November 2, 2014
Greeting
Faith is trusting that God has better things in mind for us than we have in mind for ourselves.
Come, in the abiding faith that God really wants us as His children.
Penitential Prayer
If we have developed a pattern of
“doing it our way”
instead of “Your way”;
If we have grown more accustomed to the words,
“my will be done”
than
“Thy will be done”;
If we have lived as though the Gospel maxim were reversed:
“He who exalts himself shall be exalted,
He who humbles himself shall be humbled”;
If we have declared our independence
not only from the rule of tyrants
but also from the Rule of God;
Father, forgive us.
Blessing
May your humble acts of loving service
bring exaltation to your brothers and sisters.
May you discover in a new light
the meaning of Jesus’ words:
“The first shall be last
the last shall be first.”
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP
November 9, 2014
Greeting
Keep your eyes open,
the Lord is in your midst.
Keep your eyes open,
The Bridegroom is here!
Come, and greet Him!
Penitential Prayer
Most of us are walking right down the middle of the
legendary “road to hell paved with good intentions.”
We intend to give up those habits that are
destructive in our lives;
We intend to spend more time learning how
to pray and meditate effectively;
We intend to be more sensitive to the
needs of others;
We intend to reexamine our values and
our priorities.
But we are awfully busy …
we haven’t time to follow through
on our good intentions.
For our unfulfilled good intentions,
Father, forgive us.
Blessing
Go, in the company of the Bridegroom
to proclaim His Gospel,
to do His works —
remembering, however, that good intentions alone
will cause you to “nod, then fall asleep.”
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP
November 16, 2014
Greeting
Come into the house of the Lord.
Come in humility,
for the proud will turn away empty-handed.
Come in expectancy,
for those who hunger and thirst will be filled.
Come in confidence,
for Christ has opened the curtain to the holy of holies.
Come into the house of the Lord.
Penitential Prayer
O God, how great You are;
how small we are!
How infinite is Your wisdom;
how limited is ours!
How everlasting You are;
how brief our span of life!
How good and high are Your ways;
how selfish and impure are ours!
O Lord, take our weakness this very hour,
and transform us
by Your mighty power.
Blessing
Go, my people —
To a hungry world bring help;
To a yearning world bring love;
To a discouraged world give hope;
To a wandering world give leadership;
To a lost world bring the saving Gospel
of Jesus Christ
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP
November 23, 2014
Greeting
Is anyone anxious?
Let him come and pray.
Is anyone discouraged?
Let him come and find new perspective.
Is anyone weak?
Let him come and be filled with the Spirit.
Is anyone sorrowful?
Let him come and be comforted.
Is anyone joyful?
Let him come and sing God’s praise
Penitential Prayer
Lord, if we were to be silent in Your praises today,
the very stones would cry out;
For You are our Savior and our King,
deserving of our praise,
our worship,
and our obedience.
Accept, then, our faltering words,
and receive them as perfect praise.
Blessing
May Jesus Christ who rose from the dead
enable you to rise each morning
to newness of life,
refreshed in body,
restored in mind,
and
regenerated in spirit,
each new day a glorious foretaste
of the great new day to come.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP
November 30, 2014
Greeting
Be ever watchful for the coming of the Lord.
watchful where we worship,
watchful where we dwell,
watchful where we work, and study and play.
Be ever watchful for the coming of the Lord.
Penitential Prayer
Merciful Father …
Because we have not lived by faith,
Because we have resisted Your Holy Spirit,
Because we have neglected Your Message of hope,
Because we have strayed from our appointed watch,
Because we have ignored the true signs of Your coming,
Because we have not loved one another as Jesus has loved us,
Merciful Father …
We beg Your pardon. We ask Your help, that we may position ourselves to accept Your Advent promise of eternal fulfillment in an attitude of joyful expectation.
Blessing
Go and watch, patiently.
Go, and wait, hopefully,
for the Lord is surely coming.
Stay awake!