PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 1, 2018
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, 2018
Greeting
This is a day of miracles:
a miracle pleases,
a miracle delights,
a miracle makes us smile or laugh for sheer joy that it came to pass.
This is a day of miracles.
Penitential Prayer
We are sleeping Christians, Lord:
–we can hardly stifle our yawns when we are told to praise Your Name.
–we can hardly hide our weariness when we are told to love our fellow beings.
–we can hardly keep our eyes open when we are told to give generously of our time and money.
–we can hardly stay awake when we are told to forgive all others as You forgive us.
Forgive us, Lord, for our sleeping Christianity.
Blessing
Today is a day of miracles,
for Jesus shares His Presence with each of us.
Tomorrow will be a day of miracles,
for we shall share His Presence with others.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 15, 2018
Greeting
As the crowds gathered around Christ when He gave the Sermon on the Mount;
We gather here, around the Table of the Lord,
in expectation,
and in joy.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, we confess our need to …
— shake off the dust of the sin of self-righteousness and swollen pride;
— shake off the dust of the sin of indifference towards those who are indifferent to us;
— shake off the dust of the sin of unwillingness to forgive others as You forgive us.
Lord, we ask Your forgiveness!
Lord, we want to shake off the dust of sin!
Blessing
We are ready to proclaim this Truth:
The Lord is our God — and we are His people.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 22, 2018
Greeting
Lord, we come here to rest awhile;
–to replenish our lagging faith
–to rejuvenate our sagging spirit
–to revive our lethargic love.
We come here to rest awhile in God’s House
so that we may go out and work in God’s World.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, we confess that we have been running hard in the race
for respectability
for power over others
for material wealth
for passing pleasure.
Lord, we confess that we have been dragging our heels in the pursuit …
of responsibility,
of service to others,
of spiritual treasure,
of the joy of Your New Life.
Lord, forgive us for running hard in the wrong race.
Lord, forgive us for not hastening to follow You on the road
to brotherhood,
to peace,
to the Kingdom of Love.
Blessing
Though our burdens are many and heavy,
we are a light-hearted people.
We have the Lord’s Love!
That is our strength!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP July 29, 2018
Greeting
Let us rejoice in the miracles of Christ;
Let us rejoice in eternal life;
Let us rejoice in blessed peace;
Let us rejoice in sacred forgiveness;
Let us rejoice in infinite love;
These are miracles of Christ.
Let us rejoice.
Penitential Prayer
Father, we come before You so that we might
praise and worship You, but our souls are blurred and tarnished.
Father, we pray You will forgive our sins that
we may better understand Your word;
we may better love our neighbors as ourselves;
we may better bury our prejudices and biases;
we may better serve the needs of our communities;
we may better spread the chronicles of Christ’s miracles.
Father, we ask Your forgiveness.
Blessing
You came asking for peace,
you have been given peace.
You came asking for forgiveness,
you have been forgiven.
Go forth now as peacemakers
and reconcilers.