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/

Prayer: To God, the Source of Life

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and petition from the Weekly Worship page of the Christian Aid website. (See link below.)

Prayer

Generous God, 
You are the source of all life,

creating and sustaining every living thing. 

You are the source of all food,

material and spiritual,

nourishing us in both body and soul. 

You are the light that goes before us,

shining into the darkness. 

May we be filled with your breath 
Nourished by your food 
Renewed by your living water 
and sustained by your love. 

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

Prayer: Psalm 104

Here’s a prayer inspired by verses from Psalm 104. It was written by Steve Garnaas-Holmes and posted on his Unfolding Light website.

Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 104:30)

All creatures look to You….

When you send Your Spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth. Psalm 104:27, 30

Holy One,          

breath of the big bang,          

idea of creation,

you who make spring come forth,          

who make life out of nothing,

breathe yourself into me.

          

Create me.

you are the flame,          

I am your light. You are the nerve,          

I am your muscle. You are the Word,          

I am the story. You are the song,          

I am the singing.

I am one with you         

 and one with all Creation. One Spirit,          

one flesh, many forms. In your Spirit          

I am we.

Holy One, live in me;          

I am your body. I remember,          

and I live.

~ written by Steve Garnaas-Holmes and posted on Unfolding Light. https://www.unfoldinglight.net/

Prayer for Humility: Mark 10

Here’s a prayer of petition and commitment inspired by Mark 10:35-45.  It comes from Christian Aid’s Monthly Prayers web page.

 

Prayer for Humility

(inspired by Mark 10:35-45)

 

Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant. (Mark 10:43)

God with us,

When we privilege our own agendas,

hurt others in the effort to impose our will,

or chain ourselves to our fears,

tumble us off the throne of our pride,

and release us into finding our worth in your love.

Lord have mercy on us

Lord Jesus Christ,

you know us, you love us, you free us,

then call us to follow you

and we bless you.

Your mercy meets us in our confusion;

may your spirit meet us in our everyday living.

 

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

Prayer: Where are the Leaders?

Here’s a prayer for good leadership from John van de Laar’s Sacredise website.

Prayer for Good Leaders

There are so many people of influence in our world, Jesus,

Those with loud voices and deep pockets,

those with large lives and wide networks.

But, where are the leaders?

As we struggle to keep our broken humanity

from splintering into countless irreparable fragments;

As we wrestle with our greed and arrogance,

our ignorance and short-sightedness,

our violence and coldness,

our carelessness and narcissism,

Where are the leaders?

Raise up for us, O God, leaders worthy of the name,

men and women who like Christ

are unafraid of challenge,

unashamed of serving,

and unattached to their own personal gain;

men and women who like Christ

call to the best within us,

and then lead the way.

And, in our own small spheres, God,

may we be the leaders we seek.

Amen. 

~ written by John van de Laar and posted on Sacredise. http://sacredise.com/

Call to Worship: Psalm 91

Here’s a responsive call to worship from Joanna Harader’s Spacious Faith website. It was inspired by Psalm 91.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 91)

Even as we enter the wilderness of Lent,
We rest in the shelter of the Most High;
We abide in the shadow of the Almighty;
We find refuge under the wings of our Holy Parent.
We trust that the angels of God
the words of God
the people of God
the hands of God
Will somehow bear us up.
And so we come to call on God
who has promised to answer. 

~  written by Joanna Harader and posted on Spacious Faith. https://spaciousfaith.com/

Prayer of Confession: Mark 10: 35-45

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by Mark 10:35-45. It was written by Rev. Mindi and posted on Rev-o-lution.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Mark 10:35-45)

Almighty God,

we have sought recognition and honor,

fame and wealth, the successes of the world,

over loving our neighbors

and serving those in need around us.

We would rather win the lottery and live comfortably

than find new ways of sharing what we already have

with the hungry and homeless.

We would rather live in safety and security

than seek justice for the oppressed and marginalized.

Forgive us for our selfishness

and turn us to the needs of those around us.

May we remember that we are all part of Your body,

we are all Your children.

May we remember that Jesus calls us to serve others,

and that instead of worldly recognition and riches,

he went to the cross.

May we seek forgiveness for our selfish ways,

at the same time forgiving ourselves

for not being perfect and not being able to do it all,

and may we strive simply to do what we can,

to participate in Your reign on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. 

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

Act of Confession: Proper 24 B

Here is a congregational act of confession inspired by the suggested scripture readings for Proper 24, Year B. It was written by Thom Shuman and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Job 38:1-7; Psalm 104;

Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 10:35-45)

Call to Reconciliation
We do not pray in order to alleviate our guilt, but to express our gratitude to God. For we know all the things we have said and done that we shouldn't, and all those words we could have spoken, all those actions we could have undertaken, but did not. Despite such lives, God still loves us, surrounding us with mercy and hope, waiting to restore us to new life. Please join me, as we pray together saying,

Unison Prayer for Forgiveness

Creation's Heart, we look around and see how we fall short in our attempts at faithfulness. We often do things, not because it is what you call us to do, but in hopes of earning points with you. We can become so self-absorbed, we cannot see the suffering and struggles of friends, family, strangers.  We are so desperate to get to the front of the line, we push aside the very ones you seek to honor.

Forgive us, Holy One. Remind us that the cup we are offered overflows with grace, that the waters of baptism cleanse and make us new, and that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is the One who calls us to service, standing by our side, as we seek to be faithful disciples.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

The One who poured the foundations of creation fills us with grace and hope. The One who numbered the clouds, tips over rain barrels of living water into our parched souls.

The One who writes anthems for the early morning stars, fills us with songs of joy. The One who provides food for all living things, feeds us with mercies which come fresh and new each day.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Offering

May our gifts lay a foundation of hope for all in despair; may the brighten the shadows of those who wander alone; may they cause the voiceless to join the morning stars in singing your praises.  This we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

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

Call to Worship: Proper 20 B

Here’s a contemporary call to worship based on the suggested scripture readings for Proper 20 B (Ordinary 25 B).  It was written by Bruce Prewer.

Call to Worship

(inspired by James 3, Mark 9:33-37)

We come here today not because we are clever

but because God welcomes the slow learners.

We come here not because we are wise,

but because God loves us in spite of our folly.

We come knowing that the greatest persons will be found

among those who humbly serve like Jesus did,

and that the brightest ideas and the deepest truth will come

from those who see themselves as little children in Christ’s school.

O Lord, open up our mind and our hearts

and enable our lives to declare your praise.

 

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

Prayer of Confession: Mark 10: 35-45

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by Mark 10:35-45 (Matthew 18:1-5, Luke 9:46-48).  It comes from the University Presbyterian Church website.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Mark 10:35-45)

Lord Jesus Christ,

we expect that you will do what we want,

whatever we ask.

We want places of honor and all the glory.

We want to be great.

We want to be first.

But you, O Christ, are servant of all.

Forgive our brazenness.

Forgive our self-importance.

Forgive us.

Teach us to be humble.

Teach us to be more like you

~ posted on the website of University Presbyterian Church, in Tuscalooza, AL. http://www.uaupc.org/

Scripture Litany: Psalm 104

Here’s a responsive litany from Psalm 104.

Scripture Litany

(inspired by Psalm 104:1, 5-15, 24, 27-28, 31)

Praise the Lord!

O Lord my God, how great you are!
You placed the world on its foundation

so it would never be moved.
You clothed the earth with floods of water—

water that covered even the mountains.
At your command, the water fled;

at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed.
Then you set a firm boundary for the seas,

so they would never again cover the earth.

You make springs pour water into the ravines,
so streams gush down from the mountains.
They provide water for all the animals—,
even the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds nest beside the streams
and sing among the branches of the trees.
You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
You cause grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth—
wine to make them glad,
olive oil to soothe their skin,
and bread to give them strength.

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures.
They all depend on you to give them food as they need it.
When you supply it, they gather it.
You open your hand to feed them,
and they are richly satisfied.

May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
May the Lord take pleasure in all he has made!

Prayer: Our Great High Priest

Here is a prayer inspired by verses from Hebrews 4 and 5.  It was written by Hughes Oliphant Old and published in Leading in Prayer: A Workbook for Ministers (see link below).

Prayer

(inspired by Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 5:7-10)

Father, O God most high,
who dwells in the highest of heavens,
we praise you.

Father, O Lord most exalted,
beyond our thoughts and imaginations,
we praise you.

We celebrate the victory of your Son,
who has overcome death
and saved us from the power of sin.
We rejoice in his exaltation!

Our great high priest
has gone before,
has entered into the Holy of Holies,
and has opened up a way for us to follow.
In his name, we too would enter into your eternal presence,
for he is our priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.
To him be all praise,
together with you, O Father,
and the Holy Spirit,
one Lord, the same in every age.
Amen and Amen.

~ Hughes Oliphant Old, Leading in Prayer: A Workbook for Ministers http://www.amazon.com/Leading-Prayer-A-Workbook-Ministers/dp/0802808212.

Responsive Reading: Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16

Here’s a responsive litany from Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16.  It comes from John Birch’s Faith and Worship website.

Responsive Litany

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

One:     He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Two:     I will say of the LORD,

Three:  He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.

One:     If you make the Most High your dwelling—

even the LORD, who is my refuge—

Two:     Then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

Three:  For he will command his angels concerning you,

to guard you in all your ways;

One:     They will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Two:     You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

Three:  “Because he loves me," says the LORD,

“I will rescue him; I will protect him,

for he acknowledges my name.

One:     He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

Two:     I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.

Three:  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

~ John Birch (based on Psalm 91), posted on Faith and Worship.  Visit that site for many other excellent worship resources. http://www.faithandworship.com/liturgy_Lent_1.htm#ixzz1lkQ9zC5J

Contemporary Songs: Psalm 91

If you’re looking for contemporary Praise & Worship song suggestions to use with Psalm 91 (the suggested psalm for  Proper 24B, Proper 21C, Lent 1C), 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 91: http://contemporarypsalms.blogspot.ca/2013/05/psalm-91.html

Prayer for Others: Send in the Angels

Here’s a prayer of intercession from Bruce Prewer.

Prayer of Intercession

The word angel originally meant “messenger.”

For God’s angels on this earth,

let us now pray.

We thank you, loving God,

that you do not leave us without helpers.

thank for your special agents, those guardian angels—

both human and heavenly—who never cease to care.

Wherever there are situations of confusion,

where doubts proliferate and anxieties spawn,  

please send in your angels of light.

Wherever people are crippled by guilt,

or deeply regret damage to others which they can never rectify,

send in your angels of mercy.

Wherever there is arrogance and deceit,

corruption and rapacious greed,

send in your fiery angels of judgement.

Wherever ignorance reigns

or superstition cripples individuals or communities,

please send in your angels of truth.

Wherever persons or nations become obsessed with aggression,

or resort to terrorism and warfare,

send in your agents of peace and goodwill.

Wherever families are at loggerheads,

or in the workplace folk feel alienated from one another,

send in your angels of reconciliation.

Wherever people see their future as bleak or dangerous,

and fall into the trap of inertia or despair,

please send in your angels of hope.

Wherever the church becomes exclusive,

or gets caught up in its own regulations, traditions, or inflexible dogma,

send in your angels of reformation.

Wherever ministers lose their passion for the Gospel,

or congregations become self-satisfied or apathetic,

please send in your angels of rebuke.

Wherever there are people who are afflicted by disease

or injured in accidents,

struggle against mental ills

or suffer from criminal violence,

send in your angels of healing.

Wherever the dying endure fears or pain,

and the bereaved either shed the hot tears of a fresh grief

or endure the long-term loss of a partner or friend,

send in your angels of comfort.

Loving God,

Lord of all the messengers of grace on earth and in heaven,

hear our prayers and enlist us, please God,  

within the ranks of your caring angels.

Through Jesus Christ your only True Son,

our Saviour and our inspiration.

Amen!

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Homepage. http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocC/C38sun9.htm

Benediction: Psalm 91: 14-15

Here’s a closing benediction (or possibly even words of assurance following a time of confession) from Psalm 91.

Benediction

(from Psalm 91:14-15)

Hear again the promises of God:

Because you cling to me, I will deliver you;

I will protect you because you acknowledge my name.

You shall call upon me and I will answer you.

I will be with you in times of trouble;

I will deliver you and glorify you

and will show you my salvation.

Go from here with peace and confidence,

knowing that God goes with you.