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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 103:1-13, 22)

L: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 
P: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits--who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. 
L: The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
P: For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. 
L: As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.
All: Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul.

 

Call to Worship (based on Mt. 18:21-35)

L: Our Lord God invites into his Kingdom all who seek God's Grace
P: Let us draw near to Him who has redeemed us
L: May God's presence transform us into people of grace and forgiveness.
P: For the Lord has forgiven the multitude of our debts
L: Let us worship our ever-gracious Lord and exalt him forever.

 

Prayer for a Generous Spirit (fits Romans 14 and Matthew 18)

Dear LORD,
Why do we keep looking at the spec in someone else's eye, but ignore the log in our own? Help us not to judge others, lest we be in danger of judgment ourselves.

You teach us that the measure we use for others, you will use for us;
that you give to us a full measure, as we give to others--a generous helping, poured into our hands, more than we can hold.

Give us a most generous spirit toward all people, especially our brothers and sisters at church.  Make us one in Christ and one with you so that we can be the incarnation of Christ in this world--a testimony of your love and grace.  All this we pray in Christ's most precious name. Amen.

 

Victory Prayer (for use with Exodus 14:19-31)

Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name to all ages.

Lord, You have been our refuge from generation to generation. We said: Lord, have mercy on us; rescue us from our enemies and you stretched out your right hand. You delivered us from certain destruction; you redeemed us from the hands of the enemy.  Praise be to you and your Son, Jesus, who came to set the captives free.

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we have seen light. Continue Your mercy to us, your children that we may go from victory to victory.  Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

 

Prayer of Confession (for use with Matthew 18:21-35)

Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and
strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We
have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved
your Holy Spirit.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done:
for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our
indifference to injustice and cruelty.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our
neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those
who differ from us.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;
Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.  Amen.

 

Assurance and Pardon:
If we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1 John 1:9]
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us:

Your sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

 

Closing Prayer:

Spirit of God, we ask you to continue to be our Teacher, and to guide us into all truth. Lead us as we continue on our journey of faith. Stay with us, Lord, as we go about our daily lives, our jobs, taking care of our families, and doing all the things that we need to do.

Keep us safe and bring us together again next week. We ask this in the precious name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.