PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 2, 2019
Greeting
Consecrated in one baptism,
joined as one People,
we are here to worship the One Lord!
Come, celebrate our Oneness with the Lord
and each other.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, we confess our idea of “oneness” is not what You have taught us. Instead of seeking unity with You and one another, we seek our own isolation.
We are into comfort, not sacrifice.
We are into style, not substance.
We are into escapism, not discipleship.
We are into self-service, not service to others.
We are into getting ahead, not helping those left behind.
We are into good living, not Your Good Life.
Forgive us for this lack of love in our lives as You so often forgave it in those who were close to You.
Help us today and every day to live Your Presence in our lives, so that we may be reminders of You to those around us.
Give us the strength to love, and then to keep loving so that we may be one even as You, Your Son and the Spirit are one.
Blessing
Being created by One Lord,
and united by one baptism,
we leave this House with one hope …
May we live as One People!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP JUNE 9, 2019
Greeting
On the first Pentecost Sunday,
because the apostles were gathered together in fear,
they locked the door
and closed the shutters
of their room,
so that no one would enter.
Lord, we come together, trusting in Your Power to cast out all fear.
Penitential Prayer
Father, we lock You out of our hearts,
wanting You, and yet afraid.
We want to be Your disciples
but are afraid of the consequences.
We want to proclaim Your Truth
but we are afraid of the criticism.
We want to feed the poor
but are afraid of the cost.
We want to shelter the homeless
clothe the sick
defend the helpless
but are afraid of the time involved.
Lord, we want to confess our sins
but are afraid to admit them.
Lord, we want to open our hearts to You,
but we are afraid.
Lord, forgive our fear.
Blessing
God ignites the flame of love in our souls
with the sacred fire of His Holy Spirit.
Go now and ignite the flame of love in your
brothers’ and sisters’ souls with this same sacred fire.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 16, 2019
Greeting
Let us rejoice, for
these gifts we are making
will spread the Teachings of Christ;
these gifts we are making
will further the Cause of Christ;
these gifts we are making
will proclaim the Peace of Christ;
these gifts we are making
will reveal the Love of Christ.
Let us rejoice in these gifts!
Penitential Prayer
Father,
there are persons among us who desperately need to know there is a way out of the deepest pit of human degradation and despair.
there are persons among us who desperately need to be able to put their trust in someone who can show them the way.
The question is, “Why do we hesitate to lead them out of the pit of despair and show them the way to New Life?”
For our reluctance to gift them with new hope by sharing with them Your gift of New Life,
Father we beg Your forgiveness.
Blessing
Go now, in the hope that there will be a time this coming week when, by word and deed, your lifestyle convinces someone else that a Gracious God is in control!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 23, 2019
Greeting
As committed Christians, we follow Jesus on the straight and narrow path of doing the Father’s Will.
No going around in circles.
Just straight ahead!
Penitential Prayer
Because we are less than eager to hear straight talk from Jesus, our lives keep going around in circles.
Because we are reluctant to hear straight talk from Jesus, we are going nowhere with our lives.
Because we are only too eager to go our own way, spiritually speaking, we just keep going around in circles.
Love one another as I have loved you. That’s straight talk from the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the straight and narrow path on which to follow the Lord Jesus.
Father, forgive us for just going ’round and ’round.
Blessing
Go forth now in the Spirit of New Life in Christ. No more going around in circles, but straight ahead, in pursuit of a life of love.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 30, 2019
Greeting
Happy are the followers of Christ
who have come together in the Spirit
of immediacy,
of urgency,
of deep commitment,
so characteristic of the Master.
Penitential Prayer
For our hesitation in the business of Christian living:
our lack of immediacy,
our lack of urgency,
our lack of deep commitment,
we ask Your merciful forgiveness, Lord!
Blessing
For the committed Christian there is no tomorrow; no next week; no time for hesitation.
For the committed Christian, the Revolution of heart and mind and soul is now.
Let us go, now, in the spirit of deepest commitment to Jesus’ Revolution of Love.
