____________________________________________________

  

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 63)

L: O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you;
P:  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
L: Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
P: For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.    My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
L:  Come let us worship the LORD!

 

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 51)

L: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
P: According to your abundant mercy blot our my transgressions.
L: Create in me a clean heart, o God and put a new and right spirit within me.
P: Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
All: The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, o God, you will not despise. Let us draw near to God!

 

Invocation

From our God who loves us with an everlasting love, who brings forth a new creation in Christ, who leads us by the Spirit in the wilderness: Grace and abundant mercy be with you all.

And also with you.

Let us pray. Eternal Lord, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your Word and obey it, so that we become instruments of your redeeming love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

 

       Canticle of Covenant Faithfulness (Quarite Dominium)
                            based on Isaiah 55:6-11

 

Seek the Lord who now is present,
     call upon the Lord, who is near,
let the wicked forsake their way,
     and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return that the Lord may have mercy on them;
     that our God may abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
     neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
     For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
     so are my ways higher than your ways
     and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
     and return not but water the earth,
     making it bring forth and sprout,
     giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth;
     it shall not return to me empty,
     but it shall accomplish that which I intend,
     and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

 

Prayer of Confession

Holy and awesome God, we stand in your presence filled with regret for our many sins and failings.

Though there is greatness in us, and a deep longing for goodness, we have often denied our better selves and refused to hear your voice calling us to rise to the full height of our humanity.

For there is weakness in us, as well as strength. At times we choose to walk in darkness, our vision obscured.  We do not care to look within, and we are unwilling to look beyond at those who need our help.

O God, we are too weak to walk unaided.
Be with us as a strong and wise friend,
and teach us to walk by the light of your truth.

 

 

Prayer of Intercession

As we seek in this Lenten time to grow in our faith, let us pray for the life of the world.

That the whole church might in this Lent return to the Lord, abundant in mercy and pardon, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That those preparing for baptism this season might quench their thirst in the waters of life and eat what is good at the table of the Lord, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That the leaders of the nations of the world may walk in the way of the Lord, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That those whose spirit is fragile find courage in the rock that is Christ and not be tested beyond their strength, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That all who are ill or face surgery (especially) may be given comfort and healing, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That this congregation might bear good fruit worthy of its calling and be a beacon of hope in this community; let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That we with all the saints (especially) may at length eat and drink at the promised feast of the covenant; let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Grant these prayers, merciful God, and all that we need, as we eagerly await the Easter feast; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Closing prayer

Thou who art over us,
Thou who art one of us,
Thou who art:
     Give me a pure heart, that I may see thee;
     a heart of love, that I may serve thee;
     a heart of faith, that I may abide in thee.
Amen.