Here is a contemporary call to worship and opening prayer for January 22, 2012, the third Sunday after Epiphany. They were written by Thom Shuman, and posted on his Lectionary Liturgies blog.
Call to Worship
Pecking away at our computers, sitting in a knot of traffic:
we wait for you, God of all words, to speak to us.
Pacing the halls of a hospital, sitting outside the principal's office:
we wait for you, God of comfort, to fill us with hope.
In the silence of each night, beginning each day's new journey:
we wait for you, Steadfast Love, for you are our safe place.
we wait for you, God of all words, to speak to us.
Pacing the halls of a hospital, sitting outside the principal's office:
we wait for you, God of comfort, to fill us with hope.
In the silence of each night, beginning each day's new journey:
we wait for you, Steadfast Love, for you are our safe place.
Prayer of the Day
Keeper of every moment in eternity:
we come, not only to hear
those words which can transform us,
but to be filled with your grace and hope.
We have come, not out of habit,
but to respond to your call,
willing to be called away
from the familiar ways of our lives.
Walker of our journeys,
in the midst of our harried lives,
you call us to lay aside all that entangles us,
to follow you into service to others.
You invite us to step into
the waters of life and hope,
reaching out to draw others
to our side so, that together,
we might enter your kingdom
of laughter and joy.
When uncertainty fills every block
in our daily planners,
you come, Grace's Companion,
to offer that hope which anchors
us in God's heart;
to place our feet firmly
on that rock called peace;
to bring us safely to that haven
filled with God's steadfast love.
God in Community, Holy in One,
Rock of every age,
we offer the prayer Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
we come, not only to hear
those words which can transform us,
but to be filled with your grace and hope.
We have come, not out of habit,
but to respond to your call,
willing to be called away
from the familiar ways of our lives.
Walker of our journeys,
in the midst of our harried lives,
you call us to lay aside all that entangles us,
to follow you into service to others.
You invite us to step into
the waters of life and hope,
reaching out to draw others
to our side so, that together,
we might enter your kingdom
of laughter and joy.
When uncertainty fills every block
in our daily planners,
you come, Grace's Companion,
to offer that hope which anchors
us in God's heart;
to place our feet firmly
on that rock called peace;
to bring us safely to that haven
filled with God's steadfast love.
God in Community, Holy in One,
Rock of every age,
we offer the prayer Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
— written by Thom Shuman, and posted on his Lectionary Liturgies website. Visit that site for many other wonderful lectionary-based resources for worship.
For more worship resources for the Epiphany season, click on Epiphany, or Epiphany 1 B, 2 B, etc. in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page.
For more prayer resources on this blog, see the Scriptural Prayer Index at the upper right. For more calls to worship on this blog, see the Call to Worship Index at the upper right.
