Prayer: Revelation 21

Here’s a prayer inspired by Revelation 21. It was written by Christine Jerrett and posted on her blog (see link below).

Prayer:

A God who makes all things new

(inspired by a reading of Revelation 21)

Living God,

Maker of heaven and earth,

we come into your presence

and we know ourselves to be recipients of

great and wonderful gifts —

the earth, the sky, the waters —

given to us here in such abundance and beauty.

We lead enormously privileged lives.

Don’t let our comfort blind us to the newness

you are making in our midst —

a newness that is taking us in directions

we would not choose on our own;

a newness that moves our safe horizons

out beyond what we can control.

This much does not change:

You are our God; we are your people,

bound to you by the love of Jesus Christ

and by the call of your Holy Spirit.

Faithful God, hold us deep in that truth

even as you move us into your new creation.

Creating and re-creating God,

take us in our uncertainties

and make us new.

We pray in the name of your Son,

who has gone ahead of us into your new future

and who beckons us follow. Amen.

~ posted on Christine Jerrett. https://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/

Call to Worship: John 14: 23-29

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Jesus’ words in John 14:23-29. It was written by Rev. Mindi and posted on her Rev-o-lution website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by John 14:23-29)

Those who love Jesus keep his words;

Those who love Christ

will make their home with God.

Those who know Jesus

will know his peace;

Those who know Jesus

will be taught in the ways of peace.

Come, follow and love Jesus our Lord,

who has come to be among us.

Come, worship God,

who lives among us, loves us,

and calls us home. Amen.

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

Prayer: Acts 16

Here’s a prayer inspired by the events in Acts 16:9-15, one of the suggested scripture readings for Easter 6, Year C. It was posted on the Monthly Prayers page (now Weekly Worship) of the Christian Aid website.

Prayer: For Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

(inspired by Acts 16:9-15)

God of dreams and Lord of visions, 
We pray for eyes to see and ears to hear 
For hearts and minds that will respond 
To all that you reveal to us:

'Come,' said the man who spoke through the night, 
'Come to Macedonia and help us.'

And his plea echoes others offered down through the centuries 

'Come,' they chorus, 
'Help,' they implore

In places of famine and desert they cry: 
'Bring to our nations the waters of life'

In places of pain and brokenness they cry: 
'Bring to our nations leaves for healing, from the tree of life'

In places of conflict and betrayal they cry: 
'Bring to this world the peace that was given by Jesus himself'

And of course, today, 
we’ll endeavour to bring justice and peace, 
freedom and healing and love. 

But in our ambition to build heaven on earth, 
Remind us, good God of vision and dreams, 
With eyes to see and ears to hear, 
And hearts and minds to understand, 
That those we seek to help today, 
May be the very ones anointed 
To reveal the paths of salvation 
That we are yet to walk. Amen.

~ originally posted on the Monthly Prayers page (now Weekly Worship) of the Christian Aid website. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/churches/weekly-worship

Prayers of the People: Easter 6 C

Here’s a prayer of intercession for the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C.  It comes from the Presbyterian Church of Canada website.

Prayer of Intercession for Easter 6 C

God of new possibilities,

we give thanks for your constant reminder

that you have a vision for our world

that far exceeds our present realities. 

You call us up out of our cynicism, apathy and fear

to keep our eyes on the life you would have us live. 

We are grateful for the courage and determination

you make available to us to sustain our efforts

to work for better relationships, justice and peace. 

Help us to find the language and the courage

to share our own faith stories with each other,

and to be open and honest and humble in all of our interactions. 

God, we pray for our world and those nations

where violence and tyranny cause so much suffering. 

We pray for people driven out of their homes and their homelands,

and struggle to survive in refugee camps. 

We pray for those who do not have enough food to sustain them

or water to quench their thirst. 

We pray for those who are victims of slavery,

even in this 21^st century;

God, we feel so helpless at times. 

Help us to enact your command

to love and to feed your sheep. 

For those who are suffering in body, mind or spirit,

we ask for healing and peace. 

Be our light in this world, God. 

In Jesus’ name we pray; Amen.

~ from the Presbyterian Church in Canada website. http://presbyterian.ca/worship/

Confession: Easter 6 Year C

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by the suggested scripture readings for Easter 6, Year C.  They were written by Nancy Townley.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:1-10, 22-22:5)

Lord,

You know how easy it is for us to sit here,

tethered to our darkness and fear.

We get bound up by chains of mistrust.

We dare not to hope,

for so many times before we have been disappointed.

So we sit here and wonder where you are.

We are not unlike the disciples

who wondered also, who feared.

Lord, come to us in our darkness.

Flood us with your powerful light of love and mercy.

Help open our eyes to the good news of your eternal glory.

Give to us visions of the place in which love and hope will reign.

Forgive our stubborn resistance to your mercy and your love.

For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Let the light of God’s eternal love flood into your hearts this day.

Feel the healing presence of God in your lives.

Accept God’s love and hope for you.

This is the gift freely given for you by Jesus Christ,

God’s risen Son our Lord. AMEN.

~ written by Nancy Townley, and posted on the Worship Connection page of the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/

Prayer for Others: Into These Dark Places

Here’s a prayer of intercession from Julie Rennick, a Church of Scotland minister serving in the village of Earlston. The prayer comes from RevGalBlogPals.

Prayer for Others

Precious Holy One
A brief look at the news shouts out that there are many dark places in our world.
Darkness through mindless violence
Darkness through frustration and horror
Darkness through grief and distress
Darkness through pain and disease
Darkness deep in the souls of those we love…

Holy One
into these dark places
into those unnamed dark places
into the darkness of fear and loneliness
pour out your radiance
shower down your light
break through pure brilliance
until the darkness is disspelled
and our hearts find peace
and the light of hope
can shine forth again
fresh and new with this new day

hear our prayers we pray,
Amen

~ written by Julie Rennick and posted on RevGalBlogPals. https://revgalblogpals.org/2018/03/05/monday-prayer-175/

Call to Worship: Psalm 67: 1-3

God, show your faithfulness to us,

bless us, and make your face smile upon us!

For then the whole earth will acknowledge your ways,

and all the nations of earth will know of your power to save.

May all the nations praise you, O God;

may all the nations praise you!

Call to Worship: We Worship God

Here’s a call to worship inspired by the suggested scripture readings for Easter 6, Year C.  It was written by Katherine Hawker and posted on Outside the Box.

Call to Worship

From God comes the wonder of creation.

We will worship God the Creator.

From God comes healing for the brokenness we see.

We will worship God our Redeemer.

From God comes the strength to face the new day.

We worship God our Sustainer.

~ written by Katherine Hawker for the Union Church UCC of Tekonsha, 1994. Posted on Outside the Box. http://liturgyoutside.net/

Confession: Easter 6 C

Here’s an act of confession inspired by the suggested scripture texts for the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C.  It was written by Thom Shuman.

Call to Reconciliation

How easy we can learn of God's love - how hard it is to live it!

The world distracts us with its easy choices,

while we know how intentional we must be to love one another.

Join me as we confess our failures to love

and we open our hearts to God, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession

Because you dwell in our hearts, Eternal God,

you know how the anger, the pain,

the bitterness of our lives try to crowd you out.

The noise of the world deafens us to that Word which can heal us.

We want our children to be good, kind, and gentle to others,

and then they hear us call others names,

and speak of them with demeaning words.

Our desire for revenge towards those who have hurt us

shows that your peace, indeed, is not within us. 

You promise a new heaven and a new earth,

so create new spirits and lives within us, O God.

Shattered by our sin, your heart can still heal our brokenness.

Your Spirit, living deep within our souls,

can teach us faithful ways.

Your Word, Jesus Christ our Lord,

whispers to us of your mercy, your hope, your love.

Silence is observed

Assurance of Pardon

The Word which can transform is not some idle gossip,

but good news for us.

It fills us with forgiveness,

equips us for service,

and sends us forth to love others as God loves us.
In our midst, the Holy Spirit teaches us all we need to know,

gives us what we need in order to be faithful,

and fills us with peace.

Thanks be to God. Amen. 

~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Litany of Praise: Psalm 67

Here’s a litany of praise based closely on Psalm 67, on of the suggested scripture texts for August 14, 2011.

Litany of Praise

(based on Psalm 67)

May God be merciful to us and bless us;

may He smile with kindness upon us.

Then everyone on earth will learn to follow Him,

and all nations will see His power to save.

Let the people praise You, O God—

let all the people everywhere praise You!

May the whole world celebrate and sing for joy,

because You judge fairly and with integrity,

and guide all people, near and far.

Let the people praise You, O God—

let all the people everywhere praise You!

Our God has richly blessed us,

providing abundantly for all our needs.

May God continue to bless us,

and may the whole world come to know and worship our God.

Closing Prayer: May Your Peace Go With Us

Here’s a closing prayer from the Third Space blog.

Closing Prayer

Creator God,

may your peace go with us wherever we will be this day

May you guide us through the challenges,

protect us when in need

and inspire us with your love.

May we acknowledge your presence

in all the human goodness we will see.

May you bring us home rejoicing

to our place of rest this night.

Creator God,

we now go into this day in the name of the Father

and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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

Blessing: God Dawns on You

Here’s a blessing/benediction inspired by Psalm 67.  It was written by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere.

Blessing

(inspired by Psalm 67)

May God be gracious to us
And bless us
And make his face shine upon us

In the darkness that was
And the dawning that is
And the daylight that is to come

May we praise God today
And join the angels of heaven
And all of creation

In the name of the Father
And the Son
And the Spirit
Amen

~ written by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere, inspired by Psalm 67.  Posted on Soul Shepherding. http://www.soulshepherding.org/

Benediction: Psalm 67: 1-3

May God show kindness and bless us,

and make his face shine on us.

Then the earth will acknowledge your ways,

and all nations your power to save.

Let the nations praise you, God,

let all the nations praise you.

Closing Prayer: Psalm 67

Here’s a closing prayer I wrote for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website.

Closing Prayer

(based on Psalm 67)

Merciful God, we ask for Your blessing.
Look with kindness on Your gathered people,
that we might reflect Your goodness to the world around us.

Then all of the nations will come to know Your ways
and acknowledge Your saving power.
They will praise You as we praise you now.
For You are a God of justice and compassion,
abundantly providing for the needs of the world.

Bless us, O God, and make us a blessing,
that the whole earth may come to experience
Your abundant goodness.  Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst/Canadian Foodgrains Bank  http://www.fastforchange.ca/benediction.aspx#closing%20prayer

Benediction: John 14

Here’s a closing benediction inspired by Jesus words in John 14: 23-29.

Closing Benediction

(inspired by John 14: 23-29)

Hear the words of Jesus:

If you love me, then listen to my voice and do what I say.

And I and my Father will draw close to you,

and will make our home within you.

I am leaving you with a gift—a gift the world cannot give:

peace of heart and mind.

So do not let your heart be troubled or afraid.

Go from here to love and serve the Lord,

confident in the peace that Christ offers to each one of us.

Call to Worship: Psalm 67

Here’s a responsive call to worship based on Psalm 67.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 67)

Let the peoples praise you, O God; 
let all the peoples praise you. 
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
for you judge the peoples with equity 
and guide the nations upon earth. 
Let the peoples praise you, O God; 
let all the peoples praise you!

Call to Worship and Prayer: Psalm 67

Here’s a call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Psalm 67.  It was written by John A. Nelson.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 67)

May God be gracious to us, and bless us,
and cover us with the radiance of grace.

May your way be known everywhere, God:
in the hidden places of our hearts;
in the comfort of our homes;
in every corner of our world;
in the farthest reaches of creation.

You transform us; you heal our lives;

you renew the earth and every creature:

Let our praise for you shake the rafters with songs of joy!

Unison Invocation

God, we remember with wonder and joy
that your spirit is reaching everywhere:
rejoicing in the liveliness of all living things;
touching what is wounded or ill with healing power;
gathering in the lonely, the lost, the least;
soothing ancient animosities;
creating and recreating a vision of hope.

Come now, Holy Spirit.
Let our worship rejoice in you,
and lift our hearts,
and bind us in one family of loving grace.
We ask in Jesus’ name; Amen.

~ from The World is Our Home, written by John A. Nelson. Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways Archive. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/

Commission & Benediction: Easter 6 C

Here’s a closing commission and benediction for the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C.  It was written by Nathan Nettleton.

Commission and Benediction

for Easter 6 C

Go now and walk in the light of God’s glory.
Love Christ
and keep his word.
Do not let your hearts be troubled,
but lead others to the waters of life.

And may God’s face shine on you with favour;
May Christ Jesus mark you out as his own;
And may the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth and peace.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
...In the name of Christ. Amen.

~ Copyright © 2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Closing Prayer: Psalm 67

Here’s a closing prayer inspired by Psalm 67.

Closing Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 67)

God, mark us with grace and blessing!

Let our lives reflect your light and your goodness,

so that the way in which we live might bring others

to an awareness of your presence and your love.

Teach us to trust You with our whole heart,

and to praise You in every circumstance,

so that your grace and mercy might reach out through us

to the entire world.  Amen.

Closing Blessing: John 14: 23-29

All who love me will do what I say.

My Father will love them,

and we will come and make our home with each of them.

Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.

And remember, my words are not my own.

What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.

I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.

But when the Father sends the Holy Spirit as my representative

he will teach you everything

and will remind you of everything I have told you.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.

And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.

So don’t be troubled or afraid.