Prayers For Worship January/February 2007

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP January 1, 2007
Greeting
What is the meaning of life?
How can we find it?
When will we find it?
Where will it happen?

Just as the Shepherds found the answers
in the manger,
we shall find the answers
in this House.

Penitential Prayer
To be or not to be. Forgive us Father, when we
deliver the wrong answer.

We know You want us to be people oriented —
and each New Year we make resolutions which
are goal oriented.
We know You want us to be ministers of Your Good Works–
but instead we are Sunday spectators.
We know You want us to be an integral part of You —
but instead we are part of the “Me” generation.

Father, we are sorry we have not resolved to be
one with You.
Forgive us for our idle resolutions.

Blessing
Look not backward, lest you become fearful.
Look not sideways, lest you be tempted.
Look not downward, lest you become discouraged.
Look only upward, from which comes your help,
and forward, to the road which leads both to duty
and to glory.

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP January 7, 2007
Greeting
On the first Epiphany
the three kings found Jesus in the manger
and paid Him homage with gifts of
frankincense, gold and myrrh.
On this Epiphany Sunday,
let us find Jesus in this House
and give Him praise with gifts of
reverence, music and prayer.

Penitential Prayer
Father, forgive us for travelling on life’s road
heading in the wrong direction.

We make our way towards
status, wealth, pride, narrow-mindedness
and self-centeredness;
and move away from Your Kingdom of
service, truth, peace, love
and brotherhood.

Forgive us, Lord, for our misguided journey.
Forgive us for being a wrong way people.

Blessing
Kneeling on crumpled straw
on a dirt floor
in a humble stable
three great kings became greater still — for they
had served the Lord.

Go now, wherever Christ’s ministry takes you
and you shall become great in your service
to the Lord.

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP January 14, 2007
Greeting
Today is the day Jesus began His ministry
of hope
of healing
of life
of love
of miracles.

We gather this day to join the Lord in His ministry of Good Works!

Penitential Prayer
Lord, we confess we rationalize our behavior by
pessimistically proclaiming . . .

the world’s problems are too big for my talents
the world’s realities are too grim for my hope
the world’s turmoil is too fierce for my peacemaking
the world’s persecuted are too maligned for my compassion
the world’s hunger is too vast for my resources
the world’s faithlessness is too great for my belief.

We too often protest that we cannot do
what Jesus has shown can be done.
Forgive us, Lord, for believing only You can
perform miracles of love when we have not even tried.

Blessing
Answer the Father’s Call!
Go now and start your ministry of
hope
healing
life and love
and work the miracles of the Lord!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP January 21, 2007
Greeting
Let every tongue be still
and all ears open.
Let every eye be attentive
and all minds alert.
Jesus our Teacher will speak His Words of Truth;
heed them with all your being!

Penitential Prayer
We confess, Lord, despite Your Words of Wisdom and Truth, we listen to the modern day oracles of self-centeredness and self-justification.

We accept as “Gospel” …
Political leaders and their rhetoric;
business leaders and their predictions;
but not
Church leaders and their pleas for social and moral reform.

We accept as truth certain cliches of man:
“Every man for himself,”
“It’s OK, everyone else does it,”
“It’s only wrong if you get caught.”
But not the words You spoke:
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Forgive us for drowning out Your clear Words of Truth and Wisdom with the static of selfishness and excuses.

Forgive us, Lord, for tuning You out.

Blessing
We leave this House with the Lord’s Words of
guidance
strength
vision
and hope ringing in our ears.

Now go into the world with His Words of
service
purpose
humility
and compassion spilling from our hearts.

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP January 28, 2007
Greeting
If your faith is
unsure
unsound
unsteady
or unstable,
come into this House of spiritual support and be blessed with the conviction of the Gospels!
Penitential Prayer
“No prophet gains acceptance in His native place.”

We want to accept You at the very center of our being
but are embarrassed to admit it to our family.
We want to experience a new-found faith in You
but are embarrassed to tell our friends.
We discover a fresh perspective on life in Your Gospel
but are embarrassed to tell our co-workers
We begin to experience a transformation in our
pirit and soul
and then hide it from others — and lose it for ourselves.

We confess we have tried to seek Your Ways
while keeping it quiet.
Forgive us Lord for all of our misguided embarrassments.

Blessing
Go now to live by the Word of the Lord
and preach it to
family
friend
fellow worker
and fellow man.

Go now, as disciples and prophets of the Lord!

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP February 4, 2007
Greeting
Come, let us serve the Lord!
Let us serve Him in the home.
Let us serve Him in the office.
Let us serve Him in the factory.
Let us serve Him in the school.
Let us serve Him in this Church.

Come, let us serve the Lord!

Penitential Prayer
Lord, we confess our reluctance to become fishers of men.

We seem so afraid of the deep water,
so terrified of the storm,
so uncomfortable about launching into the unknown,
so afraid, even of the fish.

We are so outspoken about politics,
but so reticent about religion.
We cheer so wildly at sporting events,
but are so silent at church.
We share our opinions so readily,
but not our opinions of Christ.
We recommend commercial products,
but not spiritual realities.
Lord, forgive us for our fears,
and give us the courage
to launch out into the deep.

Blessing
Visit the sick.
Feed the poor.
Comfort the sorrowing.
Befriend the lonely.
Encourage the downtrodden.
Inform the unknowing
of the Christ who cares.

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP February 11, 2007
Greeting
We have come to give our testimony on behalf of
the Living God.
We have come to give our testimony on behalf of
the Risen Christ.
We have come as a living sign of
Christ’s Holy Beatitudes.

Penitential Prayer
Forgive us, Lord, for being quicker to condemn
than to bless:
employers blaming workers,
workers blaming employers;

teachers blaming students,
students blaming teachers;

adults blaming youths,
youths blaming parents;

rich blaming poor,
poor blaming rich;

insiders blaming outsiders,
outsiders blaming insiders.

Forgive us, Lord, for being quicker to condemn
than to bless.

Blessing
Having put on the Spirit of Christ,
we now receive the blessing of Christ,
in order that we may become . . .

more effective heralds of the Living God,
more effective doers of His Holy Will,
more effective witnesses to the Sermon
on the Mount.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP February 18, 2007
Greeting
We have gathered together to accept responsibility to be a “light to the nations” and, thereby, to make a difference in the world.

Penitential Prayer
Lord, for those times when we find it easier to cry “Vengeance!” than to pray for our enemy,
Lord, for those times when we find it more
palatable to take sweet revenge than to return
evil with good,

Lord, for those times when we are more willing
to rely on the laws of men than on the laws of God,
We humbly ask for Your blessed forgiveness!

Blessing
Go now and make a difference, in the sure and
certain knowledge that love is the sweetest thing!

PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP February 25, 2007
Greeting
Coming to Church today was not easy for some.
Some would rather
be sleeping
or reading the paper
or watching the ball game.
But we are here — so rejoice!
We have rejected the call of temptation,
and have answered the call of the Lord.

Penitential Prayer
” … and lead us not into temptation.”

Lord, we have recited Your prayer hundreds of times,
and all the while we lead ourselves into temptation.

Like Eve in the Garden, we listen to temptation, and convince ourselves to sin.
Forgive us, Lord, for our tendencies
to make things easy for the Devil.

Blessing
We go from this House of Sanctuary
to a world of temptation.

Go with the Lord’s Faith
and you shall not be unduly tempted.
Go with the Lord’s Strength
and you shall not succumb.
Go with the Lord’s Love
and you shall be triumphant!

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