Sunday Worship prayers - Ordinary 14C - July 07

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               Sing to the Lord and praise His Name, all you His people.
People:                 We will rejoice in His presence and lift up our hearts to glorify Him.
Liturgist:               May the Lord favor our praises, as we proclaim His faithfulness forever. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty God, who has appointed the days of our lives and the seasons of this planet, we come here today to glorify Your goodness among us, and to adore Your everlasting holiness. We are servants of Your Kingdom, seeking to please You with our lives and wanting to love You with all of hearts.

People:                 Merciful Lord, You have given us the great gift of freedom, but sometimes we use it to fulfill our selfish desires and sinful ways. You have planted the unalienable seeds of liberty in our hearts, but sometimes we have reaped recklessly and harvested havoc in our lives. Our ways have not always been pleasing to You, and our choices have frequently disappointed You, as well as other people. Forgive us for wasting our freewill and spoiling our liberty. Hear us now, as we come to You silently, in order to make our humble confessions.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Gracious Father, we have asked You for forgiveness and we have received this through the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ. By Him, we have been restored to Your favor and peace. Hear us now as we thankfully conclude our prayers in Christ’s everlasting words, saying, “Our Father...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).    

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  We are meant to be harvesters for the Kingdom of God and servants of His Son Jesus Christ. By confessing our sins, we are re-welcomed into God’s company and have been granted Christ’s peace in our lives. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus is our Savior, Redeemer, and Lord forevermore. 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

Anthem

Prayers for Hope and Healing

Pastor:                 O Lord, we call upon You for help and seek to be healed of all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Spare us from pain and distress; allow us security and sanctuary in Your holy presence.

People:                 O God, keep us from being overwhelmed and dismayed by the current issues and crises in our lives. Turn our fears into faith and our cries into confidence. Hear us now as we silently approach You on behalf of our loved ones and ourselves.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 Precious Lord, may our hearts sing of Your faithfulness to us, and may we always give thanks for Your presence in our daily lives. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.       

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 30)

Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, strengthen us as a family of believers through the reading, hearing, and preaching of God’s Word. May Your peace descend upon us, so that we may apply Christ’s teaching with grace and love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. 

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor):  May the marks of Christ be shown in our lives through the good works and holy giving that we complete each day. May our gifts and tithes be blessed and used for the preaching of the Word, the practice of the Gospel, as well as the praising of God’s Kingdom throughout our community and across the world. In Jesus’ Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Communion

Closing Hymn

Benediction (in unison):               May Christ continue to encourage us to go forth into the world to share His message; may the Father teach us the everlasting values of life, liberty, and love; and may the Holy Spirit enable us to stand in the glorious presence of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Worship Prayers - Ordinary 13C - June 30

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               Living Lord, we humbly approach You, seeking to please You with our worship and prayers.

People:                 O God, We ask that You prepare our hearts and minds to receive Your important words for us today.

Liturgist:               We welcome Your Holy Spirit to our sanctuary and hope to be blessed with Your sacred presence. Amen.

Hymn

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty God, whose resolve sustains the universe and whose will shapes our lives, we come before You as Your people, called to worship and glorify Your Everlasting Name. We want to please You as servants of Your Kingdom, and as followers of Your Holy Son.

People:                 Gracious Father, sometimes we disappoint You with our sinful deeds and selfish ways. Frequently, we forget to share our faith with other people, or we omit to do good deeds and kind acts that would witness to Your power in the world. Instead of following Your words, we make up our own ideas and justify our misconceptions. Instead of being messengers of Your Gospel, we mess up our lives, and those of others, through gossip, anger, pride, and vanity. Forgive us, Lord God, for failing to be sincere servants and genuine Christians. Here us now as we confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Merciful God, instead of rebuking us, You seek to redeem us; instead of casting us aside, You want to call us back to Your Son, so that He may become our Savior and Lord. For this, we are truly thankful, and in Christ’s holy words, we now pray saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus wants us to come to Him, to be restored to God’s favor, and proclaim the Kingdom through our changed lives. He is the Only One, given by God, who can forgive our sins and welcome us back in God’s service. Let us, therefore, be truly thankful, for Christ is our Cherished Redeemer and Everlasting King. 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

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 In God, we find our safe place and refuge. All good things originate in His love, therefore we appeal to His grace for help, healing, and wholeness.

People:                 Sometimes our sorrows separate us from God and we feel isolated, vulnerable, and weak. Our fears cause our faith to falter, and troubles torment our spirits. We seek assurance and pray for improvement. We long for protection from pain and the healing of our illnesses.

Pastor:                 O Living Lord, grant us guidance, godly counsel, and invaluable instruction. Heal us and our loved ones from all that harms us, whether in body, mind, heart or soul. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 May we delight in the mercy of the Lord and the great gift of His love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. 

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 16)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, be the Messenger of Christ’s teaching to us today. Open our hearts and minds to this proclamation of God’s Kingdom through these sacred words. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor): Lord Jesus, we seek to serve You with our lives and to follow You through faithful ways. You call us to support the work of Your Kingdom by giving gifts and offering tithes. Take these tokens of our gratitude and bless them for Your continuing ministry and mission, both here at this church, and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Hymn

Benediction:      May Christ call us to be messengers of His Gospel to our community; may the Father keep us faithful to His Everlasting Kingdom; and may the Holy Spirit encourage us to serve, worship, and glorify the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology and Postlude

Sunday church prayers - Ordinary 12C - June 23

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights above.
People:                 Praise Him all His people; praise Him throughout the world.
Liturgist:               Praise the Name of the Lord, for He alone is to be exalted. Amen.

First Hymn

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                 Gracious Lord, throughout our lives we seek opportunities to serve and worship You. On this holy day, accept our praises and thanksgiving. You are our strength and salvation, as well as our source of hope and healing. Each day, we place our lives and dreams into Your hands. Each time we do this, You do not disappoint us.

People:                Merciful Father, we know that our disobedience diminishes our faith. We understand that our spiteful words and hurtful deeds distress others and disappoint You. Forgive us for being self-centered and full of pride. Pardon our vain and shallow ways. Help us to turn to You for mercy and grace; forgiveness and pardon. Hear us now as we pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Eternal Father, we are indebted to You for sending Jesus into our world. He has given His life as the everlasting sacrifice for all of our mistakes, regrets, and sins. We pledge our lives to Him and place ourselves under His authority. Hear us now as we pray in Christ’s own words, “Our Father...THE LORD'S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)    

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ is the answer to all of our questions, and He is the One who fulfills all our obligations. In Him, we have the perfect Savior, the most merciful of all Lords. We will rejoice and declare our allegiance to Him alone. Forever and ever. 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

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 Hasten to us, O God; come quickly among us and give heed to our prayers. We seek Your love to remedy our fears; we ask for Your compassion and grace.

People:                 In the midst of our troubles, support us. In times of illness and crisis, be ever faithful. May we know of Your complete joy; may we be strengthened by Your kindness.

Pastor:                 Almighty God, we are human and frail, prone to worry and sickness, fear and depression. Be near to us and all our loved ones. Heal us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now as we silently pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 O Living Lord, You are our help and redeemer. Come quickly to us, O God. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.                  (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 70)

Singing of '”Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, build up Your church and enhance our knowledge about God’s ways. Let the words that we read seep into our souls, softening our hearts, and reshaping our lives.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles' Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor):  Lord Jesus, You are the source of our eternal well-being and the One who forgives our sins. We will always be indebted to You, therefore we gather this offering to honor and glorify You.  Help us to be generous with our gifts and responsible in our stewardship. Bless the tithes and gifts we place before You. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison):    May Christ’s mercy fill our lives with favor and blessing; may the Father’s compassion bring us purpose and meaning; and may the Holy Spirit keep us from despair and lead us to a greater glory, through our service, worship, and devotion to the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.

Doxology and Postlude

Sunday Prayers - Ordinary 11C - June 16

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               Gracious Father, today we come into Your Holy House to glorify and praise Your Everlasting Name.

People:                 We are blessed to be called Your people and to proclaim You as our Living God.
Liturgist:               Accept our worship and hear our prayers. In Jesus’ Name, we ask these blessings. Amen.

Hymn:

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Father God, You worshipped by people in every land on this planet. Today we humbly approach You in prayer and seek to honor Your deeds by rejoicing in Your love. You have called to this sacred place and brought us into Your Holy Presence. We are honored by Your favor and blessed by Your grace.

People:                 Gracious Lord, we confess to thoughtless acts and careless deeds. We have set aside Your ways and followed our selfish aims. At times, we have disregarded Your perfect counsel and made our own sinful decisions. We are guilty of neglect, indifference, pride, and stubbornness. We regret the mistakes that we have made, so we confess our faults to You alone.

 SILENCE -

Guide:                  Eternal God, thank You for hearing our prayers and forgiving our sins. Through the precious blood of Jesus, Your Holy Son, we have been reclaimed to Your Kingdom and restored to Your Blessing. We make our confessions in Jesus’ Name and through His precious words, we continue to pray, saying,

“Our Father… THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide:                  Jesus, the Chosen One of God, came down from Heaven to give us life. He has the divine right to forgive our sins and the authority to reclaim us for God. In Christ, we have our perfect Savior, so let us glorify and exult His powerful Name, forever 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

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 O Living God, hear our personal prayers concerning our afflictions and pain. Let Your peace restore us to Your love. At times, our lives have been troubled with weakness and plagued with illness. Heal our broken bodies and mend our damaged spirits.

People:                 We constantly need Your blessing. Throughout our troubles, we need Your presence. In the midst of our fears, be our strength. Help us and all our loved ones to recover our health, to regain our abilities, and to renew our hope.

Pastor:                 Save us from any sickness and heal us through Your merciful power. Deliver us from distress or despair through Your gracious love. Speak softly to our souls, as we silently bring You our prayers for healing on behalf of ourselves and all our loved ones.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 With God, we will regain our strength. He will vanquish our fears and uplift our hearts. In Jesus’ Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.            (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 60)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, surprise us with the sacred words of Jesus. Enable us to look to Christ for inspiration, hope, and strength. Empower us through the riches of His grace, and the glory of His works. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison, led by pastor):    Lord Jesus, we thank You that God has arranged our lives so that we may serve You at this time, in this place of power and prayer. He wants us to continue Your ministry through the dedication of our lives, as well as the giving of our resources. Bless our tithes and gifts, so that we may honor You through the preaching of the Word, the application of Your teaching, and the glorifying of God’s Name, both now and always. Amen.

Hymn:

Benediction (in unison):               May Christ enhance our spiritual gifts through His infinite grace; may the Father increase our faith by allowing us to share it with others; and may the Holy Spirit cause us to faithfully interpret these times, so that we may live glorifying and praising the One, Triune, and Living God, forever and ever. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Sunday Prayers - Ordinary 10C - June 09

Approaching God

 

Welcome and announcements

 

Prelude

Gathering Song

 

Call to Worship

 

Liturgist:               Your Word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

People:                 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the Earth, and it endures.

Liturgist:               Your laws remain to this day, and all Life serves Your purposes. Hear us, O Living God, as               we worship and glorify You. Amen.

 

First Hymn

 

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty Father, Who rejoices in our praises and delights in our songs, we applaud Your amazing works and glorify Your astounding deeds. We bring to You our worship and celebrations, our devotions and adorations. We exalt Your Name on high and testify to Your abounding love.

People:                Gracious God, we confess to frequently ignoring Your guidance and sometimes defying Your commands; we express our regret over the sinful things we have thought, said, and done. Today we seek Your forgiveness and compassion; we need Your acceptance and approval; and we yearn for Your favor and pardon. Hear us now as we silently pray.

 

- Silent Confessions -

 

Guide:                  O Rock of Israel, You are our Redeemer and the Restorer of our souls. You have given Jesus to us as our Christ, our Savior, and Healer. By Him, our sins are forgiven and in Him, our spirits are united to You. We bring our prayers to You through Him, saying:  "Our Father, Who art in heaven...THE LORD'S PRAYER" (debts/debtors)

 

Promise of the Gospel:

 

Guide:                  Sin kills our relationship with God and separates us from His favor. Jesus is our truth, way, and life, who leads us back to God and restores us to faithful service in the Everlasting Kingdom. Let us rejoice and glad in the salvation Christ has won for us through His sacrifice, both now and forevermore.  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

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                  The LORD is our light and our salvation-- whom shall we fear? The LORD is the stronghold of our lives-- of what shall we be afraid? In the day of trouble He will keep us safe in His dwelling.

People:                 Hear our voices when we call, O LORD; be merciful to us and answer our prayers for healing. We seek Your grace and mercy, O Lord; heal us of all that harms us. May our families and friends be confident of Your power and care; may they know of Your goodness in their lives. Grant them peace instead of pain, serenity instead of suffering, happiness instead of hopelessness. Hear us now as we silently bring them to You.

 Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 28)

 Singing of “Sanctuary.”

Prayer of Illumination

Reader:                Holy Spirit, sometimes when we are anxious, we run away from Your goodness and grace. Empower us this day, with Christ’s words, so that we may be strengthened in order to overcome our fears and insecurities. In Jesus' Name, we pray.  Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and the Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor): Lord Jesus, at the end of Time, You will offer all of Creation, restored and reconciled, back to Your Father in Heaven. On this holy day, we offer from our resources and labors, the tithes and gifts of our lives, so that You may receive and bless them for the continuing life, work, and ministry of Your church here on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully give and pray. Amen. 

Closing Hymn:

Benediction (unison): May Christ keep us free from grief and loss; may the Father make our hearts strong and glad; and may the Holy Spirit strengthen our testimony and widen our witness, to the glory of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and throughout eternity. Amen.

Doxology and Postlude