PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 5, 2006
Greeting
ìAlthough I may have the gift of prophesy and know all secrets;
Although I may have the faith to move mountains;
if I have not love, I am nothingî (I Cor. 13:2).
Enter this House,
to discover the mystery of Godís Love;
to experience the power of Godís Love.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, we are an insincere people!
We say, ìCheers!î without being of good cheer.
We say, ìGood morning!î but do not make the
morning good.
We say, ìHow are things?î and then act as though we donít really care.
We say, ìGod loves you!î but do not become the channel of Godís Love.
We say, ìI love you!î when we really mean, ìWhat can I get from you?î
We use the phrase, ìIíll pray for you,î as a mere
substitute for a casual ìgoodbye.î
Lord, forgive us for our casual approach to the Biblical command: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Lord, forgive us for our insincerity!
Blessing
Go forth from your Fatherís House in obedience to the command:
love your neighbor as yourself.
Go forth, saying ìGod loves you … I love you …
I will pray for youî —
with all possible sincerity.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 12, 2006
Greeting
We can love God
because He first loved us.
We can love others
because He first loved them.
Penitential Prayer
Father, forgive us if, like the Pharisees of old, we have kept the letter of the law without keeping its spirit ñ
ñif we have worshiped no other gods, but have not really loved You;
ñif we have made no graven image, but have not publicly honored You;
ñif we have honored our parents, but have not really loved them;
ñif we have refrained from killing, but have not refrained from holding a grudge;
ñif we have not committed adultery, but secretly wish we could;
ñif we have not stolen, but have been discontented with what we have;
ñif we have avoided covetousness, but have resented thers for what they have.
Blessing
Having been blessed,
let us bless.
Having been loved,
let us love.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 19, 2006
Greeting
Lift up your hearts
Lift up your minds
Lift up your spirits
Lift up your hands
the Lord is reaching down
to greet us!
Penitential Prayer
Father, forgive us for ignoring the outstretched
hand of a brother and sister in need.
For condemning instead of offering the helping
hand of fellowship;
For isolating instead of offering the helping
hand of understanding;
For back-biting instead of offering the helping
hand of forgiveness;
For gossiping instead of offering the helping
hand of prayer.
Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy on us sinners!
Blessing
The Time is now!
— The Lord is with us today.
The Time is now!
— Put your hand in His, and rejoice.
The Time is now!
–Take your sisters and brothers by the
hand, and let them rejoice.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP November 26, 2006
Greeting
There are many kings,
but only One can rule forever.
There are many presidents,
but only One can save.
Come, let us worship Him.
Penitential Prayer
We know, Lord, that our lives have not lived up to our convictions.
We have felt defeated, even though we know that Jesus is Victor.
We have been discouraged, even though we know that with God all things are possible.
We have fallen into temptation, even though we know that power is available to resist it.
Blessing
The reign of the Lord will remain
forever and ever.
With this promise, go on your way rejoicing.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP December 3, 2006
Greeting
Today, on this first Sunday of Advent, let us look to the past, to the present, and to the future.
Let us look to the past, for we celebrate the birth of a
Child born 2,000 years ago.
Let us look to the present, for Christ is here today,
living among us by means of His Spirit.
Let us look to the future, for He will come again in
the clouds of Heaven, to bring this Age to an end
and to take His own to Himself.
Penitential Prayer
We acknowledge, Father, that our holiday preparations often detract from our holy preparations.
We allow the sounds of Santa Claus jingles to drown
out the carols of the Christ-child.
We allow the hustle of Christmas shopping to make
us too upset to experience the peace of God.
We allow the excitement of Christmas presents to
over-shadow the wonder of Godís miracle.
We allow the loud and repeated claims of advertisers
to drown out the voices of the angels.
We allow the vast expenditures of money to distort
our priorities.
For our easy readiness to become involved in the pandemonium which transforms the Holy Day into a holiday, we ask Your Divine forgiveness.
Blessing
May your Christmas songs
be songs of the King.
May your Christmas expectations
be for the coming of Christ.
May your Christmas preparation
be the preparation of the soul.
May your Christmas story
be the story of Jesus.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP December 10, 2006
Greeting
As we enter this Holy Place …
We renounce the
selfish attitudes
warped values
and hypocritical actions
of our lives.
We come to
seek the straight path
find the narrow road
and travel the level way
of our Lord.
We enter this Holy Place
to prepare for the Way of the Lord!
Penitential Prayer
Forgive us, Lord, for placing obstacles on Your path of Love. We are sorry …
ñthat we have put up roadblocks of economic
excuses to the poor
ñthat we have built brick walls of isolation around our senior citizens
ñthat we have erected blockades of intense
nationalism before the peacemakers.
Forgive us, Lord, for making Your Path crooked instead of straight.
Forgive us for placing barriers of indifference on Your Path of Love.
Blessing
Go now on the salvation road
heading toward the Father
guided by the Son
and strengthened by the Spirit.
Go now on the service road
on the straight path of selflessness
the narrow road of justice
and the level way of brotherhood.
Go now on the Lordís road
in joy
peace
and love.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP December 17, 2006
Greeting
It is almost time.
As always, there has been so much to do.
But now, before it is too late, before this
hallowed hour slips away,
we must pause.
We must be with God.
Penitential Prayer
The Apostle John has written: ìLet the man with two tunics give to him who has none. The man who has food should do the same.î
Forgive us Father,
for our failure to be caring and sharing brothers
and sisters;
for our failure to place our hope in Your Sonís
Holy Gospel;
for our failure to change and to accept change
graciously;
for our failure to be a sign of peace and hope for
all the world.
Blessing
May the Spirit of the Lord Jesus be in your head
and in your understanding.
May the Spirit of the Lord Jesus be in your eyes
and in your looking.
May the Spirit of the Lord Jesus be in your mouth
and in your speaking.
May the Spirit of the Lord Jesus be in your heart
and in your feeling.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP December 24, 2006
Greeting
Have your come here
with little or great faith?
In search or in affirmation of your faith?
To question or to proclaim your faith!
Be at ease, for you are all welcome here
in this House of Faith.
Penitential Prayer
Although we say we believe in You Lord,
our faith is sadly lacking.
We should be praying for a Christmas of peace
but are too discouraged by racial and religious wars.
We should be experiencing a Christmas of Love
but are too distracted by todayís headlines.
Lord, we are sorry we are so easily turned off from You. Forgive us for our feeble faith.
Blessing
Go now and give praise to the Lord!
Blow your trumpets!
Beat your drums!
Stomp your feet!
Clap your hands!
Snap your fingers!
Sing your songs!
Do all these things for Our Lord
who is all things to all people always.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP December 25, 2006
Greeting
Praise God this Christmas day.
Praise God who has brought us great joy.
Praise God who has shared with us His Beloved Son.
Penitential Prayer
For refusing Christís invitation to New Life,
Father forgive us.
For turning away from Christís Light,
Father forgive us.
For rejecting Christís Grace,
Father forgive us.
For abandoning hope in Christís promise.
Father forgive us.
For disobeying Christís command to love one another as He has loved us,
Father forgive us.
Blessing
Return to your homes this Christmas Day.
United in the spirit of sharing.
United in a fellowship of service.
United in the bond of love.
United in the brotherhood of Christ.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP December 31, 2006
Greeting
Blessed are You Father in Your Son, Jesus,
who dreamed a Kingdom that was like a family
feast, where all the members shared and all were
free and in love.
Penitential Prayer
Lord, every day You give us a new opportunity
to grow in Your wisdom and grace through a ministry of service and, day-after-day, we reject it.
Day-after-day we turn down one more chance to work Your miracle of Love.
Forgive us, Father, for making light of Your
sacred wisdom and grace;
Forgive us, Father, for treating with disrespect
persons made in Your image;
Forgive us, Father, for shrugging off dreams of
a world where people do not hurt each other;
Forgive us, Father, for giving up on the dream of a
Kingdom that is like a family feast, where all the
members share, and all are free, and in love.
Blessing
May you proceed from the Fatherís house as did Jesus, ìprogressing steadily in wisdom and grace, before God and men.î
