Prayer of Illumination: Amos 5

Here is a prayer of illumination – a prayer for the presence of the Holy Spirit, traditionally spoken before the reading and preaching of the Word. It is inspired by Amos 5, and comes from the Worship@North website.

Prayer of Illumination

(inspired by Amos 5)

O God, you alone are our Judge.

Send your Spirit of truth

to expose our self-deception

and challenge our complacency

so that we may surrender to your mercy

and follow your will

through Jesus Christ our Liberator.  Amen.

~ from a collection of prayers posted on the Worship@North website. https://northchurchindy.wordpress.com/ 

Prayer: Waiting and Watching

Here’s a prayer by John van de Laar inspired by the scripture texts for Proper 27A.

Waiting and Watching

You call me to wait on You, Lord,

but I get tired of waiting.

Your answers to my prayers,

Your call for me to serve You,

the promise of Your coming Kingdom,

they all seem to take so long.

You tell me to watch for Your coming, Lord,

but I’m not sure how to prepare for…

a thief in the night,

an undisclosed time,

and Your disconcerting habit of secrecy and mystery.

Yet, something inside whispers

that You’re not all that hard to find;

That You’re always coming to me,

and that both the waiting and the watching,

are more about being open to You now,

than about trying not to be surprised in the future.

And so I will keep waiting,

and I’ll try to stay alert,

so that I can catch the glimpses of Your glory

that fill my day, every day. Amen.

~ written by John van de Laar, and posted on his excellent website, Sacredise.com. 

Contemporary Call: Proper 27A

Here’s a call to worship based on the scripture texts for Proper 27, Year A, especially 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13, and Amos 5:18-24.  It was written by Rev. Mindi and posted on her Rev-o-lution blog. 

Call to Worship

(1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18, Matthew 25: 1-13, Amos 5: 18-24)

Are you awake? Are you alert?
Christ is coming into our lives in a new way.
Are you watching the signs?

Are you interpreting what is happening today?
Christ is coming into our lives in a new way.
Do you see opportunities for ministry?

Do you see the poor, the homeless, the hungry, the needy?
Christ is coming into our lives in a new way.
Come, let us worship and let us work in the reign of God.
Christ has extended the invitation:

let us work together in the reign of God on earth.

~ Rev. Mindi, on her Rev-o-lution blog.

Confession: Proper 27A

If only we had been more aware
how often we meet the Lord in life!
Let us ask him to forgive us.

(pause)

Lord Jesus, you seem absent
when we struggle with suffering,
but you are there with your strength:
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, often we forget you
in the cares of everyday life,
but you are there with us:
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we neglect to care for you
in our sick and neglected brothers and sisters,
but you want us to serve you in them:
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Forgive us all our sins, Lord,
and make us look for your presence.
Walk with us and lead us
to the feast of everlasting life.  Amen.

~ from Liturgies Alive, Models of Celebration.

Prayer Litany: A River of Justice

Here’s a responsive prayer litany inspired by Psalm 72:1-10 and Amos 5:24. It was posted on Christine Sine’s Godspace website.

Prayer Litany

(Adapted from Psalm 72:1-10, & Amos 5:24)

God let your justice and fairness

flow like a river that never runs dry

Please help those of us who are rich

to be honest and fair just like you, our God.

May we who have such abundance

be honest and fair with all your people,

especially the poor.

Let peace and justice rule every mountain

and fairness flow as a river that never runs dry.

God let your justice and fairness

flow like a river that never runs dry

May we your people defend the poor,

rescue the homeless,

and crush everyone who hurts them.

May we be as helpful as rain that refreshes the ground,

to those who are treated unjustly.

Let the wholeness and fairness of your kingdom

live forever like the sun and the moon.

God let your justice and fairness

flow like a river that never runs dry

Because you our God,

rescue the homeless and have pity on those who hurt

May we who are rich stand up for the poor

and let peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.

Let God’s kingdom of justice and fairness

reach from sea to sea, across all the earth.

God let your justice and fairness

flow like a river that never runs dry

Amen.

~ from Christine Sine’s Godspace website. http://godspace.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/i-have-a-dream-a-prophetic-speech-now-50-years-old/

Call to Worship: We Come to Hear the Stories

Here’s a call to worship from Joanna Harader’s Spacious Faith blog (see below for link).

Call to Worship

We come to hear the stories
of other people
in another world
long ago.

We come to hear the stories
that are also about us
today
in this place.

God, give us ears to listen.
eyes to see,
hearts to accept.

~ posted by Joanna Harader on Spacious Faith. http://spaciousfaith.com/

Litany of Covenant Renewal

Here’s a covenant renewal litany from Rev. Christine Sobania Johnson.

Covenant Renewal Litany

Every day we journey on this earth is a day in which we make choices:

left or right, up or down, in or out, yes or no?

Some choices are simple, and some are very complex,

but one choice informs all the others:

Who will be our God?

Who will we trust to see us through this journey?

Who has been with us from before the beginning,

bringing us into existence?

Who has loved us and blessed us and sent us on our way?

Who has pointed us toward the path

and posted the signs we need to find our way?

Who has been at our side when the road has been smooth

and gently curving?

Who has kept with us through hairpin turns

and construction zones and potholes and detours?

Who will celebrate with us when we complete our course

and seek the comfort of eternity?

Only One. The One and Only.

Holy One. The One and Holy.

Will you choose this day to stay faithful to the One who is faithful to us?

Count us in.

Will you choose this day to place your whole trust

in the One who is trustworthy?

Count us in.

Will you choose this day to commit your talents and your resources

to the One who first endowed them?

Count us in.

Will you choose this day to love the One who loved us first?

Count us in.

Praying together,

We devote ourselves to you by renewing the covenant—

the promise you made to humanity so long ago.

Because you are our God, we will be your people.

Enlarge our faithfulness, our trust, our commitment and our love

so that we may graciously uphold our side of the deal.

Help us always to recognize your presence and your blessings

throughout our journey.

Keep us in your care.

Amen.

— written by Rev. Christine Sobania Johnson on her blog, Freshly Squeezed Liturgy.  http://freshlysqueezedliturgy.blogspot.com/

Prayer of Intercession: November 6, 2011

Here’s a prayer of intercession for November 6 from World in Prayer, a ministry of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist in Lodi, California. 

This Week in Prayer

As we remember this week all your saints, O Lord, and all who have died in Your loving embrace, we give you thanks and offer our prayers for all the blessed, known and unknown, whom you love and call your own.

We pray for the poor in spirit.
--We pray for the dozens of Chinese miners trapped in a pit in Henan province after a "rock burst."
--We pray for all who were born this week, as the UN estimated that the world's population reached seven billion people on Monday.

We pray for those who mourn.
--We pray for those whose families have been killed in conflicts throughout the world.
--We pray for those who have lost loved ones to hunger or deprivation, to disease and injury.
--We pray for those who mourn the loss of their livelihood or their home.
--We pray for those who mourn any loss.

We pray for the meek.
--We pray for the people of Oakland, CA (USA) as they try to address issues of income inequality through the Occupy protests in the face of retaliation and violence.
--We pray for those whose lives are affected by decisions they cannot control. We pray for wisdom for the European Union as they make financial decisions whose impact reaches millions of people.

We pray for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
--We pray for those who participated in the second Africa Human Rights Defenders Training in West Africa last week, as they return to their homes to carry on this work.
--We pray for the work of the Ecumenical Water Network Forum, who address the literal issue of thirst throughout the world.

We pray for the merciful.
--We pray for Venezuela, where officials are trying to negotiate the release of two police officers taken hostage during a prison riot in the western state of Tachira.
--We pray for Serbia, where 27 Roma families in Belgrade face imminent forced eviction from their homes to make way for new commercial housing to be built by a government-owned company.
--We pray for Housing Justice in the UK, which welcomed the news that Westminster Council is dropping its proposal to introduce a new by-law making it a criminal offence to feed homeless people on the streets.

We pray for the pure in heart.
--We pray for Honduras, where 176 police were arrested in a purge against corruption and organized crime.
--We pray for those Muslims who are taking part in the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

We pray for the peacemakers.
--We pray for Syria, where Syrian forces killed at least 12 people just one day after the Arab League brokered a plan to halt violence and convene talks between the government and the opposition.
--We pray for relations between Pakistan and India, after the Pakistani government's recent decision to award "most favored nation" trading status to India.
--We pray for peace in Gaza, where Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday shortly after two snipers on motorcycles fired at Israeli troops patrolling the border fence; and where Israel has announced that its navy will attempt to stop two boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists bound for the Gaza Strip.

We pray for those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.
--We pray for Qiu Xiang, a Buddhist nun in China’s southwest Sichuan Province, who died Thursday after setting herself on fire.
--We pray for those who are mocked or despised for their desire for justice or peace; for those who seek justice and do mercy and walk humbly with their God.

And we pray that we may be counted among the multitude of saints who are your witness and workers in this world. Give us courage and wisdom to do your will and persevere through all things, that we may end our days in your peace and rest with you eternally, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

World in Prayer is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, Lodi, California, USA, and is written by a team of writers representing different denominations throughout the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Visit their web site at http://www.worldinprayer.org/

Confession: Matthew 25: 1-13

Here’s a litany of confession and assurance based on Matthew 25: 1-13, one of the suggested scripture readings for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011).  It was written by Katherine Hawker and posted on her Liturgies Outside the Box website.

Litany of Confession and Assurance

(based on Matthew 25: 1-13)

Ten lamps gathered, with oil enough for all.

Ten lamps gathered,

But five are empty showing careless disregard.

Ten lamps gathered,

Five blaze with oil abundant enough to share.

Ten lamps gathered,

Five lifeless when laziness and greed collide.

Ten lamps gathered…

How many will burn tonight?

Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray…

For generous hearts to share oil with our neighbors.

Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray…

For the vision necessary to leave our comfortable seats in search of oil.

Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray…

For forgiveness for the ways our selfishness and our apathy collide.

Ten lamps gathered, with oil enough for all.

Come children of God, into a sacred circle

Where sharing creates abundance

And no one leaves hungry. Amen.

— Written for the Evangelical United Church of Christ. Copyright © Katherine Hawker, 1999. Posted on her Liturgies Outside the Box website.

Call & Prayer of Approach: Psalm 78: 1-7

Here’s a call to worship and prayer of approach based on Psalm 78: 1-7, one of the suggested scripture readings for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011).  They were written by Rev. Kim Gilliland of the United Church of Canada.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 78: 1-7)

Let us open our minds to God's teaching;

and tune our ear to God's word.

Let us listen to the stories of the faith of our ancestors;

and share our stories with our children.

We put our trust in God;

we worship the one who gives us life.

Prayer of Approach

God of Heaven and Earth, God of the sunrise and the sunset, God of the highest mountain and the deepest valley, hear our prayers as we come before your throne of glory. Declare your message to us and grant us the courage to listen.  May our listening turn to action.  May our actions touch the hearts of those who need to hear your voice. We put our trust in you knowing that it is well placed in your gentle and caring hands.

— written by Rev. Kim Gilliland (kgilliland@gosfieldtel.com) of the United Church of Canada.  Posted on Rev. Richard J. Fairchild’s Kir-shalom website. Visit his site for many other worship resources and sermons.

Call & Opening Prayer: Psalm 78

Here’s a call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Psalm 78: 1-7 and Joshua 24, two of the scripture texts for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011).  They were written by Moira Laidlaw.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 78: 1-7)

We gather here to remember God’s glorious deeds—

recorded for all time by people

whose lives were touched by divine grace. 

As people of hope, they affirmed the great works of God,

and the importance of keeping the commandments of God.

We are heirs of their faithfulness

in witnessing to the greatness of God’s wondrous acts.

Let our witness be as convincing, 

so that generations to come
will continue to honour God’s holy name.

Prayer of Praise and Adoration

We worship you, O God, as the one in whom we have placed our hope.  We share the desire of your people of old to tell of the blessings you have effected in our lives. When we think about the greatest blessing of all—the gift of yourself in human flesh—Jesus Christ—we joyfully acknowledge that our hope in you is not misplaced.  We choose to serve you because you chose to touch our lives so graciously in Christ.  May our faithful witness and the service of our lives reveal the depth of our love and gratitude as we worship you, O God, and as we praise and adore you in Jesus’ name and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

— Copyright © Moira Laidlaw, posted on her Liturgies Online website. Visit that site for other great lectionary-based resources.

Call to Worship, Prayer: Proper 27A

Here’s another great call to worship and Prayer of the Day from Thom Shuman, posted on his wonderful blog, Lectionary Liturgies.

Call to Worship

God has gathered us to this place,

where we hear those stories which show us
what the kingdom of God is like.

God summons us to this place,
where we can learn how to serve our God
without reservation, or hesitation.

God will send us from this place,
to tell others of God's hopes and dreams,
so they, too, can choose to follow God.

Prayer of the Day

You do not want us
to be ignorant of your
dreams and hopes for us,
God of holiness,
so you speak to us in parables,
so we might pay careful attention
to your words;
you tell us stories about
our grandparents in the faith,
so we might become mentors
to our grandchildren, and theirs.
Filling us with the holy oil
of generosity and grace,
you make us ready to welcome
Jesus Christ into our lives,
and to open our hearts
to those who are in need.

On this day, we choose to serve you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as Jesus teaches us,
Our Father. . .

— written by Thom Shuman, and posted on his excellent Lectionary Liturgies website.  Visit that site for other great lectionary-based worship resources.

Commission, Benediction: Proper 27A

Go now, and follow in the footsteps
of those who have gone before us in Christ.
Revere the Lord.
Serve God in sincerity and faithfulness.
Teach those who come after you to trust in God.

And may God protect you along the way;
May Christ Jesus keep you alert and prepared;
And may the Holy Spirit fuel the lamp that guides your path.

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

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Benediction: Matthew 25: 1-13

Here are words of sending and benediction based on Matthew 25: 1-13, the gospel reading for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011). 

Blessing

(based on Matthew 25: 1-13)

In the presence of the Lord
we have reflected on his words
about the wisdom of vigilance.
What are we, foolish or wise?
Probably a bit of the two:
foolish when we sin,
wise when we are vigilant
and try to live a bit like Jesus
and to put his words into practice.

May almighty God keep you vigilant and wise
and bless you: the Father, and the + Son,
and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Go in the peace of the Lord,
and may he keep you always faithful.

Thanks be to God!

— from Liturgies Alive, Models of Celebration.

Call to Worship: Psalm 78: 1-7

Here’s a call to worship based on Psalm 78: 1-7, one of the suggested scripture readings for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011). It was written by Joan Stott.

A Call to Worship

(Psalm 78: 1-7)

Come, let us gather to worship our Timeless God.
We gather together to share with your children
the past blessings we have received from our God.

Come, let us gather to worship our Awesome God.
We gather together to listen for God’s word for us today.

Come, let us gather to worship our Glorious God,
who delights in our worship, witness and service.
We gather together to share our hope and trust in our
merciful God, who has never failed or forgotten us. Amen.

If used in shared worship, please provide an acknowledgement as follows:
© 2011 Joan Stott – "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A, used with permission. Posted on the Geelong City Parish, UCA website.

Prayer of Commitment: Proper 27A

Here’s a prayer of commitment based on the suggested scripture passages for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011).

Prayer of Commitment

(Joshua 24, Matthew 25: 1-13)

You let us choose, O God,

between you and the false gods of this world.

In the midst of the night of sin and death,

wake us from our slumber

and call us forth to greet Christ,

so that with eyes and hearts fixed on him,

we may follow to eternal light. 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 of Lament: Amos 5

Here’s a prayer of lament based on Amos 5 written by members of the Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY in 2009.

Prayer of Lament

(based on Amos 5)

Holy, Perfect God,
We admit that we put other things above you in our lives.
We say we long for you,

but we actually long for more money and more comfort.
Lord, you will come with darkness for us

if our hearts remain captive to anything but you.
We confess that we are openly rebellious against you.
We are fallen, never to rise again unless you lift us up.
Lord, we have failed to worship you with our hearts.
Our religious gatherings are hollow

because our hearts are slaves to lesser things.
We pay you a visit on Sunday,

but we long to go home to our other gods.
Lord God, we confess that we break your heart.
We gather before you half-heartedly,

waiting to go back to worshipping ourselves.

When we truly worship you,

we will seek good and not evil.
We will hate evil and love good.
Lord God, have mercy.
Renew our hearts within us.

Make us long for you, our God.
Amen.

— Posted on The Open Sourcebook website.

Thanksgiving, Intercession: Proper 27A

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011).  It was written by Rev. Marjory MacAskill, Chaplain at Strathclyde University.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession

As for you

You did not keep earth waiting

When darkness covered her shores

And chaos hurried to destroy

As for you

You did not keep silent

When you knew a word

Was all the difference between life and death

As for you

You did not hide

When discoveries threatened to change

The world we thought we knew

As for you

You did not keep away

When wanderers walked the earth

In search of home and purpose

As for you

You did not lie still

When the faithful few departed

And even prophets were afraid

As for you

You did not leave us

But came as one of us

In the hour of deepest need

As for you

You did not let death contain you

But rose in garden and city street

Love and hope in your wake

So to you is due our praise

Our thanks, our hearts

To you is the glory now and always

From all peoples and places of earth

As for me

As for me, Lord

You know me better than I know myself

As for me I would serve the Lord

Put off waiting

Find my voice

Enter life in its fullness

Offer hope where there is none

Take the hand of friend and stranger

So for the courage to do all this

Hear my prayer

As for me and my household, my church, my community

As for us together though often apart

You know our strengths and weaknesses

Our gifts and shortcomings

As for us we would serve the Lord

In the small things

Of friendship

Kind words

Visiting the sick

Caring for the grieving

So for the love to do all this

Hear our prayer

As for us we would serve the Lord

In the big issues

Of poverty

War

Violence

Greed

Giving where there is need

Speaking for those who cannot be heard

Challenging the system that divides your world

So for the patience to do all this

Hear our prayer

As for you Lord God

Come again to cold hearts

Weary bodies

Confused minds

To fill with spirit

And renew with life

That service will be true

Love be real

And glory be to Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Now and always

Amen

— written by Rev. Marjory MacAskill, and posted on the Starters for Sunday on the Church of Scotland website.

Confession: Psalm 78: 1-7

Here’s a prayer of confession and petition based on Psalm 78: 1-7, one of the scripture readings for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011).  It was written by Joan Stott.

Prayers of Confession and Petition

(based on Psalm 78: 1-7)

O Lord our God, we gather today before you, conscious of our many failings, including our failure to be faithful to your word. We are very conscious too, of our failure to share the good news of your merciful love and your gracious commitment to your creation, and to all humanity, whom you created with a divine spark to enrich and enliven them.

We gather to confess our failure to learn from past lessons—both individually and collectively as a people before God. Merciful God, forgive our deliberate acts of turning away from you and your ways; our apathy towards the truth of your involvement with humanity over countless generations; and our thoughtless acts of stubbornness in seeking to live to please our own selfish yet fleeting desires and ambitions.

Holy God, we seek your merciful forgiveness for our failure to share with our children, and our children’s children, the truths about you, your love, and your compassion that we are blessed to receive. We ask that you inspire us with a zeal for sharing the ‘good news’ of God; to encourage us in our stuttering attempts to tell others what God has done for us throughout our life; and to empower us with a clear understanding of our own faith and trust in you, and your ways of justice and peace.

Unchanging God, help us to listen for the many tones and accents of God’s voice as it continues to sound softly and gently, or strongly and vibrantly through all time and eternity. Open our ears and our eyes to your presence with us each and every day so that we may recognise you at work in the lives of people within your gathered community; and in the way you, in your wisdom, use people to fulfil your purposes. Amen.

If used in shared worship, please provide an acknowledgement as follows: © 2011 Joan Stott – "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A, used with permission. Posted on the Geelong City Parish, UCA website.

Prayer: 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18

For the Lord himself, with a word of command,

with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,

will come down from heaven.

We don’t know what we will hear.
The call of an archangel?
The blast of a
trumpet?

This much we know:

We want to be ready
when you
come.

Make us ready,
Lord.

— A. Osdieck. Copyright © 2011, The Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University. Visit that site for other lectionary-based prayers.