Sunday Prayers Lent 4 - Mar 26

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor: Loving God, who reconciles the world through Your Word, accept our devotions and worship this day.

People: You have called each of us to be here, so we can celebrate and honor You with our praise.

Pastor:  We do this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord who reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide: Lord of Heaven and Earth, of all that is seen and unseen, we bring to You our joyful praise and personal prayers. You are the God of grace and glory, therefore we lift up Your sacred Name and delight in Your holy ways.

People: Merciful Father, You teach us right from wrong, and offer to guide our decisions and correct our choices. We confess to ignoring Your counsel and going against our faith. We are guilty of being selfish and proud, foolish and vain, as well as sinful and wayward.  Hear us now as we personally ask forgiveness from You.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide: Everlasting God, encourage us to reconsider our ways and help us to reshape our lives according to Christ's teaching, for Jesus is our Holy Savior and only through Him can we be pardoned, reconciled, and restored forevermore. In His sacred words, we continue to pray, saying, “Our Father, Who art in Heaven...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide: Christ invites us to believe in Him, so that we may become His disciples in this world. He forgives all of our faults and absolves completely us from our sinful mistakes. He is our One, True and Only Savior, and we gratefully serve Him, both now and forever. Amen.

Singing of Kyrie

Choir Anthem

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

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 O Lord, we declare Your glory and proclaim the healing works of Your hands. Day by day, we speak of Your blessedness; week by week, we praise Your holy Name.

People:                 We rejoice in Your ways, O God, and are refreshed by Your love. We reach out for strength and ask for support. We pray that You will heal us from all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now as we ask for healing for ourselves, our loved ones, and all whom we know in need of Your love and grace.  

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

Pastor:                  The compassion of the Lord is our strength and comfort. He alone revives our souls. In Jesus' Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, You treat us lovingly and seek to bless us with eternal life through Christ's words and deeds. Help us at this time to focus on what Christ has to say from the scriptures, so we may learn from all that He does. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by the pastor):               Lord Jesus, You call us to be Your witnesses and disciples. You also challenge our lives and seek to better our ways. We bring our combined offering to You with cheerful hearts and trust that we will make a positive impact in our congregation, our community, and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. 

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ help us to fulfill our plans, so that we may delight in the Lord; may the Father grant us the desires of our heart, so that we may honor and bless Him each day; and may the Holy Spirit teach us to faithfully follow and serve the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Prayers - Lent 2 - Mar 12

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Prelude

Call to worship

Pastor:                 God so loved the world that He gave us His Only Son, who can grant us everlasting life.

People:                 We believe that Christ comes into this holy place to offer us God’s grace and love.

Pastor:                  Jesus is sent to us by God to become our Savior, Lord, and eternal King. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty Lord, You have called us from our homes to draw near to You in this sacred place of praise and prayer. You have blessed us with Your love and have sustained our lives. As we worship today, may we please You with our songs, prayers, and devotion.

People:                 Gracious God, You offer us guidance each day and a purpose for our lives. Your words and ways are mean to direct and encourage us. Sometimes, Lord, we are guilty of taking You for granted. We neglect to give You honor for our successes and are quick to complain to You about our troubles. The good that You want us to do is left undone; the bad things that You want us to avoid are sometimes sinfully embraced by us. Forgive our foolish ways and constant sins. Hear us as we make our personal confessions to You.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide: Thank You, Loving Father, for hearing our prayers and resetting our lives in praise of You. We are grateful for Your Son Jesus who forgives and restores us to Your favor. In His Holy Name, we continue to pray, saying, “Our Father, Who art in heaven...THE LORD'S PRAYER" (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide: We are born again and regenerated through the mercy, grace, and love of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. He has the power to reunite our spirits to God, from this day forth and forevermore. Amen.

Gloria Patri (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.

Choir Anthem

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

Praise Song

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Loving Lord, when we are needing help or have become distressed, come to us with Your holy power and infinite wisdom. Grant us Your grace and allow to recover from that harms us in body, mind, heart, or soul.

People:                 Gracious God, thank You for watching over us each day and night. You know our worries and concerns, as well as our anxieties and disappointments. We are frail and human, constantly in need of Your reassurance, encouragement, and embrace. As we bring our personal prayers before You, heal us and all our loved ones this day.

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

Pastor:                  The Lord God will continue to offer us His strength, assurance, and love. In Jesus' Name, we confidently pray. Amen.

Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, open our hearts and minds to these scriptures. As we read them, may we be drawn closer to God. Grant us a better understanding of what they mean for us today, so that we may positively apply and share them with all whom we encounter this week. In Jesus' Name, we humbly pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by the pastor):               Lord Jesus, You have shown us the grace of God and given us eternal promises of love and life. In response, we gratefully bring our tithes and offerings before You and humbly ask that You bless them for the life, work, and ministry of Erin Church in this community and around the world. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully give and pray. Amen.

Communion (see insert at the back of the hymnal)

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ strengthen our faith each day; may the Father encourage us to share His love; and may the Holy Spirit keep us dedicated to the One, Triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen.     

Doxology & Postlude