Sunday Worship Prayers - Lent 4C - 10 March

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Youth:                   Loving God, we come into Your House of praise and prayer; accept our songs and worship.

People:                 We are called to be in Your presence and seek to please You with our devotion.

Youth:                   Come among us, Holy Lord, and bless each of us here today. In Jesus’ Name, we ask. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Guide:                 Sovereign Lord of the Universe and Gracious God of our hearts, we praise Your glorious ways and bless Your wonderful deeds. You are the One, True, and Living God. We are honored to be called into Your Holy Presence. We feel favored to gather in Your Holy House.

People:                 Loving Lord of Life, You created the Earth and watch over our entire planet. You know that we are human and frail, prone to pride and drawn to sin. Forgive our faults and pardon our past mistakes. Have mercy upon us for we are foolish and faithless at times, overcome by greed and vanity, temptation and trouble. Hear us now as we humbly confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Heavenly Father, enable us to honor Your Name by placing Christ at the center of our lives. May His Passion free us from our sins. May His sacrifice restore us to Your Favor. For we make our confessions in Christ’s Name and through His own words, we unite our hearts in prayer, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (DEBTS/DEBTORS)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ opens our eyes to the consequences of our sins. By giving His life for us, He shows us how seriously God deals with our selfish and deceitful mistakes. Thankfully, He also opens the gates of eternal freedom to those who come to Him sincerely seeking forgiveness, peace, and love. By the power of His blood, we receive mercy and are restored to God’s favor. Therefore, in Christ’s Name, let us rejoice and pray. 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: Hear our cries, O God; listen to our heartfelt prayers. Deep within our souls, we call to You. When we are weak and our hearts are troubled, be the rock of our salvation.

People:                 You are our refuge and our strength against all things which harm us in body, mind, heart and soul. We seek to dwell in Your healing presence and look to You to keep us safe from illness and injury, disease and despair, pain and suffering.

Pastor:                 We call upon You for ourselves, our loved ones, and those whom we know need Your help. May Your love and faithfulness protect all of us and may our loved ones experience Your peace and blessing, Your hope and healing. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 May we sing praise to the One, True, and Living God, whose compassionate healing is given and fulfilled in each of our lives this day. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.    

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 61)

Singing of “Sanctuary"

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, lift up our hearts and help us to see the real Jesus in the midst of these scriptures. Reveal to us His teaching for our lives, and help us to apply what we learn from Him today.  In Christ’s Sacred Name, we pray. Amen. 

Scripture Readings

The Message & the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (infusion – led by pastor):    Lord Jesus, You have revealed to us Your ways through the Living Word of the scriptures. In response, we gather together our tithes and offerings, placing them into Your keeping. We ask that You will bless these tokens and enable us to use them for the many ministries and missions You have called us to pursue and fulfill. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. 

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison): May Christ help us to regard each day as holy and special; may the Father continue to bless our needs and strengthen our souls; and may the Holy Spirit teach us to live our lives in thankfulness to the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude