FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
Prayer
Psalms And Prayers For Congregational Participation
CALL TO WORSHIP
Young and old give praise to God, who sustains us from childhood to adulthood through birth and through death.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
GOD OF ALL PLACES, FAMILIAR AND FOREIGN, FORGIVE US IF WE ARE OPEN ONLY TO THE WORD OF THE STRANGE PROPHET AND CLOSED TO THE TRUTH WHEN IT COMES FROM A FAMILIAR PERSON. EXCUSE THE PRIDE THAT DISCOUNTS WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS CAN DO, ASSUMING THAT ONLY THE DISTANT EXPERT COULD BE WISER THAN OURSELVES. PARDON THE DOUBT THAT PREVENTS DOING IN OUR PLACE WHAT OTHERS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN OTHER PLACES BUT IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. WE ARE SORRY IF WE HAVE STOOD IN THE WAY OF YOUR WORK, BLOCKING THE ADVANCE OF THE CHURCH OF YOUR BELOVED SON, JESUS OF NAZARETH. AMEN
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! God's love lasts forever. There is no place it cannot reach. There is no age it cannot touch. Friends, believe the Good News. IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVEN.
EXHORTATION
Make love your quest. Prophets' work will end. The ecstasy of tongues will fade. Knowledge will lose its usefulness, but there will always be the need for love.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
DIVINE SPEAKER, LET US HEAR YOUR GRACIOUS WORDS FROM ANY LIPS. DIVINE HEALER, LET US FEEL YOUR HEALING TOUCH BY ANY HAND. LET NO SPIRIT OF DOUBT PREVENT YOUR WORK THROUGH OUR TALENTS OR THOSE OF OTHERS, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
GOD OF LOVE, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LOVE YOU HAVE SHOWN US IN CHRIST AND THROUGH OTHER PERSONS, FOR PATIENCE WITH OUR FAILINGS, FOR KINDNESS IN OUR WEAK MOMENTS, FOR PRAISE WHEN WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST, FOR FORGIVENESS WITHOUT COUNTING THE TIMES, FOR THOSE WHO GO WITH US WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH, FOR THOSE WHO TRUST US AGAIN AFTER WE HAVE ABUSED THEIR TRUST. FOR ALL GIFTS OF LOVE, WE THANK YOU, AND ESPECIALLY THAT YOUR LOVE FOR US IS STRONGER THAN DEATH. AMEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
LOVING GOD, WE RESPOND TO YOU WITH SUCH LOVE AS WE HAVE. WITHOUT OUR HEART'S LOVE, OUR MOST GENEROUS OFFERING, AND EVEN MARTYRDOM, WOULD NOT MAKE US ANY BETTER. WE WANT TO BE EVEN MORE LOVING, LIKE JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
PSALM 71:1-6
In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
LET ME NEVER BE ASHAMED.
In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free;
INCLINE YOUR EAR TO ME AND SAVE ME.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe;
YOU ARE MY CRAG AND MY STRONGHOLD.
Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked.
FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE EVILDOER AND THE OPPRESSOR.
For you are my hope, O Lord God,
MY CONFIDENCE SINCE I WAS YOUNG.
I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
FROM MY MOTHER'S WOMB YOU HAVE BEEN MY STRENGTH;
(ALL) MY PRAISE SHALL BE ALWAYS OF YOU.
Young and old give praise to God, who sustains us from childhood to adulthood through birth and through death.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
GOD OF ALL PLACES, FAMILIAR AND FOREIGN, FORGIVE US IF WE ARE OPEN ONLY TO THE WORD OF THE STRANGE PROPHET AND CLOSED TO THE TRUTH WHEN IT COMES FROM A FAMILIAR PERSON. EXCUSE THE PRIDE THAT DISCOUNTS WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS CAN DO, ASSUMING THAT ONLY THE DISTANT EXPERT COULD BE WISER THAN OURSELVES. PARDON THE DOUBT THAT PREVENTS DOING IN OUR PLACE WHAT OTHERS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN OTHER PLACES BUT IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. WE ARE SORRY IF WE HAVE STOOD IN THE WAY OF YOUR WORK, BLOCKING THE ADVANCE OF THE CHURCH OF YOUR BELOVED SON, JESUS OF NAZARETH. AMEN
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! God's love lasts forever. There is no place it cannot reach. There is no age it cannot touch. Friends, believe the Good News. IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVEN.
EXHORTATION
Make love your quest. Prophets' work will end. The ecstasy of tongues will fade. Knowledge will lose its usefulness, but there will always be the need for love.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
DIVINE SPEAKER, LET US HEAR YOUR GRACIOUS WORDS FROM ANY LIPS. DIVINE HEALER, LET US FEEL YOUR HEALING TOUCH BY ANY HAND. LET NO SPIRIT OF DOUBT PREVENT YOUR WORK THROUGH OUR TALENTS OR THOSE OF OTHERS, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
GOD OF LOVE, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LOVE YOU HAVE SHOWN US IN CHRIST AND THROUGH OTHER PERSONS, FOR PATIENCE WITH OUR FAILINGS, FOR KINDNESS IN OUR WEAK MOMENTS, FOR PRAISE WHEN WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST, FOR FORGIVENESS WITHOUT COUNTING THE TIMES, FOR THOSE WHO GO WITH US WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH, FOR THOSE WHO TRUST US AGAIN AFTER WE HAVE ABUSED THEIR TRUST. FOR ALL GIFTS OF LOVE, WE THANK YOU, AND ESPECIALLY THAT YOUR LOVE FOR US IS STRONGER THAN DEATH. AMEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
LOVING GOD, WE RESPOND TO YOU WITH SUCH LOVE AS WE HAVE. WITHOUT OUR HEART'S LOVE, OUR MOST GENEROUS OFFERING, AND EVEN MARTYRDOM, WOULD NOT MAKE US ANY BETTER. WE WANT TO BE EVEN MORE LOVING, LIKE JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
PSALM 71:1-6
In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
LET ME NEVER BE ASHAMED.
In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free;
INCLINE YOUR EAR TO ME AND SAVE ME.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe;
YOU ARE MY CRAG AND MY STRONGHOLD.
Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked.
FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE EVILDOER AND THE OPPRESSOR.
For you are my hope, O Lord God,
MY CONFIDENCE SINCE I WAS YOUNG.
I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
FROM MY MOTHER'S WOMB YOU HAVE BEEN MY STRENGTH;
(ALL) MY PRAISE SHALL BE ALWAYS OF YOU.
