Proper 20
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids, Cradled in God's Heart
Series VIII, Cycle A
Object:
Call To Worship
One: Here, we gather in preparation
All: calling on God's name,
singing praises to our Creator.
One: Here, we gather in anticipation
All: believing that to live for Christ is gain;
to serve others in Christ is our calling.
One: Here, we gather in hope
All: that God will take away our fears;
that the good news will transform our lives.
Prayer Of The Day
Like the dew on the grass,
Giver of Manna,
your grace comes to us
fresh each morning,
waiting to be gathered up,
savored with joy,
and shared with childish abandon.
Like the geese flying over our heads,
as we stand waiting for the bus,
you call to us,
Christ of Brokenness,
inviting us to set aside those desires
that fill us with a passion for ourselves,
and to take on that compassion
that reflects your heart for all who suffer.
Like the water that turns a desert into a spring,
Spirit of Generosity,
you flow into our lives,
taking the gift of God's holy emptiness
and filling it with prayer, with a song,
with a Word, with silence,
so that overflowing with the presence of Christ,
we can go forth to serve God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray, saying,
Our Father ...
Call To Reconciliation
We try. God knows how hard we try. And God must wonder why we work so hard to earn love that is already ours, given joyfully, unconditionally, eternally. Set aside your weariness from working hard and come to receive God's healing mercy for your life. Please join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
You frustrate us, Confusing God. We think we have you all neatly wrapped in a box, and you burst out with laughter on your lips and grace flowing from your heart. We grumble about how others seem to have more, forgetting how richly you have blessed us. We are hard pressed by the world to follow its seductive trail to empty hopes and false promises. We compete even with our best friends and closest neighbors, rather than offering encouragement and strength.
Forgive us, Providing God, for our failures to be your people. Help us to stop our grumbling, and to be bearers of grace to the broken; enable us to quit complaining and to share compassion with those who need healing and hope; teach us to sing, to sing of your glory, to sing of your mercy, to sing of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in whom we have life.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
One: We expect to be condemned and receive compassion; we figure we will be punished, but are forgiven. God continually turns our world upside down, so we can live in joy and peace.
All: By God's grace, we are new people;
by God's Wisdom, we see others in a new light;
by God's Spirit, we serve in new ways.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
One: Here, we gather in preparation
All: calling on God's name,
singing praises to our Creator.
One: Here, we gather in anticipation
All: believing that to live for Christ is gain;
to serve others in Christ is our calling.
One: Here, we gather in hope
All: that God will take away our fears;
that the good news will transform our lives.
Prayer Of The Day
Like the dew on the grass,
Giver of Manna,
your grace comes to us
fresh each morning,
waiting to be gathered up,
savored with joy,
and shared with childish abandon.
Like the geese flying over our heads,
as we stand waiting for the bus,
you call to us,
Christ of Brokenness,
inviting us to set aside those desires
that fill us with a passion for ourselves,
and to take on that compassion
that reflects your heart for all who suffer.
Like the water that turns a desert into a spring,
Spirit of Generosity,
you flow into our lives,
taking the gift of God's holy emptiness
and filling it with prayer, with a song,
with a Word, with silence,
so that overflowing with the presence of Christ,
we can go forth to serve God's people.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray, saying,
Our Father ...
Call To Reconciliation
We try. God knows how hard we try. And God must wonder why we work so hard to earn love that is already ours, given joyfully, unconditionally, eternally. Set aside your weariness from working hard and come to receive God's healing mercy for your life. Please join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
You frustrate us, Confusing God. We think we have you all neatly wrapped in a box, and you burst out with laughter on your lips and grace flowing from your heart. We grumble about how others seem to have more, forgetting how richly you have blessed us. We are hard pressed by the world to follow its seductive trail to empty hopes and false promises. We compete even with our best friends and closest neighbors, rather than offering encouragement and strength.
Forgive us, Providing God, for our failures to be your people. Help us to stop our grumbling, and to be bearers of grace to the broken; enable us to quit complaining and to share compassion with those who need healing and hope; teach us to sing, to sing of your glory, to sing of your mercy, to sing of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in whom we have life.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
One: We expect to be condemned and receive compassion; we figure we will be punished, but are forgiven. God continually turns our world upside down, so we can live in joy and peace.
All: By God's grace, we are new people;
by God's Wisdom, we see others in a new light;
by God's Spirit, we serve in new ways.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
