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Call to Worship (based
on Psalm 13)
L: How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from
me?
P: Consider and answer me, O LORD my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the
sleep of death,
L: and my enemy will say, "I have prevailed"; my foes will rejoice because I am
shaken.
P: But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
L: I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Hospitality Prayer
by Rev. F. Schaefer
God of Wisdom, God of Love we celebrate your faithful
presence in our lives. You are near us by day and night; you never fail to
greet us each new morning. Though we often turn away from you, you are ever
concerned with our well-being, watching over us like a mother watches her
little ones. Teach us, Lord, to live our lives in the wholeness of your
eternal values. We need your guidance and grace to be able to live in harmony
with one another, show hospitality to the strangers among us, and to minister
to the needy.
By your spirit enable us to live a life in purity of thought
and action, in humility of heart and generosity of giving. Help us never to
forget that it was your unmerited grace that lifted us from a lowly and sinful
state; may we never fall into the fallacy of the Pharisees who thought higher
of themselves than of others. Enable us to follow in Jesus' footsteps and
embrace those the world considers last, least, and lost. Amen.
Prayer for Reconciliation and the Strength to serve (Gospel lesson)
God, may your faithfulness be not made vain by us. Help us to accept the message of
forgiveness and live each day nourished by your endless love and mercy.
In Christ’s cross you have reconciled yourself with us; may we live as reconciled
with each other, so that your church may be an example of true peace.
Give us the strength to help each other, to build new life which you have given us in
Jesus Christ.
Let your love be made known through us to those who are needy, abandoned and
persecuted. May we be able to share with them compassion, light, and hope.
God of reconciliation, God of peace, hear our prayer through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for Obedience (Epistle / First Lesson)
Ever grant us, O Lord, that submissive faith that breeds
wholehearted obedience.
Lord, our souls break for longing to be knowers and doers of your
Word.
Holy Spirit, create in us a strong passionate desire to accept
and obey God's Word in everything, and to be conformed to it in thought and life.
Grant, dear Lord, that this passionate desire will empower us
until our days here on earth are completed and the final victory is won. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, help us examine our hearts so that we may be convicted of our sins and
shortcomings through the ministry of your Holy Spirit within us.
We come to you in the name of Jesus, your Son and our High Priest. We confess that
there are times when we go against your hopes for us as your people.
We confess that there are times when we go against your Word for us. In silence,
O LORD, hear us as we confess those things we have done, and those things we have
neglected to do; times when we have failed you and each other. . .
(Time of silence)
Loving God, we ask you once again to receive us into your compassionate, forgiving arms
that we might find favor with you for all the days of our lives. Empower us to serve you
fully, to share the resources we have with those who have less, to weep with those who
weep, and to laugh with those who laugh. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon:
L: God loves us and forgives us. God gives us the chance to begin again.
All: Thanks be to God. Amen!
Closing Prayer:
O God, fountain of life and source of all light, fill the hearts of your
children with wonder for the gifts of your creation. Sustain us with your steadfast love
and bring all your children, reconciled to you by Jesus Christ, to drink from the river of
life. To you, Giver of all good things, be all praise, glory, and honor forever. Amen.
