Epiphany Of Our Lord
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids
Series VI, Cycle A
Object:
Words Of Assurance
God is not willing that any should feel left out or unwanted, for he calls all to stand within the circle of his love.
Pastoral Prayer
Eternal Spirit, we would worship you this day with hospitable hearts, welcoming you to our minds and lives. Come, knock on the door and give us grace to open. Come to us in stimulating thoughts, clear insights, and illumined faith; in moving gratitude that makes us humble, in penitence that cleanses us, in a sense of vocation that challenges us. Come to us in a fresh vision of Christ, his grace and mercy, his call to our consciences, and his appeal to our strength.
At the beginning of a new year, full of dangers, yet full of possibilities, we pray that you will make us great enough for these great days. Against all our sins that defeat your holy purposes, we pray, but especially against the sins of littleness, meanness, prejudice, provincialism. Cast down our pride -- national, racial, personal. Make us humble, understanding, cooperative members of our one humanity. Lift us above the petty to grasp the import of these momentous times.
For ourselves, one by one, we pray that we may be among the world's assets and not its liabilities. For strength to stand up in trouble, for courage to overcome temptation, for inward grace from divine resources to master life and not be mastered by it, we pray. Through joy and sorrow, success and failure, the world's favor and the world's enmity, through happy fellowship with those we love, and through bereavement when the bell tolls for them and us, God keep us steadfast, undefeated, undishonored, and unashamed.
Let your Light shine on all of us today, making plain some answers to our questions, some assurance for our doubts, some strength for our weakness, some vision of our duty. May we be more valiant and triumphant spirits because we have worshiped you here; we pray in the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
We have followed a star to find him. He tells us that the light is no longer only in heaven. Indeed, we are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before all that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father God who is in heaven; and the blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.
God is not willing that any should feel left out or unwanted, for he calls all to stand within the circle of his love.
Pastoral Prayer
Eternal Spirit, we would worship you this day with hospitable hearts, welcoming you to our minds and lives. Come, knock on the door and give us grace to open. Come to us in stimulating thoughts, clear insights, and illumined faith; in moving gratitude that makes us humble, in penitence that cleanses us, in a sense of vocation that challenges us. Come to us in a fresh vision of Christ, his grace and mercy, his call to our consciences, and his appeal to our strength.
At the beginning of a new year, full of dangers, yet full of possibilities, we pray that you will make us great enough for these great days. Against all our sins that defeat your holy purposes, we pray, but especially against the sins of littleness, meanness, prejudice, provincialism. Cast down our pride -- national, racial, personal. Make us humble, understanding, cooperative members of our one humanity. Lift us above the petty to grasp the import of these momentous times.
For ourselves, one by one, we pray that we may be among the world's assets and not its liabilities. For strength to stand up in trouble, for courage to overcome temptation, for inward grace from divine resources to master life and not be mastered by it, we pray. Through joy and sorrow, success and failure, the world's favor and the world's enmity, through happy fellowship with those we love, and through bereavement when the bell tolls for them and us, God keep us steadfast, undefeated, undishonored, and unashamed.
Let your Light shine on all of us today, making plain some answers to our questions, some assurance for our doubts, some strength for our weakness, some vision of our duty. May we be more valiant and triumphant spirits because we have worshiped you here; we pray in the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
We have followed a star to find him. He tells us that the light is no longer only in heaven. Indeed, we are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before all that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father God who is in heaven; and the blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.
