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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 119)

L: Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.
P: Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart,
L: You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
P: O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
L: Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

All: I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances.

 

Call to Worship
by Frank Schaefer

L:  Like a father carries his children, like a shepherd leads his flock,
P:  So does the Lord love and care for his people.
L:  As high as the heaven extends from the earth, as deep as the ocean reaches into the earth's womb,
P: So does the Almighty reach out to our very hearts and embraces us as his beloved children.
L: Come, let us welcome God in our midst, let us worship our Heavenly Father!

 

For the  love of Neighbor
(from a church wall in Mexico)

Give us, Senior, a little sun, a little happiness, and some work.
Give us a heart to comfort those in pain.
Give us the ability to be good, strong, wise, and free,
   so that we may be as generous with others as we are with ourselves.
Finally, Senior, let us all live as your own one family.  Amen.

 

Intercessory Prayer

Encouraged by the radiant light of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ, let us pray with boldness and confidence.

For the people of God bound together in baptism, that the glory of the Lord continually humble us, cleanse us, and compel us to cry "Here I am, send me!" let us pray to the Lord:

Hear us, O God, and show us your glory.

For God's good creation, tainted by overuse and abuse that all people and nations become stewards of the grace and goodness God has given, let us pray to the Lord:

Hear us, O God, and show us your glory.

For those who make their living on the sea, that they may prosper while protecting that resource, may be guarded from danger, and may be welcomed at voyage's end, let us pray to the Lord:

Hear us, O God, and show us your glory.

For all who suffer in mind, body, or spirit (especially), that God grant them healing and hope, let us pray to the Lord:

Hear us, O God, and show us your glory.

For the mission of this congregation, that as the disciples left behind their nets to spread the good news, we might leave behind all that hinders us from our call to mission, let us pray to the Lord:

Hear us, O God, and show us your glory.

In the memory of all who answered God's call and followed until death, that their lives may inform our own and that we may stand with them around the heavenly throne, let us pray to the Lord:

Hear us, O God, and show us your glory.

Into your hands, great God of heaven, we lay our prayers, trusting in your mercy through the one who showed us your face, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

 

Closing Prayer for the World and it Peoples:
(Church of Scotland 20th century)

O God, you are the hope of all the ends of the earth, the God of the spirits of all flesh.  Hear our humble intercession for all races and families on earth, that you will turn all hearts to yourself.
Remove from our minds hatred, prejudice, and contempt for those who are not of our own race or color, class or creed, that, departing from everything that estranges and divides, we may by you be brought into unity of spirit, in the bond of peace. Amen.