PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP April 1, 2012
Greeting
The warmth of Christ is soothing,
the love of Christ is a blessing.
Rejoice in the warmth and blessing of Christ!
Penitential Prayer
Father, we seek Your help
by forgetting our anxieties and remembering
Your Love;
by forgetting our prejudices and remembering Your Grace;
by forgetting our limitations and remembering
Your Power;
by forgetting our woes and remembering
Your Peace;
by forgetting our opinions and remembering
Your Truth;
by forgetting our violations and remembering
Your Forgiveness.
Blessing
Love the Lord,
He is your Savior.
Praise the Lord,
He is your King.
Serve the Lord,
He is your Master.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP April 6, 2012
Greeting
Though Christ died at the hands of men,
He died for the love of men.
Let us celebrate the perfect love of Christ.
Penitential Prayer
We fall so short of Christ’s perfection,
but this is the way of the universe.
We are mere humans,
prone to falsity,
prone to conceit,
prone to power,
prone to vanity.
We are far from the perfection of Christ,
and we ask for His forgiveness.
Blessing
Our Father in Heaven,
we pray that You will not find our hearts offensive;
we pray that You will hold us near to Your plan.
we pray that our lives will be lived in harmony with Your plan for our fulfillment.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP April 8, 2012
Greeting
Let us acknowledge the wonder
in the birth of Christ.
Let us acknowledge the sorrow
in the death of Christ.
Let us acknowledge the mystery
in the risen Christ.
Penitential Prayer
Forgive us, God, when our actions fail to follow the examples set by Christ;
When our words fail to comfort the sorrowful
children of Christ;
When our thoughts fail to have the blessed purity
of Christ;
When our hearts fail to feel the anguished suffering
of Christ;
When our songs fail to sing the joyous lyrics
of Christ;
Forgive us, God, and cleanse our souls that we might rejoice in renewed grace.
Blessing
This service is over,
but your service must never end.
Serve the Lord
as He has served you.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP April 15, 2012
Greeting
Again, we return to praise the Father,
In praising God,
you will conquer fear;
In praising God,
you will conquer conflict;
In praising God,
you will conquer anxiety.
Penitential Prayer
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge our unworthiness.
Sometimes our faith grows thinner than paper;
Sometimes our prayers grow weaker than thread;
Sometimes our hearts grow harder than rock;
Sometimes our words grow hotter than fire;
Sometimes our hope grows darker than night;
Sometimes our egos grow greater than space;
Sometimes our compassion grows colder than ice.
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge our unworthiness,
and ask Your forgiveness in the Name of the Father.
Blessing
Go into the world singing the glory of God;
Go into the world,
making peace in the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP April 22, 2012
Greeting
God showers us with blessings;
He warms us in the sunshine of His Love.
Let us sing His praises and give Him thanks for all He has done for us.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Penitential Prayer
Because we have wasted so many good things we possess,
Lord teach us to be frugal;
Because we have neglected those who need our care and compassion,
Lord move us to be kind and generous.
Have mercy on us, Lord, for our lack of Christian virtue; strengthen our will to mend our ways while there is still time.
Blessing
By the power of the Father, who brings us from darkness into light,
By the power of the Son, who brings us
from death into life,
By the power of the Holy Spirit, who brings us from doubt into belief, may we
speak sincerely,
witness clearly,
love dearly.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP April 29, 2012
Greeting
“Come,” beckons the Good Shepherd to His flock!
“I am the Gateway to new life. Come!
for refreshment …
for comfort …
for healing …
for peace of soul …
Come, and I will make you whole!”
Penitential Prayer
So often, Father, we are appreciative and thankful only for those things we consider extraordinary.
We overlook so much of Your world’s simple beauty.
We overlook the wonder in the rise and fall of the seasons.
We overlook the passion of autumn, the majesty of winter, the freshness of spring, and the fruitfulness of summer;
We overlook the heart-warming joy in a child’s laughter.
We overlook the wonder of the sea, the sand, the wind, the planets, the stars.
Father we have overlooked so much for which we have to be thankful.
We ask forgiveness for our shortsightedness and pray that we might follow more closely the Good Shepherd and become more fully sensitized to the wonder and glory of Creation.
Blessing
Go in Peace!
Follow the Good Shepherd.
Answer His call.
Walk in His tracks.
Obey His commands.
Follow Him, hopefully, joyfully!
