PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP October 3, 2010
Greeting
We have come together
aspiring to a faith that will
move mountains.
Penitential Prayer
Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have faltered in our faith:
— forgive us Lord, for a faith that was more like a speck of dust than a mustard seed;
— forgive us Lord, for allowing anxiety to cloud our minds with a faithless pall of gloom;
— forgive us Lord, for being too quick to say, “It can’t be done;”
— forgive us Lord, for our lack of faith in Your promise of ultimate fulfillment in Your Kingdom of love.
Blessing
“You have received Christ Jesus as Lord.
Live in Him,
root your whole being in Him
abide in Him,
trust in Him,
put all your faith in Him.”
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP October 10, 2010
Greeting
It is a good thing to acknowledge the Lord,
and to give thanks to our Redeemer;
to come before His throne with singing,
and to join His people in praise.
Penitential Prayer
Our heavenly Father, we confess that we have not been as grateful as the cleansed leper who returned to give thanks.
Sometimes we forget about You, once the crisis is past.
Often we just think we are too busy. At other times we simply fail to see Your hand in our healing. And sometimes we have continued to be preoccupied with the problems that remain instead of being grateful for those which have been solved.
Most seriously, we have often taken our health and our well ordered lives for granted, failing to thank You for the rhythmic beating of our hearts, and for the food on our tables, and for the comforts we enjoy.
Blessing
May the life of Jesus
be your example in all your words and actions.
May the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit
equip you to face each day with anticipation,
live each day in honor,
and close each day in serenity.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP October 17, 2010
Greeting
Those who want God, very much, call out to Him day and night:
praising Him,
thanking Him,
worshipping Him.
Penitential Prayer
Humbly we confess to wanting to live in imitation
of Christ — but not very much!
Wanting to become the kind of person God intends us to be — but not very much!
Wanting to live as a person for others… but not very much!
Wanting to show God’s goodness through our service to others — but not very much!
Wanting to call out to the Lord, God, day and night — but not very much!
Wanting to experience the healing presence of a just and merciful God — but not very much!
But, now, Lord we are changing all that and, in the spirit of repentance, we humbly confess to wanting Your merciful forgiveness — very, very much!
Blessing
We go now in search of an even deeper union with God…
longing for Him,
calling out to Him,
day and night because we love Him — very, very much!
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP October 24, 2010
Greeting
This is what the Lord requires,
that we act justly,
that we love tenderly,
and that we walk humbly in our ministry of service.
Penitential Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we confess that we have often lacked the humility of the tax collector who went into the Temple acknowledging his sinfulness.
We have been quick to excuse our faults and explain away our failures.
We have found it all too easy to be critical of our neighbors, our fellow church members, even our families.
We have refused to correct our deficiencies of attitude and character, simply because we denied their existence.
Lord, be merciful to us, who are self exhaulting sinners.
Blessing
Exaggerate not your own importance;
instead, judge yourself soberly,
using the standard of faith,
which God has given you.
PRAYERS FOR WORSHIP October 31, 2010
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 and a sense of success.
In your friendships,
may you find acceptance and the joy of belonging.
In your leisure,
may you find enjoyment and renewal of mind and body.
In your religious faith,
may you find peace of soul and purpose in life.
