Prayers for Sunday April 29, 2001

Third Sunday of Easter

Invocation

Ever living God, You set before us the food that truly satisfies, the food of eternal life. In this time of worship, draw us near to Your table, so that we may be nourished for the journey of faith that lies ahead. We ask not to be fed with crumbs but with real nourishment for your souls. We ask this in the name of our resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Bread of heaven, You have set us in a world of such abundance. The shelves at the grocery store overflow with more kinds of food than we can even imagine. The options that are placed before us are overwhelming. But so often we make poor decisions. We consume that which does not nourish us. We fill ourselves with that which does not build us up. We eat only what we like and leave behind the Brussels sprouts. Likewise with our spiritual appetites, so often we fail to feed upon that which would allow our inner being to flourish. We starve our spirits by avoiding the sacred food that You offer. Gracious Lord, forgive our sin. Take away the appetites that we have that lead us away from You. Fill us instead with a desire to feed upon You and Your Word. We pray in the name of our Savior. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

Eternal Lord, each day You satisfy our hungers and take away our thirsts. You give us the bread of life and the cup of salvation. There is no good gift that You hold back. Receive now our gifts as a sign of our grateful hearts. In the name of our risen Lord we pray. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Holy God, You invite us to come and feast with You at the banquet table that You have prepared. You encourage us to come and feed upon the food that nourishes us for eternal life. You urge us to come and drink from the fountain that is able to satisfy our deepest thirsts. But so often we turn aside from Your gracious welcome. Loving Father, grant that we may have a scent of the aroma of the heavenly meal that You have prepared for us. Lead us to sit with You in fellowship each day that our bodies and our spir8its might be built up in faith.

Almighty Lord, You invite not only us to come to Your table. You invite all Your people to come. Therefore, use us to extend Your blessed invitation. Use us to reach out to others that they also might know of the welcome that is extended to them. Work through us, O Lord, to offer to others not only the spiritual nourishment that You place before us. But work through us to offer to others the physical nourishment that Your people need as well. We ask these things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.