PROPER 12
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series III, Cycle A
CALL TO WORSHIP
Give God thanks and invoke the hallowed name, making God's deeds known in the world around. Do this honor with song and psalm and think upon all of the wonders of God.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Supreme Communicator, who can explain how you hear and speak to us? Divine-human communication, how shall we properly acknowledge you as one who teaches and is the teaching? Internal Communicator, how can you be God and within us, unworthy and unknowing as we are? Yet we frequently live without adequate time set aside for prayer and meditation, smug in our small wisdom, self-satisfied and self righteous, though still so unlike your eldest Son, our Brother, Jesus. Forgive our misplaced values, for not treasuring your complete rule in us at the cost of all else. Our only hope is that you will continue to shape us in our life as your family with Jesus Christ. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! God knew his own before they ever were. He calls us, justifies us, and gives us the splendor of the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. Friends, believe the Good News. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Cling to nothing as having any worth, besides the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and the privilege of being a learner in it.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Teller of parables, we need to learn in order to teach but teach us by your tantalizing parables, that our imaginations may be stretched and we will tell new parables as well as old ones. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Hearer of prayers, Giver of wisdom, Advocate of God's people, we give thanks for every human leader who has sought and received your gifts; who has known and served you by whatever name. We thank you for patriarchs and matriarchs, that you are the God of Sarah as well as of Abraham, of Rebecca as well as of Isaac, of Rachel as well as of Jacob. You make yourself known in days of pilgrimage as in years of exile and in periods of settlement. There is no place on earth where you cannot be worshipped and called upon, by whatever name or title, in any language, by people of many faults and faiths and differing customs. You deserve the thanksgiving of everyone everywhere, for you are God of all, responsive, generous, compassionate. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
How can we set a price on the parables of the kingdom, or consider an admission charge to enter into your realm, Sovereign of sovereigns? Receive us, undeserving as we are, for the sake of our elder Brother, Jesus, Prince of peace, and sanctify these humble gifts by the Spirit's use. Amen.
PSALM 105:1-11, 45b
O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondeiful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
He is mindful of his covenant forever,
of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance."
Praise the LORD!
(or)
PSALM 128:1-6
Happy is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion.
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!
Give God thanks and invoke the hallowed name, making God's deeds known in the world around. Do this honor with song and psalm and think upon all of the wonders of God.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Supreme Communicator, who can explain how you hear and speak to us? Divine-human communication, how shall we properly acknowledge you as one who teaches and is the teaching? Internal Communicator, how can you be God and within us, unworthy and unknowing as we are? Yet we frequently live without adequate time set aside for prayer and meditation, smug in our small wisdom, self-satisfied and self righteous, though still so unlike your eldest Son, our Brother, Jesus. Forgive our misplaced values, for not treasuring your complete rule in us at the cost of all else. Our only hope is that you will continue to shape us in our life as your family with Jesus Christ. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! God knew his own before they ever were. He calls us, justifies us, and gives us the splendor of the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. Friends, believe the Good News. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Cling to nothing as having any worth, besides the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and the privilege of being a learner in it.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Teller of parables, we need to learn in order to teach but teach us by your tantalizing parables, that our imaginations may be stretched and we will tell new parables as well as old ones. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Hearer of prayers, Giver of wisdom, Advocate of God's people, we give thanks for every human leader who has sought and received your gifts; who has known and served you by whatever name. We thank you for patriarchs and matriarchs, that you are the God of Sarah as well as of Abraham, of Rebecca as well as of Isaac, of Rachel as well as of Jacob. You make yourself known in days of pilgrimage as in years of exile and in periods of settlement. There is no place on earth where you cannot be worshipped and called upon, by whatever name or title, in any language, by people of many faults and faiths and differing customs. You deserve the thanksgiving of everyone everywhere, for you are God of all, responsive, generous, compassionate. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
How can we set a price on the parables of the kingdom, or consider an admission charge to enter into your realm, Sovereign of sovereigns? Receive us, undeserving as we are, for the sake of our elder Brother, Jesus, Prince of peace, and sanctify these humble gifts by the Spirit's use. Amen.
PSALM 105:1-11, 45b
O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondeiful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
He is mindful of his covenant forever,
of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance."
Praise the LORD!
(or)
PSALM 128:1-6
Happy is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion.
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!
