SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Prayer
Psalms And Prayers For Congregational Participation
CALL TO WORSHIP
Be glad and sing for joy, because God judges the peoples with justice and guides every nation on earth. May all people everywhere honor the judge unimpeachable.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
GOD OF LAW AND LOVE, YOUR SON CAME PREACHING THAT THE LAW WAS MADE FOR US AND NOT THAT WE WERE MADE FOR THE LAW. FORGIVE US IF WE HAVE MADE COMMANDMENTS FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW WHERE YOU HAVE NOT
MADE ANY. EXCUSE ANY ZEAL THAT COMMANDS WHAT HE TAUGHT RATHER THAN TEACHING WHAT HE COMMANDS.
RECALL US FROM THOUGHTLESS TALK AND SPECULATION, NOT GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT WOULD DISTURB THE FAITH AND PEACE OF MIND OF OTHERS. PREVENT US FROM ADDING UNNECESSARY BURDENS TO OURSELVES AND OTHERS WHEN JESUS CALLS US TO BEAR AN EASY YOKE AND CARRY A LIGHT BURDEN, FOR HIS SAKE. AMEN
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Jesus says: Set your troubled heart at rest, and banish your fears. Peace is my gift to you. Friends, believe the Good News! IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVEN.
EXHORTATION
Heed the word that God speaks through the Living Word, Jesus. Heed the word the Spirit teaches, calling to your mind the teaching of Jesus. In this way show your love for God despite those who do not heed what Jesus says.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
OPEN OUR EYES, DIVINE HEALER, THAT WE MAY SEE GLORIOUS VISIONS OF WHAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH FOR HUMANITY AT THE END OF TIME. OPEN OUR EARS THAT WE MAY HEAR, AND OPEN OUR HEARTS THAT THEY MAY HEED THE WORDS THAT YOU SAY. LET OUR LOVE FOR YOU BE MADE EVIDENT BY OUR READINESS BOTH TO TRUST AND TO OBEY YOUR GUIDANCE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR GLIMPSES OF BLUE SKIES THROUGH CLOUDS OF TROUBLE, GOOD CREATOR, FOR VISIONS OF A BEAUTIFUL CITY BEYOND THE DIRTS AND GRIME, THE POLLUTION AND CRIME OF OUR EARTHLY CITIES. WE LONG FOR PEACE AMIDST THE TENSIONS, THE CONFLICTS, THE TERRORISM, THE OPEN WAR OF OUR WORLD. WE TREASURE THE INNER PEACE THAT YOU GIVE US, MAKING OUR SURVIVAL POSSIBLE IN TIMES OF STRESS AND UNCERTAINTY. WE DREAM OF THE PARADISE OF UNDISTURBED PEACE. YOUR REALM OF JUSTICE UNSHAKEABLE, WHERE YOU RULE UNOPPOSED, MONARCH OF PEACE, PRINCE OF PEACE, SPIRIT OF PEACE. AMEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
O GOD, YOU HAVE BLESSED US WITH LAND THAT BEARS FRUIT AFTER BLOSSOM TIME AND VINES THAT BEAR GRAPES AFTER PRUNING AND TYING TIME. WE OFFER TO YOU OUR OFFERINGS IN THANKSGIVING AND OUR LIVES TO BE FRUITFUL IN GOOD WORKS THAT OUR SOCIETY MAY NOT BE BARREN AND WITHOUT YOUR GRACE MADE MANIFEST IN US BY THE SPIRIT. AMEN
PSALM 67
May God be merciful to us and bless us,
SHOW US THE LIGHT OF HIS COUNTENANCE AND COME TO US.
Let your ways be known upon earth,
YOUR SAVING HEALTH AMONG ALL NATIONS.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU.
Let the nations be glad and sing for you.
FOR YOU JUDGE THE PEOPLES WITH EQUITY AND GUIDE ALL THE NATIONS UPON EARTH.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU.
The earth has brought forth her increase;
MAY GOD, OUR OWN GOD, GIVE US HIS BLESSING.
May God give us his blessing,
AND MAY ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH STAND IN AWE OF HIM.
Be glad and sing for joy, because God judges the peoples with justice and guides every nation on earth. May all people everywhere honor the judge unimpeachable.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
GOD OF LAW AND LOVE, YOUR SON CAME PREACHING THAT THE LAW WAS MADE FOR US AND NOT THAT WE WERE MADE FOR THE LAW. FORGIVE US IF WE HAVE MADE COMMANDMENTS FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW WHERE YOU HAVE NOT
MADE ANY. EXCUSE ANY ZEAL THAT COMMANDS WHAT HE TAUGHT RATHER THAN TEACHING WHAT HE COMMANDS.
RECALL US FROM THOUGHTLESS TALK AND SPECULATION, NOT GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT WOULD DISTURB THE FAITH AND PEACE OF MIND OF OTHERS. PREVENT US FROM ADDING UNNECESSARY BURDENS TO OURSELVES AND OTHERS WHEN JESUS CALLS US TO BEAR AN EASY YOKE AND CARRY A LIGHT BURDEN, FOR HIS SAKE. AMEN
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Jesus says: Set your troubled heart at rest, and banish your fears. Peace is my gift to you. Friends, believe the Good News! IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVEN.
EXHORTATION
Heed the word that God speaks through the Living Word, Jesus. Heed the word the Spirit teaches, calling to your mind the teaching of Jesus. In this way show your love for God despite those who do not heed what Jesus says.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
OPEN OUR EYES, DIVINE HEALER, THAT WE MAY SEE GLORIOUS VISIONS OF WHAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH FOR HUMANITY AT THE END OF TIME. OPEN OUR EARS THAT WE MAY HEAR, AND OPEN OUR HEARTS THAT THEY MAY HEED THE WORDS THAT YOU SAY. LET OUR LOVE FOR YOU BE MADE EVIDENT BY OUR READINESS BOTH TO TRUST AND TO OBEY YOUR GUIDANCE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR GLIMPSES OF BLUE SKIES THROUGH CLOUDS OF TROUBLE, GOOD CREATOR, FOR VISIONS OF A BEAUTIFUL CITY BEYOND THE DIRTS AND GRIME, THE POLLUTION AND CRIME OF OUR EARTHLY CITIES. WE LONG FOR PEACE AMIDST THE TENSIONS, THE CONFLICTS, THE TERRORISM, THE OPEN WAR OF OUR WORLD. WE TREASURE THE INNER PEACE THAT YOU GIVE US, MAKING OUR SURVIVAL POSSIBLE IN TIMES OF STRESS AND UNCERTAINTY. WE DREAM OF THE PARADISE OF UNDISTURBED PEACE. YOUR REALM OF JUSTICE UNSHAKEABLE, WHERE YOU RULE UNOPPOSED, MONARCH OF PEACE, PRINCE OF PEACE, SPIRIT OF PEACE. AMEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
O GOD, YOU HAVE BLESSED US WITH LAND THAT BEARS FRUIT AFTER BLOSSOM TIME AND VINES THAT BEAR GRAPES AFTER PRUNING AND TYING TIME. WE OFFER TO YOU OUR OFFERINGS IN THANKSGIVING AND OUR LIVES TO BE FRUITFUL IN GOOD WORKS THAT OUR SOCIETY MAY NOT BE BARREN AND WITHOUT YOUR GRACE MADE MANIFEST IN US BY THE SPIRIT. AMEN
PSALM 67
May God be merciful to us and bless us,
SHOW US THE LIGHT OF HIS COUNTENANCE AND COME TO US.
Let your ways be known upon earth,
YOUR SAVING HEALTH AMONG ALL NATIONS.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU.
Let the nations be glad and sing for you.
FOR YOU JUDGE THE PEOPLES WITH EQUITY AND GUIDE ALL THE NATIONS UPON EARTH.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU.
The earth has brought forth her increase;
MAY GOD, OUR OWN GOD, GIVE US HIS BLESSING.
May God give us his blessing,
AND MAY ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH STAND IN AWE OF HIM.
