Call to Worship

Children of God, we gather today to encounter God.

We do not come expecting to be terrified or dismayed but to be welcomed and embraced.

We gather today to witness the gospel at work among us.

We come to join the assembly of the kingdom of God, to learn to live out God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

We gather today to declare our faith in God’s unshakeable kingdom.

We come with grateful hearts, trusting in the secure foundation of God’s steadfast love at work among us. Thanks be to God!

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, March 2025.

Prayer of Intercession

Listening God,
Hear our prayers as we come before you.
Hear the ones who are crying with pain in their heart.
Hear the ones who are weeping with grief long into the night.
Hear the ones who are sobbing in their loneliness.

Loving God,
Heal their pain.
Restore their lives.
Mend their broken hearts.

Leading God,
Lead us through the dark valleys.
Lead us through troublesome times.
Lead us to our home with you.

Teach us to listen to your voice,
That we may hear the cry of the needy and respond.
Teach us to love that
We may offer care that brings others to you for healing.
Teach us to lead,
With your vision so that we lead others home in you.

Amen

Adapted from Rev Abi and posted on Rev Abi’s Long and Winding Road blog. http://vicarofwadley.blogspot.ca/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/07/prayer-for-others-proper-16-c.html.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God,
You have set before us the path
but we have wandered on our own
to try to find our way.

Sometimes we are like toddlers
and we hear Your call and come back.

Other times, we are children testing boundaries,
ignoring Your call until fear finally makes us look back.

And still other times, we are full of youthful rebellion,
demanding to be cut loose and set free,
not knowing how much we still need
to seek Your wisdom and guidance.

But most of all, too often, we think we are adults
and have figured it all out and know our own way,
only to stumble and stray so far.

Remind us, parental God,
that we are always Your children,
that we are never fully grown up in Your sight,
that we always have much to learn.

Help us to seek You every day,
to acknowledge that we need Your wisdom and guidance,
and help us to return to the path and walk with You.
In the name of Christ,
who is our companion on this journey of faith, we pray. Amen.

Written by Rev Mindi and posted on Rev-o-lution, http://rev-o-lution.org/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2017/01/prayer-of-confession-walking-with-god.html.