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Submit Your Own! December 26, 2010 By David von Schlichten Prayers for Worship December 26, 2010 First Sunday of Christmas Call to Worship Leader: God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you for Christmas, People: which lasts for twelve days. Leader: As we leave one year and enter another, People: we continue to kneel before the baby in the manger. Prayer of Invocation Jesus, we find your birth astonishing. Alleluia! Keep us celebrating throughout the twelve days and living according to the nativity throughout the coming year. Yes. Prayer of Confession We exalt you, Lord, for being born so that you could die and rise for our salvation. Our sins are many. We get wrapped up in materialism. We forget about Christmas as soon as we finish exchanging gifts. We tend to think Herod is in charge, not God. Forgive us. Encourage us to resolve to rejoice in you every day of the year. Amen. Words of Assurance Good Christian friends, rejoice! Christ is born today, Christ is born today! God forgives you of each of your sins, every single one of them. The supreme gift. Gloria in exclesis Deo! Prayer of Inspiration Holy Spirit, put in our hands the Word, that he may cradle us. Yes. Prayers of the People Deliverance-Lord, we find amazing the ways you have blessed the Church. We praise you for apostles John and Stephen. Help us to live according to your holy, powerful name. Word-made-flesh, (congregational response: open our eyes to your light.). Deliverance-Lord, we remember the barbaric slaughter of the Holy Innocents. Instruct us to care better for the helpless, including children and infants. Word-made-flesh, . . . Deliverance-Lord, we are walking across the bridge from 2010 into 2011. Lead us with your light, that we may enter the new year with theo-optimism and by walking according to your nativity-wisdom. Word-made-flesh, . . . Deliverance-Lord, throughout 2010 you blessed all of us, all of creation. It is tempting for us either to minimize sorrow or to obsess over it. Place us in the middle, ever confident that you, not the world’s Herods, are the ruler. Word-made-flesh, . . . Deliverance-Lord, as we continue to enjoy the holydays, help us to be safe, and guide us to care for those for whom the holydays are sad. Word-made-flesh, . . . Deliverance-Lord, you heal us. Touch everyone in need [Add names]. We praise you for your healing power, even when you do not bless us as we wish. Word-made-flesh, . . . Deliverance-Lord, we recall with affection all those who died in 2010. We will never forget them, and we know that they live in heaven with you. Word-made-flesh, . . . You may add other petitions and praises. Offertory Prayer At year’s end we offer these gifts. Bless them to the benefit of others now and in the new year. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. Benediction Leader: God of the Incarnation, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, People: you are mightier than a legion of Herods. Leader: In 2011 we shall insist on following the natal star, People: growing in wisdom as we honor Christ’s birth. Alleluia! David von Schlichten December 19, 2010 By David von Schlichten December 19, 2010 Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A Call to Worship Leader: O come, O come, Emmanuel. People: God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround us with Christ-News. Leader: Lead us with hope, peace, joy, and love. People: Make us Messiah-bearers for a barren world. Yes. Invocation Offshoot of Jesse, we are in awe of your birth. Set our minds, bodies, and souls toward the nativity that leads to the cross and empty tomb. In your name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Leader: Forgive us, God. Prepare us for the comings of Christ, future, past, and present. We focus on buying and not on the birth. We fixate on Santa and not on the Spirit. We journey to the mall and not to the manger. Clear our minds. Straighten us. Prepare us. People: In the name of Christ, restore us; let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. Words of Assurance The LORD God of hosts restores us. Christ’s face shines upon us. We are saved. All our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to Emmanuel in the manger. Prayer of Inspiration Maranatha – Prayers of the People Jesus, your birth heals, saves, challenges, and inspires us. Glory to God in the highest! Emmanuel, (congregational response: prepare us for your coming.). Jesus, we exalt you for the Church. We remember renewers of the Church such as Katharina von Bora Luther. Lead us always to embrace renewal and to hold fast to the unchanging truth. Emmanuel, . . . Jesus, we praise you for humanity’s breathtaking diversity. Bless the United States and every nation. Guide us to lasting peace. Emmanuel, . . . Jesus, care for soldiers who cannot be with loved ones during the holydays. Help us to be close to the soldiers, no matter where they are. Bring them home safely, and grant us the courage to end war forever. Emmanuel, . . . Jesus, bless us during the holydays. Keep us safe in travel. Bring comfort and care to those of us for whom the holydays are painful, especially the poor, grieving, lonely, and ill. Humble and embolden us to honor the holydays by caring for those in need. Emmanuel, . . . Jesus, we find astounding the gift of healing that you bestow upon us. Heal everyone in need, including all we mention now in our hearts or out loud [Add names]. Use us to help you heal. Emmanuel, . . . You may add other praises and petitions here. We commit these prayers to you, LORD, thankful for you hearing us, coming to us. Yes. Offertory Prayer Mother and Father of Mary and Joseph, we present these gifts for Christ’s glory and the help of the needy. Benediction Leader: God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are prepared. People: We are ready to kneel before the manger.
David von Schlichten, poedifier December 12, 2010 By David von Schlichten December 12, 2010 Third Sunday of Advent, Year A Call to Worship Leader: Rejoice! People: Alleluia! Leader: You can now see, leap, hear. You are alive, cleansed, and have hope. People: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit love-liberates us so we can love-liberate others. Invocation Messenger-Lord, you sent John to push us to prepare for a new reality. By the Spirit’s power, we shape ourselves up, prepare the way for you, wielding your healing love. In the name of Christ we pray. Yes. Prayer of Confession All-Seeing, Omni-Loving Adonai, we rejoice over your compassion, your patience. We dwell on sin, our eyes closed, our ears closed, shutting out the Good News, clinging to a victim-mentality. We fixate on human measures of success and prestige. We are impatient with you. For the sake of the Manger-Messiah, forgive us. Remake us. Wash us. Amen. Words of Assurance Rejoice! Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He comes with forgiveness. Christ was born to die and rise, so now you are forgiven. Alleluia! Prayer of Inspiration Maranatha! Prayers of the People Because of you, the Church is miraculous. We exalt you for martyrs such as Lucy and mystics such as John of the Cross. Lead us to revision according to the cruciform vision. God of John the Baptist, (congregational response: you give us reasons for joy.). Because of you, humanity is beautiful, rich in diversity. Bless the United States and every land. Strengthen our resolve toward diamond-durable peace. God of John the Baptist, . . . Because of you, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news brought to them. Heal everyone in need [Add names.] Use us for healing. God of John the Baptist, . . . You may add other praises and petitions here. Magnificat-Lord, you hear our prayers and respond by causing life and water to flourish in the wilderness. In the name of Emmanuel we praise. Amen. Offertory Prayer Use these gifts for the lifting up of the lowly and the feeding of the hungry. Yes. Benediction Leader: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit lifts those who are bowed down. People: Our souls shall magnify the Lord as we bear the Word to a barren world. Alleluia!
David von Schlichten, poedifier December 5, 2010 By David von Schlichten December 5, 2010 Second Sunday of Advent, Year A
Call to Worship Leader: We echo the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: People: Prepare the way of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; make God’s paths straight! Leader: Amid the shopping and baking People: we bear fruit worthy of repentance, our hearts full of hope and peace. Christ is coming. Invocation Holy Spirit, lead us to prepare for Christ’s coming by cleaning out our souls. Teach us to repent and be people of blue-hope. May we praise the Messiah by learning to lie down in peace with our enemies. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Lord of Compassion, forgive us our sins. We insist on fighting, often over stupid matters. In the name of greed, we wage war against animals and plants, instead of revering them. We crush the needy and defend the oppressor. We rest on our laurels instead of humbly serving others. For the sake of Christ, forgive us. Wash us. Make us new. Burn away our chaff. Yes. Words of Assurance The shoot from the stump of Jesse saves you through death on the tree. Christ washes away, burns away, all your sins. Thanks be to God. Prayer of Inspiration Maranatha! Prayers of the People We exalt you for the Church. We offer special gratitude for bishops such as Nicholas and Ambrose. Steer us away from being judgmental and toward being generous. Lord of John the Baptist, (congregational response: renew us.). We praise you for humanity’s beauty, creativity, and diversity. Bless the United States and every nation. Tend to the soldiers who cannot be with loved ones during the holydays. Direct all of us to care for the grieving, lonely, distant, and poor during this sacred season. Lord of John the Baptist, . . . We marvel at your world’s magnificent animals. Strengthen our wisdom so that we may take better care of your creatures. Help us to contribute to the peaceable kingdom. Lord of John the Baptist, . . . We thank you for baptism. Remind us every day to live as the saved, baptized people you have made us into through Jesus Christ. Lord of John the Baptist, . . . We find amazing your care for us. Heal all in need, including everyone we mention now. [Add names]. Make us instruments of your healing. Lord of John the Baptist, . . . You may add other praises and petitions here. We lay these prayers before you, that there may be an abundance of peace. In Christ’s name we pray. Yes. Offertory Prayer We give you this fruit of our repentance for your glory, including through the care of the poor. Benediction Leader: We, baptized and forgiven in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, People: leave to prepare a way for the Christ. Amen. Yes.
David von Schlichten, poedifier November 28, 2010 By David von Schlichten November 28, 2010 First Sunday of Advent, Year A Call to Worship Leader: By the power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we keep awake, People: for we do not know the day or the hour. Leader: We wait, not with fear, but with hope, People: for the coming of the Son of Man will complete salvation. Invocation Advent-Adonai, we are quick to fill with doubt and fear. Help us to focus on your light, so that we never weary in being bearers of hope. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession We praise you, Christ, for your promise of coming to us one day to finish making all things new. Yet we persevere in sin. We doze off and become lax in our commitment to you. At the same time, we obsess over who will be “left behind” while we neglect the Good News. We run around shopping, ignoring your pleas in the voices of the poor. We are busy pummeling plowshares into swords, even though you call us to do the opposite. We get caught up in everything from reveling to jealousy. By your blood, forgive us. Put on us the armor of light. Lead us to live honorably as in the day. Yes. Words of Assurance Christ has come to die and rise. Your sins are forgiven, every single one of them. Messiah guides you to the light. Prayer of Inspiration Maranatha! Prayers of the People Lord, you have endowed the Church with countless devoted servants. We are grateful for Andrew and all the apostles. This holyday season, keep our soul-eyes on the Messiah. God of Hope, (congregational response: we know you are with us.). Adonai, you have made humanity magnificently diverse. Marvelous! Bless the United States and every nation. Fill us with the courage, humility, and creativity needed to risk sustainable peace. God of Hope, . . . El Shaddai, bless the soldiers. We wish they could be with us during the holydays. Indeed, we wish there were no war. Care for those in the military and carry them safely home. God of Hope, . . . Lord of the Peaceable Kingdom, we are in awe of animals. During hunting season, lead us humans to be humane toward animals and not to take any more lives than necessary. God of Hope, . . . Almighty God, tigers are in danger of becoming extinct, as are many other organisms. Compel us to take action that makes a substantial, positive difference. God of Hope, . . . Apocalypse-Elohim, many of us fret about and obsess over the End. Steer us away from such fixations and toward loving you and others and taking care of creation. God of Hope, . . . Salvation-Yah, you care for us without ceasing. Heal all in need. [Add names.] Use us to help with the healing. God of Hope, . . . You may add other praises and petitions here. We know you hear us, and we praise you for answering us. In Christ’s name we pray and praise. Amen. Yes. Offertory Prayer Use our offering as plowshares for the feeding of all in anticipation of your return. Benediction Leader: Wake, awake, for night is flying. People: By the strong name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we keep awake with hope.
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