Ordinary 23 C Prayers - September 04

Approaching God

Announcements and Welcome

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor:                 We will please the Lord from our hearts and souls by praising His Holy name.

People:                 We will remember God’s glorious deeds by recounting His wonderful blessings.

Pastor:                 Let us cheerfully glorify the Lord, who shows us love and compassion, both now and forever. Amen.

First Hymn

               

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Let us approach God’s Holy throne and offer ourselves as servants in His Kingdom, and as willing participants in God’s sacred dream.

All:         Almighty and Everlasting God, to whom our hearts belong and through whom our lives are given meaning, You know us perfectly and we are blessed to be Your people. You know that we often make mistakes and You are completely aware of all our misdeeds. Forgive our sinful and selfish ways. Pardon our times of insensitivity and intolerance. Hear us now as we confess our sins to You alone.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                 Compassionate Lord, absolve us of our sinful past and cleanse us of our faithless ways. Forgive us through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for His sacrifice has allowed us to receive Your salvation. In His holy words, we make our confessions and continue to pray, saying, “Our Father...THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

               

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ knows our mistaken choices and seeks to positively change us with His Gospel. He has the power to forgive our past mistakes and restore us to God's everlasting favor. So let us thank Him for giving us His life and taking away our punishment. In His Immortal Name, we 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.

Anthem

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students, come forward)

Children leave after sermon

Encountering God

Prayers for the World

Pastor:                 O Creator of the Earth, hear our prayers as we lift up to You our broken world. Across our planet, millions of people are suffering from hunger and deprivation, disasters and tragedies, wars and conflicts. At times, Gracious God, we do not know what to do or even where to start to fix the world. We pray for peace, but war continues. We ask for an end to poverty, but greed still grows. We look for healing and wholeness, but our world is still damaged and fractured. How long, O Lord, will this suffering continue? How long, O Lord, will man’s inhumanity prevail?

People:                 Loving Lord, we know that faith, hope, and love can endure all things, but we also understand that those gifts begin with us. We pray for peace in our hearts and in our homes. We pray healing in our families and relationship. We pray for guidance in our church and community. And we ask for compassion and justice across our land, as well as throughout the Earth. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent prayer for the world. A candle is lit.          

Pastor:                  The Lord, with His unfailing love, can make all things new. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

               

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, grant us wisdom and an understanding of these sacred scriptures. Speak to our hearts and fill us with Christ's love. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message

Response:           The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by the pastor):               Lord Jesus, You have spoken to our hearts through Your word and message. Help us to think carefully about everything You have given to us here. In loving response, we gather before You our tithes and gifts. We pray that You will receive and bless them for the ministries and missions You want our church to fulfill. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Communion – see insert at back of main Hymn book

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ's grace be with us each day; may the Father's peace empower our faith; and may the Holy Spirit keep us devoted to the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Prayers for Ordinary 22C - Aug 28

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor:                 Eternal God, graciously look down on us and cast Your loving gaze upon Your people.

People:                 We will declare the wonderful deeds of the Lord and praise His holy Name.

Pastor:                 We have come here to glorify the Living God. Let us now worship and adore Him. Amen.

First Hymn

               

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before Your sacred presence, as we rejoice in Your holy love. We belong to You and so we thankfully seek to serve Your Kingdom. We worship Your powerful ways and lift up on high Your Everlasting Name.

People:                Loving God, in the midst of our daily lives, we sometimes give in to temptation and sin, as well as selfishness and pride. When we ignore Your commands or turn our backs against Your counsel, forgive our foolish ways and pardon our ingratitude. Restore us with Your guidance and return us to Your Love. Hear us now as we confess our sins to You alone.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                  Eternal Lord, through Your mercy and grace, we have been given a Holy Savior. By Your compassionate understanding and perfect love, we have been redeemed through Jesus Christ, our Lord. We make our confessions in Christ's Name, knowing that He has all authority in Heaven and on Earth to restore us completely to You. In His sacred words, we now pray, “Our Father...THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

               

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ stooped down from Heaven to become one of us. His complete obedience to God caused Him to be sacrificed for all of our past mistakes and shameful sins. He writes our names in the Book of Life and reclaims us as God's own people, so let us rejoice in our Redeemer and celebrate the everlasting victory of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 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.

Anthem

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students, come forward)

Children leave for Enrichment and Planet Worship

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 O LORD, we cry aloud to You and lift up our voices for mercy. We pour out our petitions to You, O God, and tell our heartfelt troubles to You alone. When our spirits are weary and our hearts are full of anxiety, we turn to You, looking for help and guidance for the way ahead. When we feel isolated and alone, uncared for and unloved, we seek refuge in You, our God.

People:                 The Lord is our source of strength. He has the power to overcome our sickness, suffering, and pain. May He rescue us and all our loved ones, for we are in need of healing, wholeness, and recovery from all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul.  May the Lord hear us as we silently pray.

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

Pastor:                  The Lord sets us free from our fears and restores us to His Kingdom by His goodness, compassion, and love. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

               

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, grant us insight and understanding of these sacred scriptures. Speak to our hearts and fill us with Christ's love. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by the pastor):               Lord Jesus, You enable us to apply Your teachings through acts of devotion and love.  Faithfully, we bring our tithes and gifts, asking that You will bless them for the preaching of Your Word and the praising of God's Name. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May we be encouraged to serve Christ in our daily lives; may the Father's wisdom brings us everlasting joy; and may the Holy Spirit keep us faithfully devoted to the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

                

Sunday Prayer for Ordinary 19C - Aug 7th

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor:                 Great is the LORD in the universe; He is exalted from every realm of Creation.

People:                 We will praise His almighty and everlasting Name for God is awesome and holy.

Pastor:                 Let us worship and glorify our Creator. Let us magnify and bless the Lord! Amen.

First Hymn

               

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                 Everlasting God, Your power sustains the Universe and Your will permits life on Earth to continue. We come here to this sacred place to praise Your wonderful deeds and to give thanks for Your acts of grace in our lives. We are blessed by Your faithfulness and encouraged with Your love.

People:                Gracious Father, we sometimes question Your words and set aside Your counsel when making crucial decisions in our lives. We sometimes think too highly of ourselves and allow pride to diminish our Christian faith. Forgive us for ignoring Your authority and for succumbing to our selfish temptations. Hear us now as we express our regret and repent of our sinful ways.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                  Merciful Lord, without the ministry of Your Son Jesus Christ, we would have no opportunity for forgiveness or restoration, repentance or reconciliation. Therefore, we thank You for His supreme sacrifice by pledging our lives to Him. In Christ's Name, we make our confession and with His holy words, we further pray, saying, “Our Father...THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

               

Promise of the Gospel

Guide: Every day we break God's Law and disrespect His commands. We put ourselves under His divine judgment, from which only Jesus can save us.  Christ alone has the power to pardon and restore us to God's grace and Kingdom. Let us therefore rejoice and be glad in His Name. 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.

Anthem 

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students, come forward)

Children leave for Enrichment

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 O Lord, You have searched our spirits and know us completely. You see all that we do and perceive our thoughts, worries, and concerns. You are familiar with all of our ways. You understand all that we currently experience. Before we even voice our prayers, You know what we are about to ask.

People:                 When we feel pressure or suffer from stress, You lay Your loving hand upon us. Your presence is wonderful, therefore we appeal to You for healing and peace to be given to us and all our loved ones. Hear us now as we personally pray.

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

Pastor:                  We are never out of God's reach. We always belong to Him. In Jesus' Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

               

Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, let God's Word move our hearts and souls, so that we may grow spiritually and become obedient to Christ Jesus in faith, hope, and love. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message

Serving God

Offertory and Offering

Dedication (unison – led by the pastor):               Lord Jesus, You know the secrets of our hearts, and yet You still allow us to come to worship You. You have permitted Your holy presence to be experienced by us in this sacred place. We thank You for these blessings and in response bring before Your our tithes and gifts, as well as our loyalty and lives. Bless them for the work of God's Kingdom and the praising of His Everlasting Name. Amen.

Communion 

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ embrace us each day and fill us with His love; may the Father send us into the world with His compassion and strength; and may the Holy Spirit constantly encourage us to worship the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude