PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 3, 2013
Greeting
Worship is a voice in the night calling for help.
It is a soul standing in awe before the mystery of the universe.
It is time flowing into eternity.
It is a person climbing the altar stairs to God.
Penitential Prayer
Heavenly Father, we confess that during this past week we have not been as anxious to see Jesus as was Zacchaeus,
nor as humble as the tax collector in the temple.
nor as compassionate as the good samaritan.
Yet, we do not despair, for You have called us to be Your people and are enabling us daily to do Your tasks.
Forgive us, then, for the falterings of the past,
and enable us to truly be Your disciples.
Blessing
In your work,
may you find meaning.
In your friendships,
may you find acceptance.
In your leisure,
may you find renewal.
In your religious faith,
may you find peace of soul and purpose in life.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 10, 2013
Greeting
Let us worship the Risen and Reigning Christ,
who alone is worthy of the praise of our lips
and of the allegiance of our hearts.
Penitential Prayer
Have mercy on us, O God,
according to Your steadfast love.
According to Your abundant mercy,
blot out our transgressions.
Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity,
and cleanse us from our sins.
For we know our transgressions,
and our sins are ever before us.
Blessing
May the God of consolation and holiness
grant us to live together after the pattern of
our Lord Jesus Christ, so that with glad hearts and unblemished lives we may forever reflect His glory.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 17, 2013
Greeting
Keep your heads erect,
your hopes high,
your heart light,
and your spirits soaring!
Every hair of your head is counted.
The God of Love will not abandon you.
Penitential Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We confess that often we become intimidated by events in the political, social and economic areas of our society.
We confess that we have not been …
keeping our heads erect,
our hopes high,
our hearts light,
and our spirits soaring.
We confess that we often are frightened into conformity, even opting for violence as an acceptable means of resolving tensions between individuals and between nations.
Forgive us, Heavenly Father, for turning away from Jesus’ promise …
That Your Kingdom is coming; that nothing can defeat Your plan for our fulfillment; that despite any and all worldly evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, the way of peace and brotherhood and gentility and genuine caring will prevail!
Forgive us, Heavenly Father, for sometimes feeling abandoned and helpless and without hope.
Forgive us, Heavenly Father, for losing faith in Your promise to be with us always — especially in those times when disaster strikes and chaos abounds.
Blessing
Go… with heads erect,
with hopes high,
with hearts light,
with spirits soaring,
so that the love you bring into the world will be a clear and convincing sign of the Love of God.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 24, 2013
Greeting
Come and hear the Good News:
whoever you are,
whatever you are,
wherever you are,
however you are,
you are a beloved subject of Christ the King —
His unique subject
whom He loves
totally,
irrevocably.
Come and give thanks to God and praise Him
for this wonderful news.
Penitential Prayer
We confess that Christ is King,
but we bow down to so many false kings.
Especially to the false king money, do we bow down.
We know we cannot serve two masters, but we try.
Oh how we keep trying!
For our idolatry, Lord, we beg Your
merciful forgiveness!
Blessing
We have erred, we have worshiped false idols, we have sinned greviously against the Divine Majesty —
but we can begin again.
because Christ is King,
we can begin again.