PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 1, 2012
Greeting
Jesus has risen,
thanks be to God.
Christ is living,
thanks be to God.
Peace will prevail,
thanks be to God.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, the Biblical stories of the woman with an issue of blood, and of the critically ill daughter of Jairus, remind us of how weak our faith often is.
We have said, “it’s hopeless” much more easily than we have said, “With God all things are possible.”
We have allowed human faithlessness to cast doubt on Your Divine faithfulness.
Restore to us, O Lord, to a belief in miracles and a willingness to expect marvelous surprises from Your hand.
Blessing
Return home in peace.
The love of the Lord is with you,
Amen.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 8, 2012
Greeting
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;
in whose courts there is justice;
in whose assemblies there is freedom;
in whose homes there is love.
Penitential Prayer
We are guilty, Lord, not only of private and individual sins.
We have also sinned as a people at times.
We have been apathetic about the plight of the poor.
We have looked away from corruption in high places.
We have declined to become involved in the processes of government.
We have promoted our individual and sectional interests above the interest of the whole.
We have not only ignored but have even opposed efforts to eliminate prejudice and discrimination.
We have failed to fully use the freedom of religion which we enjoy in this land.
Forgive us, Lord, for our corporate sins.
Blessing
May the Creator of the universe,
the Ruler of the nations,
the God of Israel,
and the Father of Jesus Christ
be the Lord of our land.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 15, 2012
Greeting
We come to this place
not to hear the opinions of a person,
the advice of a counselor,
the theories of a theologian,
or the philosophy of a sage.
We come, rather,
to hear the Word of the Lord.
Penitential Prayer
Forgive us, Father, if we have closed our ears to Your prophetic word.
If we have reasoned that we were too busy to read the Bible;
If we have allowed slight inconveniences to keep us from Church;
If we have heard the Word, and mentally applied it to someone else instead of ourselves;
Forgive us, Father, if we have closed our ears to Your prophetic Word.
Blessing
You who have heard,
go forth now to speak,
You who have received,
go forth now to give.
You who have been shown the way,
go forth now to lead.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 22, 2012
Greeting
You who are weary
can find rest.
You who are wandering
can find guidance.
You who are unfulfilled
can find a purpose.
You who are restless
can find peace.
Penitential Prayer
We are aware, Lord, You have “broken down the dividing wall of hostility” which stands between us and our fellow human beings. We confess that this has not always been a reality in our lives, because we often make superficial distinctions in our lives.
Forgive us, Lord,
If we make sweeping, uncomplimentary judgments about others;
If we are more polite to the rich than we are to the poor;
If we make sweeping, uncomplimentary judgments about people of another age group;
If we make sweeping, uncomplimentary judgments about people of another income bracket;
If we continue to hold a grudge against someone in the family — either in our natural family or in our church family;
If we in anyway prevent the cross from being the reconciler that brings us together.
Blessing
Learn Christ’s compassion.
Love your brothers and sisters everywhere.
Live peaceably with all.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 29, 2012
Greeting
Come, let us worship the Lord our God.
From Him we have come,
to Him we must return
and in Him we live and move
and have our being.
Penitential Prayer
Father, forgive us for our mindless pursuit of our own little kingdom.
Father, forgive us for disregarding Jesus’ example of resisting the temptation to pursue a worldly kingdom.
Father we have received this Word from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; ”Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Forgive us for our lack of poverty of spirit.
Father forgive us, for not identifying our lives with Your Holy Will.
Father forgive us, for casting our eyes in the direction of executive suites instead of the direction of Your Heavenly Suite.
Blessing
May He who sends rain upon the Earth and warms the fertile fields with sunshine provide you and yours with every good thing.
