Worship from August 10

PRAYER IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP:  Gracious God, we come seeking your presence in

St. Mark Presbyterian Church

worship.  Through our songs of praise we seek you; by our words of prayer we reach out to you. Grant that we may hear your voice and not merely echoes of our own.  Fill us with your Spirit; bless us by your grace; surround us with your love, now and always.  Amen                                                                             

CALL TO WORSHIP (adapted from Psalm 85:8-13)

Leader:   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for God will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to God in their hearts.

People:   Surely God’s salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that God’s glory may dwell in our land.

Leader:   Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

People:   Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.  The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.

All:           Righteousness will go before God, and will make a path for God’s steps.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

When we feel as though we have lost faith in ourselves, only then do we begin to recognize the little faith we have put in Christ Jesus.  O God, we forget you when life is smooth and calm, but we urgently cry out for your help when the rough patches make us fear for our lives and turbulence threatens to send us out of control.  We find that we usually rely more on our fear instincts than on our faith.  In Your mercy, Lord, speak to our lives so as to bring peace to our chaos, patience to our anxiety, forgiveness to our anger, patience to our frustration and trust to our doubts.  With your grace, let us take the first step to become people of faith rather than fear.  Amen.

 For August 10th's sermon, click here.