Worship Prayers for January 1, 2023

 

CALL TO WORSHIP 

Praise God! 

With the angels and hosts, we praise! 

With the sun and moon, we praise! 

With the fire and hail, we praise! 

With the frost and snow, we praise! 

With the mountains and the valleys, we praise! 

With the skies and the seas, we praise! 

Praise God! 

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION  

Ever-present God, you became our savior in all our distress. In all the ways we hurt, and all the ways we hurt others, in all the ways we feel neglected, and all the ways we neglect others, in all the ways we cry out and in all the ways we cause others to cry, you are with us comforting and holding us to account. In your love, redeem us once again. Lift us up and grant us your mercy, as you have throughout the generations. Amen. 

 

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING  

All creation teems with the abundance of God’s provision: mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, creeping things and flying birds! Our own lives bear witness to the abundance of God’s love and mercy, for God has lifted us up and carried us in our need. In joyful praise, we offer to God a portion of all we have received.  

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING/ DEDICATION  

In this gifting season, O God, we are grateful for the gift of your dear Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Receive, we pray, these offerings we bring. May they be used in the service of your grace and truth dwelling among us. In Christ’s holy name we pray. Amen. 

 

THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION (Stacey, let's talk about this one)

Friends, God is with you. 

And also with you. 

Let us open our hearts. 

We open them up to our God. 

Let us give thanks to the God of Light. 

It is right to give God thanks and praise.