Opening Prayer: Feed Us, Lord

Opening Prayer

(based on Psalm 145:15-16, Isaiah 55:1-3, John 6:35)

Lord,

the eyes of all look to You in hope;

and You give them what they need.

You open Your hand

and satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

We, too, turn to You again, longing to be filled—

to eat of the Bread of Life,

to drink from Your life-giving streams,

to taste Your goodness and live.

May the time we spend together in Your presence

nourish our hearts and minds;

may it strengthen our relationship with You,

and renew our commitment to live in this world as Your faithful disciples.

For You alone are God,

the Source and Sustainer of life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Prayers of the People: Open Your Hand

Here’s a prayer of intercession which draws on Psalm 145 and Matthew 14:13-21 (the feeding of the 5000).  Feel free to revise it to suit your context.

Prayer of Intercession

(based on Matthew 14:13-21 and Psalm 145:15-16)

Loving God,

You are our Creator and Sustainer.

When You open Your hand,

You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

And so we look to You whenever we are in need,
trusting in Your love and Your abundant goodness.

As You once fed the hungry crowds with five loaves and two small fish,

we ask that You would again fill those who are empty this day.

Pour out Your Spirit on all who hunger and thirst.

We pray for those who are physically hungry—whose stomachs are empty.

We think especially of the people in Somalia and Eastern Africa

who are facing critical food shortages;

    who are suffering the effects of malnutrition and starvation;

        and watching helplessly as loved ones die.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.

Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 

We pray for those who are empty emotionally—

who are lonely and long for companionship and love,

        who are caught in the grip of depression,
            or overwhelmed with grief.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.

Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 

We pray for those who are spiritually empty—

who are troubled, but don’t know where to turn;

    who long for purpose and meaning, but don’t know where to look;
        who need You, but do not yet know You.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.

Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 

God, we praise You for Your abundant gifts in our lives.

Pour out Your Spirit on us as well.

Fill us with Your compassion and love,

so that we would willingly share some of our abundance

with those who have need.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.

Pour out Your Spirit, so that we may be filled.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ,

who came so that all of humanity might come to know

the abundant life that comes from You.

Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Offering Prayer: Matthew 14:13-21

This offering prayer was inspired by Matthew 14:13-21, the account of how Jesus uses five small loaves and two fish to feed a vast crowd of hungry people.  

Offering Prayer

(inspired by Matthew 14:13-21)

Merciful God,

the gifts we bring are so small in comparison to the vast needs in our world—

nowhere near enough to save the thousands dying of starvation all around the world,

or even to meet the needs of the hungry and homeless in our city.

Yet we have brought what we can.

As You once multiplied the five small loaves and two fish,

multiply these gifts as well,

so that, once again, the hungry may receive all they need, and more.

Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Prayer: Enough for All

Here’s a prayer for the offering inspired by the story of the loaves and fishes in Matthew 14:15-21 (or Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:12-17, John 6:1-15). It comes from the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand website.

Offering Prayer

(inspired by Matthew 14:15-21)

On my own
what I have to give
doesn't amount to much
in the light of all you have given to me
and in the face of so much need.

Put together as a congregation,
what we offer you here in love
becomes more,
not simply added together,
but somehow multiplied in its usefulness.

We ask you to bless our gifts
and with the addition of your blessing,
just as it was with the loaves and fishes,
there is enough for all.

Amen

~ from the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand website. http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/

Prayer: The Life of David

O God,

sustain us in the complexity of our humanity

as you sustained David--

playing the harp of youth,

throwing stones at giant problems,

loving our friends beyond wisdom,

dancing worship,

mourning children,

breaking our hearts in psalms, and

longing for warmth in our old bones. Amen.

~ from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.  Posted on Thematic, Intercessory and Scripture Prayers for the RCL, Vanderbilt Divinity Library.

Prayer: Psalm 1

Here’s a prayer of confession and commitment from Jeff’s Blog. It was inspired by Psalm 1.

Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 1)

Holy God,

we come before your throne and admit

that most of the time we are too busy singing and praying

and feeling good and feeling bad

and feeling so-so

to stop and listen for your tiny, little whispers. 

In your word you paint for us a picture of full and abundant life,

life that can only be had by drinking your living water,

knowing you not as a title, but intimately, a mystery….

We pray that our lives would be planted near you –

that we would send our roots deep into your word and your life,

that we would draw nourishment from you,

and that with the life you give we would in turn

provide shelter and comfort and blessing

to whoever comes under our branches.

We pray that we would not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stand in the way of sinners,

nor abide in the house of the scornful,

but that our delight would be in you,

in your truth, in your grace, now and forevermore.

~ posted on Jeff’s Blog. https://blog.wisch.org/category/benedictions-and-prayers/

Affirmation of Unity

Here’s an affirmation of faith, suitable for use anytime, but especially on Reformation Day (October 31), World Communion Sunday (first Sunday in October), and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25). It was written by Nolan Palsma.

Affirmation of Unity

We share one faith,

have one calling,

are of one soul and one mind;

have one God and Father,

are filled with one Spirit,

are baptized with one baptism,

eat of one bread and drink of one cup,

confess one Name,

are obedient to one Lord,

work for one cause,

and share one hope.

Together we come to know

the height and the breadth and the depth of the love of Christ;

are built up to the stature of Christ, to the new humanity;

know and bear one another’s burdens,

thereby fulfilling the law of Christ

that we need one another and up build one another,

admonishing and comforting one another;

that we suffer with one another for the sake of righteousness.

Together we pray; together we serve God in this world. 

~ written by Nolan Palsma, and printed in “Prayerful Preparation: Living God, Renew Us.” Published by the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and posted at http://wcrc.ch/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GC2017-PrayerfulPreparation-English.pdf. 

Prayer for Others: Psalm 145

Here’s a prayer of intercession inspired by Psalm 145. It was written by Thomas Turner, and posted on Everyday Liturgy.

Prayer of Intercession

(inspired by Psalm 145)

Our Creator,

You sustain all life,

give bread to all who need it,

and hear the calls of the poor.

You alone are powerful

and the rightful ruler of the nations,

and you are the provider of safety and security.

We ask that,

as you have graciously provided for us

and our needs,

may you provide for those

who call to you

in despair and dire need.

Grant them their daily bread these coming days. Amen

~ written by Thomas Turner, and posted on Everday Liturgy. http://everydayliturgy.com/ 

Words of Assurance: Psalm 145

Here are words of assurance (to follow a time of confession) inspired by Psalm 145.  They come from Howard Wallace’s Home page.

Words of Assurance

(inspired by Psalm 145: 8-9, 13-14)

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.

The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.

The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.

Hear the word of the Lord in Jesus:
‘Your sins are forgiven!’
Thanks be to God!

~ written by Howard Wallace, and posted on Howard Wallace’s Home Page. http://hwallace.unitingchurch.org.au/WebOTcomments/OrdinaryC/Pentecost25Psalm145.html

Contemporary Call to Worship: Psalm 14

Here’s a contemporary call to worship based on Psalm 14.  It was written by Thom Shuman.

Contemporary Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 14)

The foolish say, "There is no God!
We are alone, on our own."
We gather to declare
the glory of God in our lives.
The foolish say, "It is your life;
you are accountable to no one."
We gather, strengthened by the Spirit,
trusting that Christ dwells in our hearts.
The foolish say, "Everything I have is mine;
I owe nothing to any one."
We gather to praise the One
who calls us to serve others in love.

~ written by Thom Shuman (2006), and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.  http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/ Visit that site for many other excellent lectionary-based worship resources.

Prayer: The Love of Jesus

Here is a prayer for Holy Week (and beyond) from John Birch.

Prayer:  This is Love

This is love.
Not that you spoke words of comfort,
walked with the unclean and unloved,
shared wisdom, bread and wine,
brought healing into lives
and challenged the status quo.

This is love.
That you spoke the word of God,
walked a painful road to the Cross,
shared living water, bread of life,
brought Salvation to the world
and died for the sake of all.

This is love.
It is a seed
sown in the ground,
which germinates,
blossoms,
and spreads its sweet perfume.

~ written by John Birch, and posted on Faith and Worship. http://www.faithandworship.com/

Prayer: Sharing

Here’s a prayer of reminder based on Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:12-17, John 6:1-15. It was written by Rev. Karla Miller.

Prayer

(inspired by Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:12-17, John 6:1-15)

Five loaves and two fish

are never enough

until you start

giving it away.

Dear God, 

Remind me to

share 

whatever 

is in my basket

today.

You will do the rest. 

Amen.

~ written by Rev. Karla Miller, and posted on A Place for Prayer. http://revgalprayerpals.blogspot.ca/

Monologue: Five Loaves and Two Fish

Here’s a monologue inspired by the story of the boy whose five loaves and two fish became food for thousands.  It was written by Mark Diller Harder.

Monologue

(inspired by Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44,

Luke 9:12-17, John 6:1-15)

It was just an ordinary day – hot and hazy. I had got up really early, before the sun. To get to the boat. To get fishing. I love fishing. The quiet stillness of the Sea of Galilee. The time to just be on my own, to be myself - no distractions, no expectations, no one to bug you or put you down… and usually, no fish either. Out here on the water, it doesn’t matter if I don’t have enough – if I don’t catch any fish. But today was different, I had a few nibbles to start with, and then just as the sun was rising, I caught one, and then soon after a second. These were going to be great in my lunch.

I didn’t want to leave the sea. To go back home, to the chaos just before Passover as everyone is getting ready. I know, they keep saying how important that history is to remember – ‘for our identity’ they say – the Passover in Egypt when we marked the doorposts, the escape across the Red Sea with the unleavened bread, and the way God provided in the wilderness, sending manna from heaven every morning. There’s so much of the story about bread I usually get hungry listening. I knew that today was the last day for me to get my hands on some regular warm fresh bread before the flatbread of Passover – so I grabbed 5 small loaves to put with my fish. This was going to be a good lunch.

It was then that I saw the crowd, all the people - there must have been thousands! I’d seen lots of people once in the city, but here they were – in the middle of no-where where I like to hide out and pass away the time. I finally noticed the centre of attention – a man surrounded by people edging him toward the mountain. Yet he was totally calm, and talking and praying and touching what looked like sick people. I got closer. The man smirked a bit and asked in a loud voice about how they were going to buy bread for all these people to eat. A guy near him looked a little panicky – there were a lot of people. How was he going to get enough money? You can’t buy bread around here anyways. A couple of other guys took notice of my little lunch and soon they were parading my fresh fish and bread around. I was proud of my fish. The man made everyone sit down in the grass. And he prayed – said grace. It reminded me of all those Passover prayers the adults do. And do you know what, he started passing out my bread and my fish down one row and then another and pretty soon everyone was eating and laughing and sharing and having a grand old time. I kind of lost track of time and ate some food myself and then what do you know, they were gathering up leftovers – 12 baskets full. I’d never seen anything like it. I don’t know what all happened that day, and who that man was, but for once in my life, it was me who had enough.

~ written by Mark Diller Harder, St. Jacobs Mennonite Church, January 2010. Posted in the From Our Churches archive on the Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre website.  http://resources.mennonitechurch.ca/FileDownload/12317/Boy_with_5_loaves_and_2_fish.pdf

Confession: Psalm 145: 17-18

Here’s a prayer of confession and words of assurance inspired by Psalm 145: 17-18.  It was written by Bruce Prewer.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Psalm 145: 17-18)

“The Lord our God is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.”

Most Holy God,

we confess to you and to each other

that we are rarely just in all our ways,

and far from being kind in all our doings.

What we want to be and what we actually are,

are two different things.

Our lives are a miss-mash of astuteness and stupidity,

of moral strength and cowardice,

of kindness and meanness,

of openness and cunning,

of sincere love for you yet also of conniving self-interest.

We need both your justice and your kindness

to convict us of our sins,

to forgive and cleanse us,

and to save us from the power of evil in the days that lie ahead.

We need your mercy to wipe away shame and disabling regrets,

your light to give us our bearings,

and your friendship to delight with us in our happiness

and to comfort us in our sorrows.

Please grant to us, loving God,

the grace of a new beginning

and the joy of an enlarged love for you.

Give us a passion for all your loving ways.

Through Christ Jesus our Brother and Redeemer.

Words of Assurance

(inspired by Psalm 145: 17-18)

Sisters and brothers, Holy Scripture says:

“The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Lord is good to all and his mercy is over all his works.”

In the name of the living God,

through the grace of Christ Jesus the Son,

and with the authority of the Spirit,

I declare to you the forgiveness of sins

and the life that is eternal!

We will extol you, our God and Saviour,

and glorify your name forever and ever!

Every day we will praise you,

and glorify your name forever and ever.

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Home Page. http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocC/C62sun32.htm

Contemporary Songs: Psalm 145

If you’re looking for contemporary Praise & Worship song suggestions to use with Psalm 145 (the suggested psalm for  Proper 20A, Proper 13A, Proper 9A, Proper 12B, Proper 27C), 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 145: http://contemporarypsalms.blogspot.ca/2013/05/psalm-145.html

Litany: Psalm 14

Here’s a simple two-reader setting of Psalm 14.  It is set for two voices.

Psalm 14 Litany

Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!

The Lord looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;

he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.

But no, all have turned away;
all have become corrupt.

No one does good,
not a single one!

Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread
and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.

Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.

The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the Lord will protect his people.

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?

When the Lord restores his people,

Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

Contemporary Call to Worship: Psalm 14

Here’s a contemporary call to worship inspired by Psalm 14.  It was written by Thom Shuman.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 14)

The foolish say, 'there is no God.'
We come, trusting in Jesus, 

the face, the voice, the presence of the God who loves us.
The scoffers of our age ask, 'why do you seek after God?'
We come, in this time, 

because God's grace has spilled over in our lives.
The hopeless around us think, 'no one cares about me.'
We come, in this time, to this place,

because Jesus has found us and brought us home.

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

A Summer Prayer for Grace

Here’s a prayer for grace from Rev Gord, on Worship Offerings.

A Summer Prayer for Grace

God of gentle rains and warm sun, God who encourages growth;

we are creatures who sometimes grow quickly,

and sometimes get stuck.

God of freedom, of liberation, of binding ropes being cut;

we are bound in ways we don't always understand or recognize.

God of exodus and exile and homecoming,

God who calls us to leave where we are and come home;

help us to have the courage to make the journey

and to trust in the path.

God of health and healing,

God who wants us to be made whole;

we come as people who are wounded in body and in spirit,

people who seek healing.

God who has laid out a way for us to live,

who has given us rules for living in community;

we come as people who sometimes go astray,

people who stretch the rules.

God of Grace,

we come as people who live through that Grace.

And so we praise you for the growth,

we rejoice in being set free,

we dance along the path that leads us home,

we give thanks for the healing we have received,

we relax in the knowledge that we are forgiven

and we live as people of Grace. Amen.

~ written by Rev Gord, and posted on Worship Offerings. http://worshipofferings.blogspot.ca/

Affirmation: Alpha and Omega

Here’s a prayer of commitment and affirmation from John Birch’s Faith and Worship website.

Prayer of Affirmation

This world would deny you, Lord,
and rely on human wisdom
in their search for answers
to questions they have yet to ask,
but we will praise you,
and exalt your name,
for we know that you are Alpha,
the beginning of all things,
and Omega,
the end,
and all that is between.
We have known your healing.
We have known your provision,
We have known your victory.
Our sorrow has turned into dancing
and our tears to songs of joy.
We shall praise you ever more. Amen

~ written by John Birch, and posted on Faith and Worship. http://www.faithandworship.com/

Prayer of Intercession: Love of God

Here’s a prayer of intercession about the love of God. It was written by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild, and posted on the Kir-shalom website.

Prayers of the People

You, O God, love us from the moment of our conception,

You know us and you love us in the womb,

You love us and you call us from before the moment of our first breath,

and you love us when we first see the light of day.

As a mother/father loves her/his child before she/he ever sees it,

and then embraces it gently from the moment of its birth,

so you love us—and we thank you.

Help us dear God to love one another in this way....

Lord hear our prayer.

You love us, O God from the time of our naming

You love us in our growing and hold us as we take our first steps.

You love us and walk beside us

as we explore the world with eager hands and eyes

As a mother/father loves her/his child as she/he sees it grow and develop

so you love us—and we thank you.

Help us dear God to love one another in this way.... 

Lord hear our prayer...

You love us, O God, as we mature and seek our way,

You love as we become aware of the world around us,

You love us as we smile and play,

you even love us when we say no and when we begin to stray.

As a mother/father loves her/his child as she/he sees it become proud and tall,

so you love us even when we sin and fall..

Help us dear God to love one another in this way....  

Lord hear our prayer...

We thank you God for loving us when we are unloving

for caring for us when we are uncaring,

and for calling to us when we go far away....

Help us dear God to love one another in this way...

Lord hear our prayer...

Lord hear our prayers of love this day for those around us,

for those we have held before you in our time of sharing,

and for those we have thought of in our moments of caring:

(add your own prayers)

Lord hear our prayer....    

We ask all these things in the name of Christ Jesus,

who is our Lord and our brother.  Amen

~ written by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild (adapted slightly), and posted on Kir-shalom. 

http://www.rockies.net/