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Call to Worship

L: Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you.
P:  You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long.
L: For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
P: There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
L: For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God!

 

Prayer of Hagar: "LORD, give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient for me."

Prayer For Providence

(adapted from a Letter by St. Francis de Sales on the occasion of the death of his younger sister)

Almighty God and Father,
     In our shared humanity, our hearts fear more than ever before in this world filled with anxiety, strife, and uncertainty.
     For those who doubt and fear that evil is greater than good we pray for the grace to take the side of your divine Providence. May we always believe that it does all well, and disposes all things for the best.
     And for all of us we pray for wisdom and justice, for courage and hope. May we know that, even if everything is taken from us, your divine Providence means that You will never take Yourself from us, so long as we do not will it.
     Enlighten our minds, encourage our hearts, and enliven our souls that we might know your presence, grow in love, and bring new hope to our world.    AMEN.

 

Prayer of Confession

Almighty and ever-gracious God, we confess that we are do not always trust your promises and provisions.  Like Abraham and Sarah, we too exclude our fellow human beings at times--perhaps out of fear of the unknown or because we feel threatened by them.

On this Sunday when you call us to count the cost of discipleship and follow you with all our hearts and minds, we confess our shortcomings:

For acts of discrimination and exclusion of our fellow human beings

People: Forgive us, dear Lord

For sins of omission; for withholding our love toward others

People: Forgive us, dear Lord

For not trusting in your care and provisions for us

People: Forgive us, dear Lord

For breaking your commandments and ignoring your guidance

People: Forgive us, dear Lord

Help us to truly understand that you love all your children and that you call us to unity, love and peace.  Enable us through your Holy Spirit to extend hospitality to all who cross our paths with no regard to their color, race, or class. Through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Discipleship

God of Love and Grace, you have called us into radical discipleship in the name of your son Jesus.  To you alone belong all of our heart and our devotion. You freed us from the burden of sin and by your Spirit enabled us to serve you and our neighbor. Help us, we pray, to continue in our commitment to you.  Empower us to always seek your Kingdom first.

Teach us to pray for our brothers and sisters aright; that we be so consumed in love for them that we may feel their needs as much as our own. Enable us to give as freely as we have received from you so that the name of our Lord Jesus be glorified.   Amen.

Closing Prayer:
(traditional Pakistani prayer)

O Creator and mighty God,
You have promised strength for the weak,
rest for the laborers, light for the way,
grace for the trials, help from above,
unfailing sympathy, undying love.
O Creator and mighty God,
help us to continue in your promise.  Amen.