have made, and lament the sinful ways we have lived. We seek forgiveness for all of our faults and mercy for our entire misdeeds. We confess our complacency and admit to our errors. Pardon our prejudices and pride. Absolve us of our ungrateful, unfaithful, and unloving ways. Hear us now as we silently pray to You.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:              Sovereign Lord, accept our confessions and receive our penitent prayers. Wash our souls in Christ's blood and cleanse our spirits from all our sins, for He alone can save and restore us. In Jesus' Name, we make our petitions and continue to pray, saying, “Our Father…” THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide: Christ's ministry and message were unique. His words inspired people to return to God; His ways expressed His everlasting love. Today, we receive His blessings of mercy and grace, pardon and forgiveness. Let us rejoice and exalt in the Name of Jesus, both now and forevermore.  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:             Let us trust in the Lord, whose love and strength endures forever. May God surround and embrace us in the midst of our worries and cares.

People:           May He free us from our fears and keep us from all harm. May the Lord's goodness touch our lives and all whom we love.

Pastor:             May our heartfelt prayers and innermost pleas be compassionately answered. O Lord, heal our broken lives and mend our wounded souls. Strengthen our loved ones and all for whom we now pray.

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

Pastor:             As we turn to the Lord for help and healing, may He banish all our fears and grant us His peace. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 125)

Singing of 'Sanctuary.’

Prayer for illumination

Reader:           Holy Spirit, help us to consider Christ words and actions carefully. Enable us to recognize, from the message and wisdom of these scriptures, what challenges and changes need to be applied in our daily lives. In His Holy Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, we bring before You our tithes and gifts, asking that You will bless them, so that Your church, in this community and throughout the world, may excel in expressing the Gospel and the building up of God's Kingdom here on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ receive us as His disciples each day; may the Father make us worthy of being His people; and may the Holy Spirit help us to faithfully serve and love the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.

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

Sunday Worship Prayers - Easter 2 - April 15

Approaching God

Prelude

Welcome and announcements

Gathering

Call to Worship

Youth:              Living Lord, we serve You through our worship today. Hear our voices as we glorify You.
People:           May our prayers and praises be acceptable to You, O God of our hearts.
Youth:              May the lifting up of our songs and spirits be pleasing to You, Almighty God. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:              High King of Heaven and Maker of the Earth, we gather as servants and disciples to praise and glorify Your holy ways.  We have come to this sacred place of prayer to hear Your words and honor Your glorious Name.

People:           Gracious Lord and Merciful Father, throughout our lives there are moments of selfishness and sin. Our hearts are full of good intentions, but our deeds display our faithless ways. Instead of keeping Your commands, we make foolish choices. Instead of holding on to Your precious words, we hurt others with our bitter talk and personal grudges. Forgive us for pandering to our pride and giving in to temptation. Hear us now as we quietly confess our sins to You.

- SILENCE -

Guide:              Living God, let Your justice prevail over our lives, and may Your Son’s mercy cleanse our souls. May His blood restore us to Your righteousness. May His sacrifice reclaim our lives for You. For in Christ alone, we are saved from Your wrath and through Him, we are restored to Your favor. Hear us now as we pray, saying His sacred words... “THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:              Christ brings us back into the loving courts of God and sheds us of our shame. He takes away our sins and renews our lives. We are no longer blinded by greed or held captive to sin. He acquits us of our guilt and redeems us for God. Let us rejoice and glorify Him forevermore. 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

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:             Hear us, O God, as we voice our concerns; bring peace to our troubled souls. Keep us safe from sickness; shelter us in the midst of all our worries.

People:           When we are beset with problems, and hard pressed with fear, be our strength and shield. When life suddenly strikes us with grief and sorrow, carry and comfort us. O Lord.

Pastor:             Encourage our hopes and heal our illnesses. Look after our loved ones and strengthen them in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now as we silently pray for ourselves and for all those who are in need of healing.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:             Let us rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.           

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 64)

Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:           Holy Spirit, gather our thoughts and help us to focus on Christ. Enable us to lay our spirits before Him. Teach us life lessons through the power of these sacred scriptures.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. 

Scripture Readings

The Message & The Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison)

Guide:             Lord Jesus, You have wondrously affected our lives and penetrated our souls. You have brought us to this holy house of prayer. We gather before You our tithes and gifts, and ask that You bless them for the work of this church and the glory of Your kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison):                        May Christ shelter us from sin and shame; may the Father enlighten our souls and embrace us with His love; and may the Holy Spirit keep us faithfully focused on worshipping the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Worship service prayers

Maundy Thursday Service

Prelude

First reading: Mark 14:17-21

Hymn:              #179    God is My Strong Salvation

Prayer of Urgent Confession

Pastor:             Lord Jesus, You see the truth in our lives and know everything about us. We are not worthy of Your grace, nor are we completely faithful to Your ways. On this terrible night, our sins are amplified and our shame is exposed to You. We know that we have betrayed Your beautiful words and trashed Your sacred teaching.

People:                       O Lord, we are proud instead of being humble. As Christians, we are stubborn and foolish, rather than being steadfast and faithful. We disappoint our loved ones and neglect our neighbor’s needs. We fill our hearts and minds with our own inconsequential trivia, instead of Your eternal truths.

Pastor:             Forgive us, Lord Jesus, for giving in to our fears and succumbing to temptation. Pardon us for casting You aside to embrace the world’s attractions. On this night, above all other nights, help us to hold on to Your hope and get us to grasp the grace of God as His Powerful Spirit passes over us. Hear us now as we silently confess our sins.

Time of personal confession and reflective silence

Pastor:              O Son of Man, Redeemer of the world; have mercy upon us miserable sinners. Amen.

2nd Reading:  Mark 14:22-26

Hymn:              #186    Thy Mercy and Thy Truth, O Lord

3rd Reading:   Mark 14:27-31

Choir Anthem:             My Lord is Weeping

4th reading:   Mark 14:32-42

Hymn:              #97      Go To Dark Gethesemane

Homily             On That Night

COMMUNION  - At the appropriate time, the congregation shall come forward to receive the bread and wine.  After this, the elders will come to those who wish to take communion where they are seated.

Prayer of Thanksgiving (unison)      Lord Jesus, Your Holy Spirit has afflicted and convicted us this evening. We know that we have sent You to the Cross because we are sinful creatures. Despite these failures and faults, You still offer us Your grace and God’s peace. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for redeeming our souls and restoring us to God. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

Hymn:              #98      O Sacred Head Now Wounded

Final reading: Mark 14:43-50

Congregation Exits Silently

Easter Worship Prayers - Easter Sunday - 08 April

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Youth:             All over the Earth, Christians are joyfully declaring that Christ is Risen!

People:           He is risen indeed!  

Youth:              Jesus, Savior of the World, we worship and adore You. We honor and glorify You forever. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                          Almighty King and Everlasting Savior, this is Your Holy Day and we are thankful to be called Your people. You are the Righteous Son of God and our Eternal Lord. You are the King of all Creation and the Ruler of the Universe. You have overcome sin and death, bringing promises of life and love to us that last forever.
People:                       Precious Jesus, we caused Your wounds at Calvary because we are sinful people. We crucified You to the Cross because of our stubborn, rebellious, and selfish ways. Gracious Lord, forgive our foolish mistakes and grave errors. Pardon our hurtful words and shameful deeds. Hear us now as we confess to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:              Victorious Savior, Your blood has cleansed our sinful souls. Your sacrifice has restored us to God’s favor. Without You, our lives are wasted. With You, our hopes are made eternal. We bring these prayers in Your Holy Name and unite our spirits to You, by saying "Our Father, Who art in heaven...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:              Jesus is the Only One who can save our souls from everlasting destruction. His Name alone has the power to forgive our sins and to release us from death and despair. Let us rejoice and celebrate the victory of our Lord and King forevermore. 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:             The LORD reigns, He is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. God establishes our world and sustains our lives.

People:           Eternal God, we are finite and frail, in need of help, healing, and wholeness. We lift up our voices of prayer to You, from our unsettled hearts and troubled minds.

Pastor:             Mighty Redeemer, have mercy upon us and heal us of all that harms us in body, mind, heart and spirit. We also bring to You our families and friends, colleagues and neighbors who need Your Loving touch and holy healing. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor:             The LORD is merciful and holy; just and faithful. He hears our prayers in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

                        (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 93)

Unison Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:           Holy Spirit, impact our lives with the power of the Gospel. Let the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection bring joy to our souls. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. 

Scripture Readings

The Message & Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication(unison):   Lord Jesus, You have given everything for our salvation. You have sacrificed Your life so that we may live forever in God’s eternal presence. We can never repay the debt that we owe You, but we can support the work and ways of Your church with our tithes and gifts. Take this offering and bless it, so that others may hear the Gospel, through the preaching of the Word and the glorifying of God’s Name. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison): May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the almighty and amazing love of the Father, and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit be with us now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude