Worship Prayers August 9

THE TIME OF CENTERING:  God of daybreak, our souls wait for your light more than those who watch for the morning.  Let your Holy Spirit illumine our hearts with the light of your redemption, a new day, a new life in Christ.  Amen 

CALL TO WORSHIP

We are not here because we have found God, but because God has found us.  God has called us to accept the cost and discover the joy of discipleship.  God’s promise is of forgiveness of sin and fullness of grace, courage to work for justice in the face of evil, power to make peace, hope against hope that God’s purposes will be fulfilled.  Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto God, now and forever.  Amen 

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

In confession, O God, we acknowledge our failure:  we have failed to hear your Word and have heeded, instead, the world’s words; we have failed to seek your light and have sought, instead, lesser lights; we have been forgetful of your will and have followed, instead, our own whims, wishes, and wonderings.  But we long, O God, for your empowering love.  Have compassion on our failure.  Lift from us the mantle of despair, and free us to live in fullness as your children.  Amen