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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 90)
L: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
P: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
L: For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.
P: You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning;in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.
L: The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.
All: Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. LORD, teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

 

Call to Worship

L: Today, Christ's Spirit is in our midst.
P: God is calling us again to love God with all our might. And to love our neighbors as ourselves.
L: Let the glory of the Lord rise among us
P: May we worship God in unity and harmony.

 

Prayer of Confession by St. Ephraim the Syrian

“O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of idleness, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and vain talk. Instead, give to me, Your servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love. Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brother, for You are Blessed from all ages to all ages.”
Amen.

 

A Prayerful Declaration of Love to God (Gospel)

You, who alone is worthy of all love and adoration, cause me to not only know your precious word, but let it become a medium through which I might encounter you in the depth of my heart. You ever surround me with a sense of  boundless love and infinite wisdom. Through your Spirit, strengthen the bond of love between us every day.   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and declare your great love for Him in all the earth!

Prayer for Love of Neighbor (Gospel)

Teach me to love, Lord, as you love,
unconditional, honest, and kind.
May it be seen in my face and my eyes, Lord.
May it be simple and sincere. Amen.

Prayer for Protection and Good Health (Epistle)

Lord Jesus, we ask for Your protecting hand over all of our people. We pray that you will keep us from serious illness and that You will adjust our lifestyles where needed so that we can continue to live fully to build Your kingdom. We ask that You protect us from any form of calamity or accident and that You help us be prudent, careful, and attentive in all our undertakings. We ask You to protect all of our homes, cars, and possessions from thievery or vandalism and protect all of our people from any acts of violence. We ask you, Lord, to bring peace to each of our neighborhoods. Protect us when traveling and protect and sustain all those who are temporarily living or staying in locations outside of our usual domain. Lord, we ask that you protect us from all the designs of the enemy to hurt or hinder us. We acknowledge that You are sovereign over every area of our life. Lord, we trust in You.

Prayer for Provision (Epistle)

Lord Jesus, we ask You to provide for our physical and material needs individually and as a people. We ask You to provide well-paying, meaningful jobs for the unemployed and the underemployed in our midst. Lord, teach us to be provident and resourceful and help us to in live Christian simplicity so that we may expend ourselves and our resources in building your kingdom. Amen.

Prayer for Faith  (First Lesson)

     O Heavenly Father, the precious faith You give is the root of all our graces, the channel of communion, the weapon of prevalence, the shield of safety, the evidence of eternity and the passport of glory. Grant us O Lord, more of this inestimably precious faith.
     Lord Jesus, grant us that faith which draws energy out of splendid ideals and incorporates it in our present and immediate life.
     Blessed Spirit of God, cause our faith to increase in fullness, constancy, and simplicity. Amen.

 

Prayer for Vision (First Lesson)

Good and gracious Lord, you have created the universe and filled it with marvelous and wonderful things. You have showered us with gifts beyond our imagining, most especially the gift of your Son. We praise You and thank You for all these gifts. And we ask that You walk with us and inspire us as we strive to make good use of Your gifts to hasten the coming of Your Kingdom.

Give us a vision of building more than buildings and spaces, of building communities and ministries. Give us a vision of building not only for ourselves, but for all your people in this place. Give us clarity to see with Your Eyes; give us humility to listen to Your will; and give us boldness to do it.  Amen.

 

Closing Prayer:

We can accomplish nothing on our own. So be with us, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as we go into the world to do the work you have given us to do, now, in the days to come, and in all eternity. Amen.