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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 99)

L: The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
P: The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he!
L: Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
All: Extol the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for the LORD our God is holy.

 

Call to Worship (for Stewardship Sunday)
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

L: The Lord God Almighty is shining his light upon us
P: We gather to the source of all life and all breath.
L: The God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills is calling us.
P: We gather to worship God, our provider
L: The God who has blessed us mightily is in our midst
P: May we be faithful to him in our act of worship and selfless giving.
L: Come let us worship the Lord!

 

Prayer of Confession
by Rev. F. Schaefer

God of the ages, God of all nations, we humbly approach your throne with a grateful heart.  We especially thank you for the investment you made in us by bestowing your mighty blessings and gifts upon us.  Help us to be good stewards over the resources and talents you so graciously gave.

In the areas we fail to be wise stewards, we ask your forgiveness. We confess that we have neglected to

• take care of the environment.
• love our neighbors as ourselves.
• share generously, especially with those who are needy.
• spend time in your Word.
• lend a hand to those who need it.
• _______________ (fill in the blank)

Forgive us, we pray, and allow us to go forward in Jesus' name so that your kingdom be firmly established among us. Amen.

 

Unison Prayer (adapted from a prayer in Touch Holiness, ed. R. Duck & M. Tirabassi)

Holy Spirit of God, who gathers the church into one body, gather us once again in your presence and strengthen the bonds of affection and respect that hold your people together. Give us grace to worship and work together with one another in love and service. Help us to face challenges with imagination, and to counter disappointments with prayerful trust, that we may truly show forth your will and your reign. We ask your blessing on us as we worship you together. We pray in Jesus’ name, who teaches us, when we pray, to say together...

The Lord's Prayer

 

Prayer for Faith in God's Abiding Presence
by Rev. F. Schaefer

O great and loving God, we thank you for your abiding presence with us.  Even though we may not see you with our natural eyes nor hear you with our natural ears, you have promised never to leave us, nor forsake us.  You, o Lord, walk beside us like the Good Shepherd walks beside his sheep.  You gently guide our steps by day and watch over us by night.

Increase our faith so that we do not lose heart in times of trial, but rather live by the assurance of hope that you are near us;
that, even though we may walk throught the valley of the dark shadows, your rod and your staff comforts us;
that we shall dwell in your house, o Lord, forever. Amen.

 

A Stewardship Prayer
by Rev. F. Schaefer

Giver of all life, as you sent us into this world,
so will you summon us at the end of our days:
     naked and empty-handed.

What we wear, what we possess, our talents,
     even our thoughts,
are but a gracious loan from you, o Lord.

Teach us on this day to take nothing for granted--
     neither your blessings nor our belongings.
May we be shrewd, faithful and wise stewards
     over what you have entrusted to us.

Above all, we thank you for our salvation,
and for giving us new life in the path of Jesus.
Enable us to find opportunities to serve you
and others.  In Christ's spirit we pray. Amen.

 

Prayer for the Stewardship Way of Life:

We give our thanks to you for the gifts you have given to us -- our life, our family and friends -- time, talents and material possessions. All we have comes from you. Help us to remember this always and rejoice in your generosity.

Help us on our spiritual journey, so that we may constantly renew our relationship with you and all people of our parish community.
Give us the strength and courage to become better followers of Jesus, to be disciples. Help us always to hear the call to live the Stewardship Way of Life. Amen.

 

The Blessing of Giving

Almighty God our Father
we belong to you.
All that we have comes from you

Our family and friends
Our health
Our possessions and energy
Our leisure and abilities.

Help us to share
in the blessings of giving
as well as the
happiness of receiving

We ask this in the name of Jesus
Amen.

 

Stewardship Prayer addressed to Jesus:

 

Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work.
I give you my feet to go your way.
I give you my eyes to see as you see.
I give you my tongue to speak your words.
I give you my mind to think as you think.
I give you my spirit so that you may pray in me.
I give you my self so that you may grow in me.
So that it is you, Lord Jesus,
who lives and works and prays in me.
Amen.

 

Closing Prayer/Benediction:

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 humble heart that I may hear thee;
a heart of love, that I may serve thee;
a heart of faith, that I may abide in thee.  Amen.