Sunday Worship prayers - Ordinary 24B - Sept 16

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Youth:                   O Lord, our God, we take our refuge in You; save and deliver us from all our fears.
People:                O Righteous God, who searches our minds and hearts, receive our worship and praises today.
Youth:                   We will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; let us sing and give praise to His Name.                     Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide: Everlasting Lord, whose infinite mind conceived the universe and whose powerful word brought it into existence, we applaud Your Holy power and we worship Your Sacred Name. You have given us life and sustained us through mercy and grace, therefore we proclaim Your sovereignty over us and seek to please You with our deeds.

People: Loving God, we know that we have often failed to meet Your standards. We confess to breaking our promises and not fulfilling our words. We admit to being foolish and we regret being selfish. Merciful Majesty, pardon our mistakes and cleanse us of our sinful ways. Hear us now as we silently pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Living Lord, we appeal to Your Son Jesus Christ for mercy. We look to Him alone for pardon and redemption. He has the power to forgive our sins and the right to restore us to Your favor. In Christ alone, we place our lives and souls. Under His authority, we express our faith.  In His sacred words, we continue to pray, saying:

“Our Father...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide: We want to be Christ’s disciples, so we need to listen to His words. Jesus has the power to make our lives new. When we come to Him seeking forgiveness, He is merciful. When we pray to Him looking for pardon, He gives us grace. Let us glorify Him 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

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. Why should those around us mock our faith? Send forth Your Holy Spirit to touch us and all our loved ones with Your healing power, 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. May our faith in You be realized through the healing of our lives. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 Holy Lord, 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)

Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, let the scriptures speak to our heart and minds, as if Christ was preaching to us at this time in our lives. Open our spirits to His sacred presence and grant us a new beginning today. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & The Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, we have come into Your presence to be taught by Your word, and to be reconnected to God. With cheerful and thankful hearts, we bring before You our tithes and gifts. We pray that You will accept and bless them for the life, work, and ministry of this church. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison): May Jesus live within us and shape our daily lives; may the Father reveal His works to us each day; and may the Holy Spirit keep us worshipping the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude