PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP May 5, 2013
Greeting
Give praise to the Lord our God!
Give thanks, for He is
not a God of vengeance, but reconciliation.
not a God of hostility, but peace.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, we have remained cool to the fire of Your word.
We have thought too little about who You are and who we are.
Lord, remember not the times we withheld words of understanding.
Lord, remember not that we have remained trapped in our narrow prejudices.
Lord, we have failed as your peacemakers.
Lord, we have failed to accept the mighty resources You never cease to offer us for peace and tranquility, and for wholeness of life.
Forgive us Lord, for we have failed.
Blessing
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the Children of God.”
We are the Children of God,
ministering
healing
touching
understanding
reconciling
and loving.
May we go and build a new world
on a foundation of love.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP May 12, 2013
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 May 19, 2013
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 May 26, 2013
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!
