Sunday Prayers for July 27 - Ordinary 17, Pentecost 7, Proper 12

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               May the Lord bless us as we come into His presence, to honor and praise His Name.
People:                 We will delight in the Lord and focus on being faithful to Him throughout this holy time.
Pastor:                  May all that we do here please Him. May our songs and prayers bring glory to our God. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Exalted and Almighty God, we have come into Your house to acknowledge Your authority over our lives and to proclaim You as the Ruler of the Universe. You fill our hearts with strength and love. You sustain us with mercy and grace.
People:                 Heavenly Father, we know that we are imperfect and our souls are tarnished because of our spiteful sins, selfish deeds, and mistaken choices. We confess that we have displeased You with dishonorable deeds and wicked words. We have followed our own ways and forgotten Your commands. We are guilty of being faithless servants and sinful people. To You alone, we bring our silent, personal confessions.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Righteous Lord, Your justice is merciful and Your judgments are compassionate. You have given us Your Son to be our Savior. You have promised us forgiveness through His sacrifice at Calvary. We declare that in Christ alone, we are forgiven; by His authority, we are restored to You, our Creator God. In His words, we continue to pray, saying “Our Father...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).    

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  We now have no need to be afraid of God’s wrath because Jesus has redeemed us with His life and restored us through His grace. As we acknowledge Christ as our Savior and King, our souls are cleansed and reconnected to God, both now and 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:                 O Lord, when our hearts are full of grief and fear, bring to us Your goodness and love. When we are beset with worry and overcome by our troubles, grant us peace and restoration.

People:                 You are always with us, Lord; come near to us now and embrace our spirits. Guide us and counsel us, O God; comfort and strengthen us for the days ahead.

Pastor:                 Living Lord, in You alone, we place our faith. To You alone, we bring our prayers. Heal us and all our loved ones from all that causes our flesh to fail and our hearts to fear. Hear us now we pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 The Lord is our Sovereign and our refuge. It is good to be strengthened and revived by Him. In Jesus’ Name, we make these prayers. Amen.                  (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 73)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, help us to be attentive to these scriptures today. May God’s message penetrate our hearts and minds, so that we may receive the Living Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  In His Name, we pray. Amen. 

Scripture Readings

The Message

Serving God

Offering and offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, we are privileged to be called Your people and honored to do Your work. We have gathered our tithes and gifts before You. We ask that You will receive and bless them, so that Your appointed ministries and missions may be accomplished by our congregation in this community and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ open our eyes to His work in today’s world; may the Father brighten our spirits with the hope of the Gospel; and may the Holy Spirit keep us glorifying  the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude