PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 7, 2009
Greeting
Welcome, disciples of Christ!
Disciples
of the Fisherman
of the Teacher
of the Healer
of the Messiah
of the Risen Lord
of the One Truth.
Welcome, disciples of Christ,
as we gather to hear His Word.
Penitential Prayer
We are sorry, Lord, for our sometime discipleship.
— sometimes too embarrassed to express love
— sometimes too self-centered to share
— sometimes too talkative to listen
— sometimes too stubborn to say, I’m sorry
— sometimes too righteous to say, I forgive you.
We are sorry, Lord, for our sometimes discipleship.
Please forgive us.
Blessing
Let us go out, and make disciples of all nations,
knowing that Jesus is with us
now
and tomorrow
and always.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 14, 2009
Greeting
This is the day Jesus made a new covenant with us;
a covenant of love
a covenant of justice
a covenant of mercy.
This is the day we renew our devotion to this
acred covenant
with our Lord
and with each other.
Penitential Prayer
The Psalmist says:
He has remembered His covenant forever,
the promise of which He authorized
to a thousand generations (Ps. 105:8).
These words reassure us, Father,
and yet they shame us.
Because
while You have remembered us,
we have forgotten You;
while You have forgiven us,
we have condemned our neighbor;
while You have given us so much,
we have shared with others so little;
while You have given us Your solemn promise
of eternal fulfillment, we have given You
only lip-service in return.
Father, have mercy on us for breaking
the Covenant of love
the Covenant of justice
the Covenant of mercy.
Blessing
With renewed devotion to our Covenant
with the Lord
and with each other,
we go, now, as disciples
of love
of justice
of mercy
of peace!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 21, 2009
Greeting
Life and death are two aspects of one great miracle.
We recognize these things as miracles because they are the way of Almighty God.
Penitential Prayer
Forgive us, Father if we work non-stop
at achieving greatness, but work very little
at serving others;
– if we flatter our superiors, but show the
least respect for those with menial jobs;
– if we gather glory in our names, but ignore
the glory of God;
– if we spend our money on novelties, but do not make the smallest contributions to charities;
– if we save the best jobs for ourselves,
but complicate the work of others;
In short, Father, forgive us if we spend our energy in false and vain pursuits.
Blessing
Having acknowledged the miracle of life and death,
return to your families, jobs, and homes assured that the world turns in harmony with God’s Will.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP June 28, 2009
Greeting
This is a day of miracles:
— the miracle of sight for the blind
— the miracle of hearing for the deaf
— the miracle of speech for the mute
— the miracle of healing for the crippled.
This is a day of miracles:
— the miracle of God’s Love for us.
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
Just as the Spring wakens the slumbering Winter,
and gives the earth new life,
the Father’s forgiveness stirs our dormant souls,
and gives us His New Life.
