Prayer of Praise

Let us come before the Lord in prayer.

Generous God, we are amazed in awe at your willingness to draw us into your fellowship; in wonder at your gracious invitation to join the feast of life; in gratitude at your care for each one of us; in humility for your faithfulness towards each one of us.

All knowing God, if we have come to you today

clothed in despondency, bless us with hope.
If we have come clothed in anxiety, bless us with peace.
If we have come clothed in half-heartedness, bless us with desire.
If we have come clothed in resentment, bless us with grace.
If we have come clothed in distractedness, bless us with focus.
If we have come clothed in failure, bless us with confidence.
If we have come clothed in complacency, bless us with urgency,
that we may worship you with the best of all we have and are –
in Jesus’ name. 

Prayer of Confession

Gracious God, you invite us to join you in caring for the vulnerable,
and we hurt you when we do not accept your invitation.
We are sorry and ask your forgiveness.
You invite us to share the good news of your love,
and we hurt you when we do not accept your invitation.
We are sorry and ask your forgiveness.
You invite us to clothe ourselves with compassion and humility,
and we hurt you when we do not accept your invitation.
We are sorry and ask your forgiveness.
You invite us to take our place at your table,
and we hurt you when we do not accept your invitation.
We are sorry and ask your forgiveness, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

Eternal God, you clothe us with forgiveness, you cover us with your grace, you feed us with your word, you robe us with your generosity, you root us in your faithfulness, you gather us in your love, you invite us to be your disciples, and you go all out to draw us all in and call us each by name. Amen.

Prayers For Others

O God, we come to pray not for ourselves, but for each other – for those we know and those we don’t, for situations we understand and for those that confound us.

The news tells us of trauma and heartache across the world and we try to grasp the intensity of it all.
Bless, O Lord, all involved in the hurting and the healing.
We hear of death and dying, of grieving and weeping…
We hear of pain, scarring and disfigurement…
We hear of anguish and confusion…
We hear of those in need of help, and those who struggle to
find it…
We hear of the grieving and the sorrowful…
We hear of the lost and the alone…
And we know, Lord, there are myriad others known only to you.
Bless them all in their hurting and their healing. Amen.

Prayers of the Congregation

The 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.