____________________________________________________

A Call to Worship for World Communion Sunday
  
Leader:            Today we gather around God's table from near and far
People:            We are the People of God!
Leader:             Though we differ in language, custom, and tradition
People:            We are brothers and sisters in Christ!
Leader:             For there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism
People:            We are One in God's Spirit!
Leader:             We are one and together we remember our Lord Jesus
People:            For we are the people of Redemption!
Leader:             He gave himself up for us, so we could be
                        reconciled to God.
People:            Come, let us worship the God of our Salvation!

 

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 78)

L: We do not hide God's Word from our children and children's children.
P: We will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
L: In the sight of our ancestors God worked marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
P: He divided the sea and let his people pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.
L: In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all night long with a fiery light.
P: He split rocks open in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
L: Come let us worship our almighty and most gracious God!

 

Call to Worship:

L: God invites his people to worship Him in His sanctuary.
P: It is good and wonderful thing to be in the House of the Lord!
L: May the Lord's voice find us ready to do his will.
P: May we always be willing to act according to God's wise counsel.
L: Come, let us worship our Almighty, Ever-Loving God!

 

Prayer of Confession (based on the Gospel and First Lessons):

Lord on this day we approach your throne room humbly, acknowledging our sin.  Specifically, we confess to you that:

L: We have not put our whole trust in you when faced with uncertainty and hardship

P: Forgive us, o Lord.

L: We have complained and grumbled when we should have been thankful for your provisions

P: Forgive us, o Lord.

L: We have not carried out your work when you called us to be witnesses in your fields of harvest.

P: Forgive us, o Lord.

Help us to do your will each day and every day until your glorious return in splendor and glory, in the name of Jesus, our Lord.  Amen.

 

Prayer for True Faith (for use with Mt. 21:23-32)
by F. Schaefer

God of amazing Grace, when we pursued our selfish dreams and desires, you reached out to us. By your incredible love, you brought us home, cleansed us from our sins, and gave us new life in Jesus.  We give you praise and rejoice in our gift of faith.

Dear Lord, strengthen our faith today. Let the parable of the two sons help us understand that our faith becomes true faith only when our intentions produce deeds.

By the power of your Spirit enable us to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus, to trust, love, and obey you with our whole hearts, so that you may find us faithful laborers in your vinyard on the day of your return in glory. Amen.

 

A Litany of Thanksgiving for God's Provisions (for use with Ex. 17:1-7)

Let us give thanks to God for all the provisions the Lord so freely bestowed upon us;
For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea,
We thank you, O God.
For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,
We thank you, O God.
For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,
We thank you, O God.
For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and
 play,
We thank you, O God.
For the communion of saints, in all times and places,
We thank you, O God.
Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and
promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord:
To Christ be praise and glory, with you, O God, and the Holy Spirit now and forever.  Amen.

Prayer of Ignatius of Loyola (for use with Phil 2:1-13)

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
   except that of knowing that we do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing Prayer (by F. Schaefer)

Salvation is from you, o Lord, our help and our strength.  May we go forth in the comfort of the knowledge that your hand has saved us; and that you will continue to save us--no matter what may come our way.  Bless us and keep us from falling until we meet in this place of worship again.  Amen.