Sunday Prayers Ordinary 31A, Proper 26A, Pentecost +21 - November 2

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude & Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Herald:                 We have gathered as one family of faith and community of Christ to worship His glorious Name.

People:                 May we experience God’s love and grace as we joyfully glorify and bless Him this day.

Herald:                 Let us come to the Lord, to serve Him with our hearts and voices, in our prayers and praise. Amen.

Hymn:

Prayer of Adoration, Confession, and Absolution

Guide:                 Almighty God and Everlasting Father, whose energetic words of Creation spoke our world into being, we reverently approach Your throne of Grace and acknowledge You as Sovereign of all that was, is, and ever shall be. You are our Almighty King and we are Your humble servants. We have come here at Your bidding; we worship here to Your glory alone.

People:                 Lord Jesus, Savior of the World and Prince of Peace, we confess our sinful ways and foolish choices to You. We have fallen short of God’s standards and we have failed to perfectly follow You. Our sins are many and our mistakes are constant. We often neglect to help those in need, and frequently disappoint our loved ones. We use angry words to hurt other people, and permit our pride to shape our sinful deeds. Forgive us, Lord, for yielding to temptation and surrendering to our selfish ways. Hear us now, as we inwardly and privately confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                 Holy Spirit, You have afflicted our consciences and confronted us to confess our sins. We pray for absolution of all our past mistakes and ask that You continually guide us to live according to Christ’s Way. We profess that He is our only Savior, so we thankfully declare our allegiance to Jesus. In His words, we unite our hearts and souls to Him, saying, “Our Father …THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ is the Bread of Heaven, so as we feed upon His life and words, we are spiritually regenerated and completely forgiven of all our past mistakes. We will rejoice and be glad, for this is another glorious Sunday that the Lord has made, and we are perfectly restored to His favor and love, both now and always.  Amen.

Gloria Patri:       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:                 We cry out to You, O God, for help; we call upon You to hear our heartfelt prayers. In the midst of our distress, we seek Your grace; as we experience anxiety and discomfort, we look to You for healing. We remember You, O God, and recall Your great works. When we are weak or faint-hearted, be our strength and salvation. When we are too troubled to speak, let us hear Your peaceful voice; when we are tired and exhausted, bring rest to our bodies and comfort for our souls.

People:                 Almighty Father, fill us with Your love and heal us by Your grace. Rescue and restore our loved ones from all that harms them in body, mind, heart, and spirit. May Your healing mercy, gracious power, and loving compassion touch all those in need of freedom from pain and recovery from illness. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 Your ways, O God, are both mysterious and holy. Your greatness is unequalled and Your grace is never diminished. You are the God of Life and Light; You daily reveal Your presence among all peoples and throughout the Earth. Hear our prayers, given in Jesus’ Name. Amen.    (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 77)

Prayer for Enlightenment

Reader:                 Holy Spirit, enter our souls and challenge our hearts with today’s Gospel message. Keep us focused on Christ’s words and reveal to us effective ways with which we can apply His teaching, actions, and ministry in our own lives, congregation, and community. Through Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, You are always gracious and loving towards us, so we cheerfully and thankfully offer You these gifts. May our tithes and offerings be effectively used to enhance faith, inspire kindness, and enable our church to fulfill the missions and ministries of encouragement, support, and charity that we seek to complete in Your Holy Name. Amen. 

Communion

Hymn:

Benediction (unison):  May the Everlasting Father be near to us each and every day; may we constantly follow and humbly serve Christ in our community and world; and may the Holy Spirit continually lead and inspire us to the glory of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Worship prayers: Ordinary 31 - October 30 - Reformation Sunday

Approaching God

Prelude

Announcements & A Word of Welcome

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Pastor:            The LORD speaks to us in our hearts. He leads us to His holy throne.

People:           God extends His love to all His people. He fills our lives with faith and hope.

Pastor:            The LORD calls us to worship and serve Him, as servants and believers, as disciples and followers of His way. Amen.

First Hymn:

           

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                         Everlasting God, whose strength supports us and whose compassion comforts us, we offer You our hearts and pledge to You our lives. Your will sustains all living beings, and by Your Word this world was created. Today we seek to honor You with our service and please You with our praise.

People:           Merciful Father, we know that we have disappointed You this week by falling into temptation, following our own desires, and failing to keep Your commands. We have rejected Your counsel and objected to Your guidance. We have placed our pride above Your purpose; we have delighted in deceit and have been distracted from our duties. Forgive us for being poor witnesses of faith, and flawed messengers of Christ. Hear us now as we silently pray.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                         Loving Father, each day we come to You for pardon, and each time You offer us Jesus. Without His sacrificial death, we could never experience eternal life. Without His perfect obedience, we would never know everlasting joy. We confess our sins and seek forgiveness in Christ's Name. With His own words, we continue to pray, saying, "Our Father, Who art in heaven...THE LORD’S PRAYER"  (debts/debtors)

           

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide:                         Jesus came down from Heaven to save us from our sins. He was constantly challenged and confronted by His enemies. When we sin, we oppose God, and therefore we need to be forgiven for our rebellious and disrespectful ways. Only in Christ can we find salvation; only by His Name, can we be restored to God's Kingdom. 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:            We praise God in this sanctuary; we send our prayers to Holy One in the highest heavens. We worship God for His acts of power; we seek healing and blessing from His greatness.

People:           In the midst of our troubles, He hears our cries. When we are anxious or alarmed, He pacifies our souls. We come before the LORD needing help, strength, and guidance.

Pastor:             O Living God, send forth Your Holy Spirit and touch our lives. When our fears clash with our faith, be near to us and comfort our spirits. We humbly ask that You will sustain our petitions and grant our pleas. Heal us and our loved ones from all that harms our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. Hear us now as we silently pray.

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

Pastor:             Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 150)

           

Singing of “Jesus Draw Me Close.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:           Holy Spirit may we listen to Christ's message from the gospel, and let His lessons be carried in our hearts from this time forth. In Jesus' Name, we ask.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, Your words inspire our faith and Your ways enhance our devotion to God. You seek to make us servants and stewards of Your Church.  We offer You our tithes and gifts, our time and talents, as well as our love and lives. Bless these tokens to Your continuing ministry in this church, community and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we serve and give. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison): May Christ make known to us His purpose for our lives; may the Father enable us to keep His commands each day; and may the Holy Spirit help us to share our beliefs, encouraging others to worship and obey the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology         May God's Blessing & Postlude

            

Sunday Worship Prayers - 31st Sunday in ordinary Time - ordinary 31 - 31 October

Approaching God

Announcements & A Word of Welcome

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn: 

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide: Almighty Creator of Life and the Universe, we gather to praise You in this holy place of peace and prayer. We offer You our worship and give our heartfelt thanks for Your blessings.

People:            Everlasting God, whose power sustains our lives and whose words inspire our souls, we humbly dedicate this sacred time to You and pray that You are pleased with all that we give.

Guide:  Merciful Lord, we confess our mistakes and recognize our weaknesses. We have blamed others for our misdeeds and disappointed our loved ones with broken promises. Instead of allowing Your Holy Spirit to influence our choices and decisions, we have allowed greed and insecurity to be selfish and to sin. Forgive our wrongdoing and help us to change our ways. Hear us now as we humbly pray.

- Silent Confessions - 

Guide: Gracious Father, we seek forgiveness and rely upon Your Son to pardon us. He alone has the power to forgive our past mistakes and restore us to Your everlasting favor.  Hear us now as we complete our prayers in Christ’s Holy words, saying, “Our Father…” THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel 

Guide:  Our past mistakes are forgiven and Jesus has given us the sacred opportunity to begin our lives anew. Let us rejoice in His wonderful gift, for Christ alone has conquered sin and redeemed us forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung): 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 

Minute for Mission

Prayers for Health and Healing 

Pastor: O Lord, do good to your servants, and we will live. We will cherish and obey Your words of life. Open our eyes, Lord, that we may see the wonderful gifts of Your healing power.

People:            Sometimes, O Lord, our hearts are consumed with concerns; our thoughts are filled with fear. Remove from us the burden of our worries; carry and support us through our trials and tribulations.

Pastor: May we meditate on the mercy of the Lord and silently ask Him to heal us and all our loved one from all that harms us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.. 

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

Pastor:  The words and promises of the Lord are our delight and blessing. He hears our prayers and restores our hopes. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 119:Gimel)

Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw Me Close’

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:            Holy Spirit, grant us peace in the midst of our troubles and faith to overcome our fears. Strengthen our hearts and minds through Christ’s power and teaching contained in today’s scriptures. In His Holy Name, we faithfully pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings 

The Message  & The Apostles’ Creed 

Serving God 

Offering & Offertory 

Dedication(unison):       Lord Jesus, You grant meaning to our lives and give hope to our hearts. We bring before You our tithes and gifts. Bless them for the greater work of Your Church on Earth and the advancement of Your Gospel throughout the nations. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn: 

Benediction(unison):  May we joyfully praise our Lord Jesus Christ each day of our lives; may we constantly worship the Father for His love and blessings; and may the Holy Spirit unite our hearts as one people, one church, and one community of faithful servants to the glory of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forevermore.  Amen. 

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; etc & Postlude

Sunday prayers: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time: Nov 2

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude & Gathering Song

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer
Guide: God of our people and Lord of our lives, on this day, we praise You. In this place, we honor You. We trust You completely and dedicate ourselves to Your Kingdom.

People: Lord of Salvation, You have rescued us from sin and despair, selfishness and deception. We rejoice in Your Holy ways and we regret our past mistakes. Hear us now as we silently confess our sins and faults to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Gracious God, You have restored us to Your favor and love through the blood and sacrifice of Your Son. We are forever indebted to Jesus and we will always glorify and worship Him forever.

People: Joyfully, we unite our hearts with our Lord and we are glad to pray in His own words, saying, “Our Father, …THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel:
Guide: Christ is the Bread of Heaven and as we feed upon His life and words, we are renewed in our spirits and completely forgiven of all our past mistakes. We will rejoice and be glad, for this is the day that the Lord has made and we are restored to His favor and love, both now and always. Amen.

Gloria Patri : 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

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: We cry out to God for help; we call upon Him to hear us and help us. In the midst of our distress, we seek the Lord; when we experience anxiety and discomfort, we look for the Lord to heal us.

People: O God, we remember You and recall Your great works. When we are weak and faint, be our strength and salvation. When we are too troubled to speak, let us hear Your peaceful voice; when we are tired and exhausted, bring rest to our bodies and comfort for our souls.

Pastor: Almighty Father, fill us with Your love and heal us by Your grace. Rescue and restore our loved ones from all that harms them in body, mind, heart and spirit. May Your healing mercy and loving compassion touch all those in need of freedom from pain and recovery from illness. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor: Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 77)

Anthem

Prayer for Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, seize our souls and captivate our hearts with today’s Gospel message. Keep us focused on Christ’s words and reveal to us ways in which we can apply His teaching, actions and ministry in our own lives. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings & Sermon & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, You are patient and loving towards us, so we cheerfully and thankfully offer You these gifts. May our tithes and offerings be used to enhance faith, inspire kindness and enable this church to fulfill the missions and ministries of encouragement, support and charity that we seek to complete in Your Holy Name. Amen.

Communion

Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ take away our fear of doing what is right; may the Father free our spirits with His Powerful Love; and may the Holy Spirit commend our Christian witness each day, to the glory of the One, True and Triune God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; etc & Postlude