Sunday, May 26, 2024

Worship Prayers May 26

 CENTERING PRAYER


 

Holy God, source of all goodness, you gave your Son for the life of the world and sent your Spirit that your love might abide with us. Teach us how to love each other this day, that we may have life, and have it abundantly, with you, in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

 

We give you glory, Creator,

for you are still creating.

We give you honor, Redeemer,

for you save the world from sin and death.

We give you praise, Sustainer,

for you give us this day and every day.

Let us worship our God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together.

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Holy God, we know that you are always there to lead us, yet we somehow lose our way and fall back into fear. We confess we have stumbled, and we recognize our need for you to lift us up and help us start again. Forgive us our failings, restore us to strength and reconcile us with you, ourselves, and each other, through the power of Christ and the gift of your Spirit. (Silent Confession)

 

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – The Apostles’ Creed

 

 

OFFERING

 

Invitation to the Offering

For God so loved the world that God gave us the Son, so that all who love him may have life eternally. With loving hearts, let us bring our offerings to God.

 

Prayer after Offering

 

Let us pray…Holy God, your love overflows in the gift of your Spirit. Bless these gifts we offer that they may spread your blessing in a world of hurt and need; in Christ’s name. Amen.

 

Saturday, May 25, 2024

Scripture for May 26

 Isaiah 6:1-8

Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call

It was in the year King Uzziah died[a] that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

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The King Uzziah Stricken with Leprosy, by Rembrandt, 1635.


Sunday, May 19, 2024

Worship Prayers for May 19

 CENTERING PRAYER


 

Gracious God, you come among your people as One who fashioned all things, who, face-to-face, revealed your knowledge of our lives, and whose presence brings assurance and hope. Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love so that in hearing and seeing the gifts of this life, we may know the way to live in thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

 

God declares: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.

The young shall see visions. The elders shall dream dreams.

Both men and women shall prophesy.

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

We come to worship our God together.

 

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Holy and Merciful God, we do not know how to pray as we ought, and we know too well our constant failures to do as you command and hold fast to your word. Forgive us for the divisions we nurture, guide us to your way, keep us in your care, and lead us into faith. We trust your word that the Spirit of Truth will show us all things and grant us courage and peace. We continue to pray in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)

 

 

 

 

OFFERING

 

Invitation to the Offering

 

The Creator sent the Holy Spirit to increase our compassion and to make us glad. Let us spread this good news by caring for those in need and binding up that which is broken. May our giving and forgiving God grant us all the Spirit of generosity as we share our tithes, offerings, and gifts.

 

Prayer after Offering

 

Let us pray… God of mercy, we give you thanks for all your bounty creates. The gifts we bring today acknowledge our debt to you and our intent to relieve others of their burdens. Bless what we offer and bless those who will be shown deeds of power though them; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Scripture for May 19

 Acts 2:1-21

The Holy Spirit Comes

On the day of Pentecost[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Peter Preaches to the Crowd

14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
    ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
    Your young men will see visions,
    and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
    even on my servants—men and women alike—
    and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below—
    blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
    and the moon will turn blood red
    before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
    will be saved.’[c]

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The Holy Spirit Comes

On the day of Pentecost[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Peter Preaches to the Crowd

14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
    ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
    Your young men will see visions,
    and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
    even on my servants—men and women alike—
    and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below—
    blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
    and the moon will turn blood red
    before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
    will be saved.’[c]

Read full chapter