Worship Prayers for June 30

CENTERING PRAYER

“I think Jesus should have asked the crowd to stand on their heads when he taught them the Beatitudes, because that is what he was doing. He was turning the known world upside down, so that those who had been fighting for breath at the bottom of the human heap suddenly found themselves closest to heaven, while those who thought they were on top of things found themselves flat on their backs looking up.” – Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor

CALL TO WORSHIP
(Psalm 1:1-3) Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all they do, they prosper. Come! Let us worship God together.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Good and gracious God, you continually bless us in unexpected ways and places, but we close our eyes to your presence. We ignore the poor in our midst and fumble with clumsy words around those who mourn. We favor the bold and brash and overlook the meek, the hungry, and the persecuted. Purify our hearts with your holy refining fire and set our feet on the paths that make for peace. Help us to embrace the great truth; our blessing does not come in our privilege, our position, or our possessions, but in your never-ending presence in our lives. We continue to pray in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)