Prayer of praise:

God, we your people love you.
We’ve come today to praise you,
to listen to your word and to learn from you.
We are different from each other:
young and old, quiet and loud,
serious or frivolous, tired or lively.
Help us all to worship you

with one heart and mind.
Amen.

Prayer of confession:

O God, when we have closed doors
where we should have opened them,
forgive us.
When we have stayed in the box
where we were called to break out,
forgive us.
When we have bubbled ourselves so thoroughly
that we cannot even perceive
what is outside our experience,
forgive us.

When we have been gatekeepers
instead of welcomers,
forgive us.
May we ditch judgementalism,
throw away condemnation.
and learn how to celebrate
the loving invitation of your kingdom.
Amen.

And knowing the assurance of forgiveness and God’s welcoming grace we also pray:

Assurance of forgiveness:

Ever-loving God,
you call us all into your family of grace.
Where we have been lost, you seek us.
You retrieve us, you untangle us
from the thorns that snare us.
Your hands are kind;
you restore us with joy.
Thank you for not only accepting us
but celebrating us, delighting in us
as we discover what it means to belong to you.
Amen.

Prayers of the People

The cares of the world can draw us away from you, Lord.
Like a coin falling into the shadows,
sudden misfortune enters our lives and we are lost,
rolling away from all that held us safe.
We pray for all those affected by serious illness,
breakdown of relationships or loss of employment.

The temptations of the world can lead us astray, Lord.
Like sheep sighting a patch of greener grass,
we go after what is new and more exciting.
We pray for all who are tempted away
from what is right, meaningful and good.

Where darkness has descended, Lord,
when more attractive propositions beckon,
we pray that people won’t forget you –
because you won’t forget them.
And as you love and care for us,
so may we look out for one another –
to seek and to bring safely home.
Amen.

he Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

now and forever.  Amen