1st
Quarter 2001-2002
Invocation
God of wonder and light, Master of universe: You ride upon the clouds and Your voice thunders from the heavens. Your glory and majesty are beyond our comprehension. Yet as we gather before You in this time of worship, enable us to gain a glimpse of Your holiness. As we stand on sacred ground in Your presence, fill us with awe and reverence. Even now, lift our hearts and minds from this earthly realm that we know so well, so that we may discover the wonders of Your heavenly kingdom. In the name of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Everlasting Father, You invite us into Your presence to behold Your glory and majesty. But often we prefer the ordinary and mundane instead. We fill our evenings with church meetings, but we find little time to look to You in prayer. We cast our gaze upon the dishes set before us at potluck suppers, while we overlook Your presence in the communion bread and cup. We eagerly listen for the latest gossip, yet we are hesitant to listen for Your Word in the Bible. Heavenly Lord, forgive the many ways we turn away from You. Lift our attention away from the secular and the ordinary, so that we may devote ourselves more completely to You. We ask this in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Almighty God, so often we get wrapped up in ourselves and in our own stories that we forget about You and the story that You set before us. In our times of sickness, cause us to remember that You are the Great Physician. Instead of focusing only on our pain and our despair, may look to You and trust that You are a God who is able to work wonders beyond our wildest imaginations. In our times of confusion, help us to recall that You are the God of wisdom, the God offers guidance. Just as You led the people of Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, You also will lead us, if only we would look to You.
When our faith grows dim, shine Your glory upon us. Surround us with Your holy cloud, and speak to us with Your voice of authority. In those times when we feel all alone, when we feel as though there is no anchor in our life, open our eyes to discover the way that we are connected to You. For You are the God who formed us and gave us life. You are the God who breathes Your Spirit into us and sustains us each day. Remind us that You are the God who has redeemed us and has given us the hope of eternal life in Your presence. In Your compassion, bind us to You and never let us go. We offer our prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication
O Lord our God, You are the King of all creation. As we, Your humble servants, gather before you, we ask that You would look with favor upon these, our gifts, as we offer them before You. Accept them as a sign of our awe and devotion. Use them to glorify Your name. In the name of our Lord and Savior we pray. Amen.
