Litany

Closing Litany

(based on Ephesians 2, 4 and I Peter 2)

One:    People of God,

            I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

            Be completely humble and gentle;                      

            be patient, bearing with one another in love.

            Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit    

            through the bond of peace.

            There is one body and one Spirit—

            just as you were called to one hope when you were called—

            one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

            one God and Father of all,

            who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph. 4:1-6)

Two:   Remember that at one time you [were] without Christ,

            aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,       

            and strangers to the covenants of promise,

            having no hope and without God in the world.

            But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off

            have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

            For he is our peace….

            He came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off

            and peace to those who were near;

            for through him we all have access in one Spirit to the Father.

            So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

            but you are citizens with the saints

            and also members of the household of God. (Eph. 2:11-14; 17-19)

One:   Once you were not a people,
            but now you are God’s people;
            once you had not received mercy,
            but now you have received mercy. (I Peter 2:10)

Two:   Come to him, a living stone,

            rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight,              

            and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house,

            to be a holy priesthood,

            to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

            through Jesus Christ.  (I Peter 2:4-5)

One:    For you are a chosen race,

            a royal priesthood,

            a holy nation,

            God’s own people,

            in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him

            who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (I Peter 2:9)

~ Compiled by Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Litany: Come and Listen

Here’s a responsive litany of thanksgiving and proclamation.  It was written by Margaret D. McGee.

Responsive Litany

(inspired by Psalm 66)

O God, who made the world and everything in it, 

we pray with one voice, proclaiming your presence to all the earth. 

For skeptics and believers, for clergy high and low;
For those who seek God at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For all who search for life, come and listen:
 

And we will tell you what our God has done for us. 

We are alive in the spirit.
We are saved through water.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For presidents and prime ministers, for bosses and wardens;
For those who set the course at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For all who wield power, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

We do not fear what others fear.
We proclaim the hope that is in us.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For friends and lovers, for neighbors and strangers,
For those who eat bread at home, at work, in the streets, 

and in the pews,
For all who live in the world, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

In God, we live and move and have our being.
From God, we have life and breath and all things.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For the sick and troubled, for the fearful and alone,
For those in pain at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For all who suffer, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

Our prayers are not rejected.
Our souls are held in life.
In truth, our God has heard us,
and love is not withheld.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For those kept in memory, for those long forgotten,
For all who ever took the breath of life at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For the dead and those who mourn them, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

We are blessed by your presence.
We are filled with the Spirit.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

God of heaven and earth, Companion in life, Spirit of truth,

to you alone we turn our eyes and lift our hearts.
 

Amen. 

~ written by Margaret D. McGee, and posted on In the Courtyard. www.inthecourtyard.com

Prayer Litany: We have not been orphaned

Here’s a responsive litany inspired by John 14:15-21. It was written by Lutheran Julia and posted on RevGalBlogPals.

Litany

(inspired by John 14:15-21)

God, our Holy Parent, watches over us

with love and deep compassion.

We have not been orphaned.

Jesus, our brother and the pioneer of our faith,

leads us by truth, in word and deed.

We have not been orphaned.

The Holy Spirit, our Advocate, Guide, and constant companion,

breathes with us day and night.

We have not been orphaned.

The community of the faithful exists

beyond time and space.

We have not been orphaned.

The Word of Hope recedes into the past

and marches forward into the future,

carrying us through life of its way.

We have not been orphaned.

Thanks be to God.

We have not been orphaned.

~ written by Lutheran Julia, and posted on RevGalBlogPals.  http://revgalblogpals.org/

Prayer of Confession: Life for All

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by John 14:19. It was posted on the Christian Aid website.

Prayer

'...because I live, you also will live.' (John 14:19)

Loving God, 
in Jesus you offer life to the world 
and love to its people. 
When we see life only for ourselves, 
forgive us. 
Help us to hear your transforming love 
speaking to us of respect, dignity and worth, 
telling us that we are loved 
and that we are to love one another. 
In the knowledge of this love 
work through us to bring your justice to the world, 
in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

~ posted on the Monthly Prayers page of the Christian Aid website. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/

Prayer of Confession: Walking with God

Here’s a prayer of confession from Rev. Mindi’s Rev-o-lution website.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God,

You have set before us the path

but we have wandered on our own

to try to find our way.

Sometimes we are like toddlers

and we hear Your call and come back.

Other times, we are children testing boundaries,

ignoring Your call until fear finally makes us look back.

And still other times we are full of youthful rebellion,

demanding to be cut loose and set free,

not knowing how much we still need

to seek Your wisdom and guidance.

But most of all, too often we think we are adults

and have figured it all our and know our own way,

only to stumble and stray so far. 

Remind us, parental God,

that we are always Your children,

that we are never fully grown up in Your sight,

that we always have much to learn.

Help us to seek You every day,

to acknowledge that we need Your wisdom and guidance,

and help us to return to the path and walk with You.

In the name of Christ,

who is our companion on this journey of faith, we pray. Amen.

~ written by Rev Mindi, and posted on Rev-o-lution. http://rev-o-lution.org/

Opening Prayer of Praise

Here is an opening prayer (or call to worship) from the Third Space website.

Responsive Prayer of Praise

O Divine Voice,

You sing and the universe comes into being;

O Divine Breath,

You breathe and all things spring to life;

O Divine Word,

You call and creation is sustained;

O Divine Flesh,

You are born among us,

and the Creator is clothed in creation;

O Divine Spirit,

You fill all that has been formed;

O Divine Life,

You are the pulse of all that is.

And so, in amazement and awe, in wonder and celebration

we marvel at this mystery:

In you all things live and move and have being,

In all things, you live and move and express your Divine artistry;

And so we join with creation

in the eternal song of worship and wonder…

~ posted on Third Space. http://third-space.org.uk/

Call to Worship: Finding God

Here’s a call to worship from the Presbyterian Church USA website.

Call to Worship

We worship the God who inhabits our world

and indwells our lives.

We need not look up to find God,

we need only to look around:

   within ourselves,

   beyond ourselves,

   into the eyes of another.

We need not listen for a distant thunder to find God,

we need only listen to the music of life,

   the words of children,

   the questions of the curious,

   the rhythm of a heartbeat.

We worship the God who inhabits our world

and who indwells our lives.

~ posted on the Presbyterian Church USA website. https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/peacemaking/pdf/mlk-resources.pdf   

Opening Invocation for an Ordinary Congregation

Here’s an opening invocation from Katie Cook.

Invocation for an Ordinary Congregation

Holy God, we come together to worship,
a people who would like to think that we love you
with all our hearts and souls,
with all our might,                                             

but there are so many other things in our lives   
that clamor for our attention
that we often relegate you to Sundays
and Wednesdays,
and times when we want you to rescue us.

Most of us really do want you to be the one
in whom we live and move and have our being.
We really do want to hear your voice
above all of the other voices in our lives.
But we get bogged down in the daily routine.
We forget who we are.
We forget who you are.
We forget what the church is supposed to be.

So here we are, standing before you today,
with our human foibles
and our short attention spans,
asking that you would make yourself known to us,
that you would help us to recognize
the presence of the Holy,
that you would continue to challenge us,
inspire us,
and make us into the people you want us to be.

Amen. 

~ written by Katie Cook, in Sacred Seasons, Pentecost/Ordinary Time 2000. Posted on Simple Living Works. http://simpleliving.startlogic.com/indexoth.php?place=archives/Articles/WorshipAltItems3.php 

Call to Worship: Psalm 66

Come and celebrate!

Shout joyfully to the Lord, your God!

Glorify him with your praise!

Everything on earth will worship you;

they will sing your praises,

shouting your name in joyful songs.

Come and see what our God has done,

what awesome things he has done for us!

Let the whole world bless our God and sing his praise.

For our lives are in his hands,

and he keeps our feet from stumbling.

Intercessions for Easter 6 Year A

Here is a prayer of intercession inspired by the suggested scripture readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. It was posted on Life in Liturgy.

Prayer for Others

Center us now, O God,

on your presence in this place among your people,

as we lift up our hearts desires,

our soul’s deep needs,

our hungers, fears and failures.

As we have often failed to be obedient to your will in our lives

as individual disciples and as church,

we pray that you will forgive us and enliven us

to be and to do the gospel of Christ.

Open us to your Spirit’s urgings,

and awaken us to live faithfully as your people

in a changing, often hurting world.

We pray for those around us who need your care,

and ask that you would make of us your instruments

of healing, peace and redemption.

We pray especially for those we have named to you this day,

and others we lift to you in the silence of our hearts.

Reveal your presence with them and with us, God of life,

that as people of renewed faith and vitality,

we may be empowered to serve your world,

and so give glory to you;

for we offer our prayers and our lives

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

now and forever. Amen.

~ posted on Life in Liturgy, from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). https://lifeinliturgy.wordpress.com/

Prayer: Eternal Love

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving, petition and invocation inspired by John 14:15-21. It was written by Lutheran Julia and posted on RevGalBlogPals.

Prayer

(inspired by John 14:15-21)

God of all time and space,

you initiated the relationship of love and generosity with creation

at a time before and beyond all knowing.

Through the Word and the Spirit,

you continue in eternal love for all beings.

Fill us with a deep and abiding awareness of your presence,

your call, and your grace in our lives and in our world.

Shape us to into the people you have made us to be –

poured out in creative mercy

for the sake of Jesus Christ in all creation. Amen.

~ written by Lutheran Julia, and posted on RevGalBlogPals.  http://revgalblogpals.org/

Prayer of Confession: Reconciliation

Here’s a prayer of confession from the Starters for Sunday website.

 

Prayer of Confession

 

Eternal God,

Creator of all that is,

In you we live and move and have our being.

You have placed us on earth

and sustained our being through the produce of the land

and the cleanness of the air we breathe.

You have made us for each

to tend and care for the weak

and ensure a just sharing of the earth’s resources.

 

But we are part of a proud and hard-hearted people

who hoard what the earth provides

and seem loathe to share the fruits of our labours,

who live for today with little thought for tomorrow

who are afraid to let pain and suffering affect us.

 

Incarnate God, you know us in our inner being.

In your grace you offer us forgiveness

even before we have the chance to articulate our sorrow.

You embrace us in all our sinfulness

and in doing so give us the chance to start again

to learn from the example you have given us in Jesus,

who chose the way of the Cross

that all might know the depth of your love for all you have made.

 

Spirit of God

open our hearts and minds

that we may grasp your forgiveness,

and forgiven seek to forgive others

and to live a life of reconciling love

modelled on the example of Jesus Christ

in whose name we make this prayer. Amen

~ from the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday suggestions for Lent 4C, from the Very Rev. Dr. Sheilagh Kesting.  http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/

Pentecost Call to Worship: Jesus Promised

Here is a call to worship for Pentecost by Howard Carter. It was posted on the How in the World website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by John 14: 16-17)

Jesus promised

 I will ask the father

 He will give you another advocate

To help you and be with you forever

The spirit of truth

The world cannot accept as they do not see or know him,

But you know him

He lives with and within you

I will not leave you as orphans

I will come to you

~ written by Howard Carter, and posted on How in the World.  http://howard-carter.blogspot.ca/  

Contemporary Songs: Psalm 66

If you’re looking for contemporary Praise & Worship song suggestions to use with Psalm 66 (the suggested psalm for Proper 9C, Proper 23C, Easter 6A), you can find a list at my Contemporary Psalms blog. http://contemporarypsalms.blogspot.ca/  The blog is not finished (and likely never will be, since I keep coming across new songs!), but it’s a start.

Follow this link to Psalm 66: http://contemporarypsalms.blogspot.ca/2013/05/psalm-66.html

Words of Assurance: Psalm 66: 16-20

Come and listen, all you who fear God,

and I will tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him for help,

confessing my sin, and praising his name.

If I had not spoken the truth,

God would not have listened.

But He did!

He heard my prayer, and forgave my sin.

Praise God, who listens when we pray,

and who responds with unfailing love!

Call to Worship: Psalm 66

Here’s a call to worship inspired by Psalm 66.  It was written by Katherine Hawker.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 66)

Come and see the works of God,

God's awesome deeds among us.

Come and hear, all who revere God,

God's still speaking voice in our weary world.

Come and touch the sacred,

extraordinary in the ordinary,

God's presence in water, bread and wine.

~ written by Katherine Hawker. Posted on Liturgies Outside. http://liturgyoutside.net/

Confession: Keep My Commandments

Here’s a corporate prayer of confession inspired by Jesus’ teaching in Luke 10:26-28, Matthew 22:37-40, and Mark 12:29-31.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Luke 10:26-28, Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-31)

Jesus said: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Eternal God,

we confess that often we have failed to be an obedient church:

we have not done your will;

we have broken your law.

Jesus said: "You shall love the Lord your God

with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”

and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We have rebelled against your love;

we have not loved our neighbors;

we have not heard the cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray.

Free us for joyful obedience.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(silence for personal confession)

Words of Assurance (Titus 3: 4-8)

Hear now God’s assurance of pardon:

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done,

but according to his mercy,

through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

so that, having been justified by his grace,

we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The saying is sure.”

~ from the website of Christ Presbyterian Church, New Haven

http://cpcnewhaven.org/documents/070311_CPCWorshipBulletin.pdf

Miracles Litany

Here’s a thought-provoking litany exploring faith and doubt, and the miracle-making of Jesus.  It comes from Grace Church in London.

Miracles Liturgy

Lord God,
You spoke into darkness and chaos and then there was light;
You imagined this earth in its complexity and beauty and called it into being
You created humanity in your own image and gave us a home to live in
We believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

Lord God,
You walked with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego through the fiery furnace
You shut the mouths of hungry lions and kept Daniel safe until morning
You gave Hannah a family when she despaired of ever having a child
We believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

Lord God,
You changed water into wine so the wedding party could continue
You calmed a storm and your disciples with words of quiet authority
You transformed a boy's picnic into a meal for a multitude

     with plenty left over
We believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

Lord God,
You healed a woman from 12 years of bleeding and rejection
You asked Bartimaeus what he wanted and then restored his sight
You watched a paralysed man being lowered through the roof

     and helped him to his feet
We believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

Lord God,
You called Lazarus from the tomb and restored him to life
You walked past the mourners at Jairus' house

     and gave his daughter back to him
You suffered a horrendous crucifixion

     in order to defeat sin and death and give us life
We believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

Lord God,
You told your disciples that they would do greater things than you had done
We hear and read stories of miracles in our world—of you healing the sick,
setting prisoners free, releasing drug addicts from their addiction,
providing the right amount of money at just the right time
We believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

And yet, Lord, we don't see many miracles happening around us
We have friends with cancer, and we pray, and they are not healed
We have friends who long for children, and we pray,

     and they do not conceive
Our doubt is mixed with faith
Our trust is accompanied by questions
We acknowledge the mystery of faith and prayer,

     and the ways in which they are connected
We acknowledge that you often do things differently

     than the way we would do them
We long to know you better, to understand more of your ways
And we believe you can do miracles
But even if you don't, you are still God

Lord we believe.
Help our unbelief

— written by Jen, and posted on the Grace website worship archive.  http://www.freshworship.org/