Sunday Prayers Jan 31 - Epiphany 4C

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor:                 O Living God, You are our King from ancient times, to the present day, and into the future.

People:                 You bring salvation to the Earth and we are blessed to be Your people.

Pastor:                 This day is dedicated to You, as are our lives. May we worship and glorify You forever. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                 Almighty Lord and Ruler of all Creation, whose wonders we behold, and whose works we adore, receive these praises from our lips and prayers of devotion from our hearts.  Your Word sustains our lives and Your ways strengthen our spirits, therefore we gather in Your sacred presence and offer our total service to You.

People:                Gracious Father, Your patience is often tried and tested by our sinful and selfish acts. We have not maintained Your purpose for our lives and have even set aside Your Holy Counsel. Forgive us for being faithless and defiant, as well as foolish and sinful. Hear us now as we silently confess our faults to You.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                  God of mercy and grace, You have empowered Your Son Jesus to forgive all of our sins and restore us to Your favor. By His blood, we have been fully pardoned; by His sacrifice, we have been completely cleansed of the past.

We rejoice in our Savior Jesus Christ and through His perfect words, we unite our hearts in prayer with Him, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus has entered our hearts and become personally involved in our lives. He intends that we should follow Him, by accepting His teaching, sharing His ways, and devoting our lives to His ministry. He has taken all of our sins and eternally renewed our lives. Let us rejoice and be glad in Him, both now and forever. 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)

Praise Song

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Loving Lord, Your ways are wonderful, so we seek to obey Your holy commands. Your words reveal to us Your Grace, O God, and through them You offer us understanding and comfort.

People:                 Turn to us, O Lord, and have mercy upon us. Guide us in all that we ask of You; cast away our fears and strengthen our faith. Rescue us, and all our loved ones, from the illnesses and sicknesses, as well as the discomfort and diseases that afflict us. Heal us from all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now, Precious Lord, as we personally pray.

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

Pastor:                  Almighty God, may Your face shine upon us. May Your favor completely restore our health. In Jesus’ Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                 Holy Spirit, enable us to look at these scriptures and receive the blessings contained in them. Grant us wisdom and knowledge through Your Word, so that we may embrace these lessons and apply them in our daily lives. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor):                  Lord Jesus, You were once buried and all was thought to be lost. Then God raised You from the dead, to show His love to the world, and to establish Your Holy Church. We are now called to be witnesses of those events and to dedicate our lives in the service of Your Kingdom. Take our gifts that are offered to You, for the continuance Your great work, ministry, and mission on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ allow us His blessings of guidance, favor, and love each day; may the Father lovingly assist and protect us in all that we may face; and may the Holy Spirit fill us with joy and delight, as we faithfully serve the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Prayers for Ordinary 17B - July 26

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor:                 Lift up your hearts, all you people; shout to God with cries of joy.

People:                 How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the Earth.

Pastor:                 Let us sing praises to God and rejoice; let us worship our Sovereign forevermore! Amen.

Hymn

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                 All Powerful LORD, as we come into Your Holy Presence, we humbly know that You are beyond all that we can ever imagine, as well as beyond all that we can ever experience on Earth. Your Kingdom is limitless and Your Sovereignty over the universe is absolute, complete, and perfect.

People:                 Heavenly Father, we recognize that we are sinful creatures who often fall into temptation, allowing ourselves to be consumed by our ambitions, longings, and greed. We diminish our faith by feeding our desires; we allow hate and bitterness, as well as ignorance and pride to blemish our souls and invalidate our Christian beliefs. Forgive us and pardon us, redeem us and restore us to Your favor, O God. Hear us now as we silently pray.

- Silent Confessions -

Guide:                  Loving God, by the blood of Your Son, You spare us from eternal punishment and everlasting wrath. By His wounds, we are cleansed. By His grace, we are forgiven. We thank You for Jesus, who is our Healer, Savior, and Restorer of our souls. In His Name, we make these prayers and unite our spirits with Him, through the saying of His Holy words,   “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Jesus spent His life on Earth fulfilling God’s purpose of salvation. He sacrificed Himself for us, so that we may be totally forgiven by God and eternally restored to His favor. Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad, for Christ our Savior has cleansed our sinful souls, both now and always. 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)

Praise Song

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Our hearts are devoted to You, O God; we will rejoice and exalt You with our praises. Our spirits are lifted up by Your love, so our prayers reflect our faith in You alone.

People:                 We will bless You, O LORD, among our people. We look to You for health and healing. Your grace sustains every day; Your faithfulness casts away our fears. Your goodness and glory are known throughout the Earth, therefore we pray for tenderness and mercy, for health and strength, and for peace and salvation.

Pastor:                 Strengthen us and help all our loved ones. Deliver us from all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now, Precious Lord, as we silently pray.

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

Pastor:                 God speaks to our hearts in this holy place of prayer. His love and grace always endures. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.                 (Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 108)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                 Holy Spirit, bring Christ's words to us and let them strengthen our souls. Share His teaching, compassion and grace among us so that we may enhance our faith by applying these scriptures to our daily deeds and everyday lives. In Jesus' Name, we humbly ask. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor): Lord Jesus, You ask each of us to live responsible and faithful lives. You teach us many positive and life-affirming lessons. In gratitude, we gather our tithes and offerings, placing them before You, asking that You may bless them for Your continuing ministry in this church and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully give and thankfully pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction:      May Christ protect us from all that can harm our spirits; may the Father nourish our souls with His goodness and grace; and may the Holy Spirit keep us focused on glorifying and serving the One, Triune, and Living God. Forever and ever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Prayers - Ordinary Time 10 - June 7th

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Call to Worship

Pastor:                  Let us approach the Lord and await His holy presence.

People:                 We praise God for His mercy, peace, and love.

Pastor:                  Let us worship our King and glorify His Everlasting Name! Amen.

Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                 Almighty God, in whose presence we live and by whose will we are sustained, we humbly seek to worship You with our words of prayer and songs of salvation. You are the Father of all the Earth and Lord of all living beings, therefore we give glory to You alone.

People:                 Gracious Lord, sometimes our mistakes have disappointed You and our sinful ways have affected our faith. We are far from perfect and often allow our selfish motives to influence our choices and lives. Please forgive our wrongdoing and pardon our misdeeds. Hear us now as we silently make our personal confessions to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Loving God, we place our lives into Your hands by giving our hearts to Jesus Christ, Your Holy Son. His death has bought us our salvation. His sacrifice has allowed us to be restored to Your favor and grace. We make these prayers in Jesus’ Name, and unite our souls with Him, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus, through the love of His Father, gives us access to Heaven. By Christ’s wounded body, our broken ways are healed; by His perfect obedience, we are reclaimed by God. Therefore, let us cheerfully rejoice, for our sins are completely forgiven, both now and forever. 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.

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

Praise Song

Encountering God

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Deliver us from what we fear, O God, and protect us from our troubles. We are both human and frail, O Lord, vulnerable to attacks on our bodies, in our minds, and within our hearts. Arise and help us; look upon us with mercy.

People:                 O LORD, You are the God of our people; please guard us from any illness or disease; deliver us from sickness and pain. Loving Lord, become our Strength, as we seek Your favor and blessing. May we experience Your healing and praise You for Your love, especially in times of uncertainty or trouble. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 O God, You are our constant help and strength. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.             

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 59)

Anthem

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, may we embrace the words of Christ and be encouraged by His words and deeds. May our hearts embrace Him, and may our minds be filled with His Holy Peace. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your work that is being undertaken, supported, and accomplished in this church. We have heard Your challenges to us through the preaching of the Gospel. Take these simple gifts, the tokens of our gratitude, and bless them for the purposes of Your Kingdom in ministry, mission, service and stewardship to glory of Your Holy Name. Amen.

Communion

Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ enable us to actively unite as one body of faithful believers in this holy place; may the Father give strength to our entire congregation and nurture our church; and may the Holy Spirit help us to see that we all belong to God, so that we may support one another in the service of His Everlasting Kingdom. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Easter 6 - Sunday Worship prayers - May 10

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Gathering

Call to Worship

Pastor:                  We have gathered in this holy house, so let us praise God’s Sacred Name.

People:                 We are blessed to be called God’s people and are pleased to be God’s children.

Pastor:                  Let us humbly worship together and proclaim God’s greatness forevermore. Amen.

Hymn

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Eternal Creator of Life, whose precious words gave birth to the Universe and whose wonderful ways sustain this planet that we call Earth, we approach You with our prayers and praises, asking that You will hear our petitions and be pleased with our songs of salvation.

People:                 Loving Lord, Your power is displayed throughout this planet, for Your presence can never be diminished nor ignored. We give You thanks for being mindful of our needs, our concerns, as well as our cares. We confess that we are guilty of wrongdoing and have omitted to do what is right. We have nursed our wrath and spoken unkind words. We have disappointed our loved ones and broken our promises to them.

Guide:                  Gracious God, forgive our selfish ways by granting us Your pardon. We regret the mistakes we have made, the disappointments we have caused, the duties we have neglected, and the opportunities we have wasted. Help us to rediscover Your goodness in our lives by humbly yielding our hearts to Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Hear us now as we confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Merciful Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers of confession. Thank You for bringing Jesus into our lives, whose sacrifice has canceled all our sins and created clean hearts, new lives, and faithful spirits within us all. Hear us now as we pray Christ’s own words saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER.” (Debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus is the Source of Life for our souls, which strengthens our spirits. He alone has the power and authority to forgive our sins, so we may be restored to God’s favor and grace. Therefore, let us celebrate His goodness and glorify His love, both now and forever. 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.

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Stewardship Minute for Mission

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Be merciful to us, O God, for our worries constantly burden us.  Each week, we have different pressures, so when we are anxious, help us to trust in You. Diminish our fears and grant us peace of mind. We place our lives, our loved ones, our prayers and concerns into Your healing hands.

People:                 As we pledge ourselves to Your Kingdom, we humbly ask that You will heal us, and all whom we pray for, from all that harms us in body, mind, soul, and spirit. Deliver us from despair and keep us from being fearful or frustrated. Hear us now as we personally pray.

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

Pastor:                 May we walk before the Lord in the light of life and God’s love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.               

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 56)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, may we walk with Christ as we read and hear these sacred scriptures. May we be drawn nearer to Him, so that we may praise and glorify His wonderful ministry on Earth. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, we all belong to Your body of believers and so we are each called to honor and bless Your continuing work in the world. Take our gifts and set them apart for the life, ministry, and mission of this congregation, as well as Your Church here on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ’s grace keep us humble and faithful; may the Father’s blessings keep us thankful and grateful; and may the Holy Spirit keep us loving and serving the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Prayers - Lent 2 - March 01

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Herald:                 Let us sing to our God and praise His holy Name.

People:                 Our hearts adore the LORD, therefore we will glorify and serve Him forever.

Herald:                 Let us give thanks to the LORD and worship our God! Amen.

Hymn:

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty Lord of power and peace, we approach You as servants and disciples, seeking Your favor and looking for Your love. You have called us from the comfort of our homes to experience Your presence in this sanctuary. You have brought us to this peaceful place to cherish our hearts, challenge our lives, and change our ways.

People:                 Heavenly Father, we know that we are imperfect and unholy; we recognize that we have weaknesses and faults. We seek Your pardon and grace; we confess our mistakes and wrongdoing. Forgive us for neglecting our faith, ignoring Your commands, and permitting our sins to separate ourselves from You. Hear us now as we personally confess and pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Merciful God, without Christ’s compassion, we could not approach You for grace. Without His perfect sacrifice, we could not come into Your Holy Presence to ask for mercy. We therefore dedicate our lives to Jesus and we unite our hearts to His, through the saying of Christ’s prayer, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ tells us that no one can come to God unless it is through Him. God has brought us to this place to be received by Jesus, to be renewed in spirit, and restored to the Heavenly Kingdom. As we confess our sins and give our lives to Jesus, we understand that we are completely forgiven and reunited to God’s love, both now and always. 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.

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

Encountering God

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Lord, we dwell in Your shelter and rest beneath Your comforting shadow. You are our refuge and our strength, the God in whom we trust

People:                 We seek You, Lord, to free us from our fears and protect us from all evil. Cover us with Your love; heal us from all that harms us in body, mind and soul.

Pastor:                  The faithfulness of God grants us freedom; the passion of the Lord brings us peace. May He save us from anxiety or fear, depression or disease, and also illness or injury. We ask this for ourselves and all our loved ones, in our silent prayers.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 The Lord is with us in times of sickness and trouble. He has promised to deliver us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.                  (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 91)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                 Holy Spirit, remind us that Christ’s ways are radical and that His words often challenge our ideas. Enable us to receive these holy verses into our minds and hearts, so that we may apply this teaching in our daily lives. In Jesus’ Name, we ask. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message & Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor): Lord Jesus, You have once again given us a sacred opportunity to hear Your voice and to follow Your ways. We bring these gifts and tithes as a witness to the effectiveness of Your power over our lives. Please take these gifts and bless them for the advancement of Your Kingdom and the enhancement of Your Church on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Communion

Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ encourage us to be good and worthwhile servants; may the Father enable us to master our weaknesses and overcome our sins; and may the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith, so that one glorious day, we can proudly stand in the presence of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude