Monday, February 23, 2015

Sunday Prayers - Lent 3 - March 8

Approaching God
Welcome and announcements

Prelude
Gathering

Call to Worship
Pastor:                 Praise be to the LORD for He has shown His wonderful love to us.
People:                We will be strong and take heart, for our hope is in the LORD.
Pastor:                 Come, let us cheerfully worship and glorify God! Amen.

Hymn

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Holy Lord of the Universe and Sacred Creator of Life, we come here as Your people to praise Your glorious deeds and to proclaim Your wonderful works. You have called us into Your Presence and we are blessed to be in this special place of peace and prayer.
People:                 Almighty Father, You rule over the Earth and see all of humanity’s ways. You know that we are sinful and selfish creatures, whose foolish and faithless ways separate our souls from You. Forgive our faults and past mistakes. When we have neglected to do good or have inflicted hurt on other people, pardon us. When we have followed our own stubborn ways and allowed temptation to influence our decisions, forgive us. Hear us now as we personally confess our sins to You alone.
- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Gracious Lord, enable us to place Christ at the center of our lives. May His pardon free us from our sins. May His sacrifice restore us to Your Favor. 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:                   Jesus wants us to turn our backs on our sinful ways and return to God’s goodness. He calls us to follow Him and becomes witnesses of His mercy. We know that our past sins are forgiven because He loves us; therefore we honor His authority over our lives and are sustained by His grace. 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:                 Lord of Life, we proclaim Your love this morning and thank You for Your faithfulness to us. You gladden us with Your wonderful deeds and we rejoice in the power of Your healing hands.
People:                 Gracious Father, we know that You understand us perfectly and that You think about us constantly. May we flourish by Your grace; may we be healed through Your mercy. In the midst of our sickness, be our salvation. During times of depression or despair, be our defender and deliverer. Look after our loved ones and heal them of all that harms them in body, mind, heart and soul. Hear us now as we pray.


Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 The Lord is our righteousness, our peace, and our strength. He loves, heals, and restores us in Jesus’ Name. Amen.                    (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 92)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary’

Prayer for Illumination
Reader:                 Holy Spirit, empower us to discern between right and wrong through the guidance of these scriptures. Open our hearts and minds to Christ’s teaching, so that we may faithfully obey God every day. In Jesus’ Name, we ask. Amen.

Scripture Readings
The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, You have revealed to us Your holy ways through the Living Word of the sacred 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 that You have called us to pursue and fulfill. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ help us to regard each day as a special gift of grace; may the Father continue to supply our needs and satisfy 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

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