This prayer sheet is inspired by these words from Psalm 55:22:
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.”
For personal use or to share.
A. CALL TO WORSHIP
(inspired by Psalm 146)
Happy are those whose hope is in God,
maker of heaven and earth –
for God keeps faith forever!
God executes justice for the oppressed
and gives food for the hungry.
God sets the prisoners free
and opens the eyes of the blind.
God lifts up those who are bowed down.
God watches over the strangers
and upholds the orphan and the widow.
People of God, sing praise
to the One who is your help –
for God keeps faith forever!
B. PRAYER OF CONFESSION
When we resist your call to open our hearts to allow the freshness of your grace to enter: Lord have mercy.
When we close our eyes to your new and unexpected possibilities of healing and reconciliation: Christ have mercy.
When we let fear overwhelm us, and cling to the security of what we know instead of risking new steps toward your freedom and justice: Lord have mercy.
God’s mercies are fresh every morning. In Christ God offers forgiving grace and welcome into a community of trust, abundance, and hope. Let us give thanks for the mercy of God, and pass the peace of Christ in community among us.
C. READING
D. PRAYERS FOR OTHERS
Dear Lord our God,
we are thankful that you are constantly at work in our lives. You are …
a help in times of difficulty,
a strength in times of weakness,
a guide when we feel lost and alone.
We know that through Your Son, Jesus Christ, You have the power …
to transform lives,
to mend broken relationships,
to bring strength to the weary
and hope to the broken hearted.
So with confidence we bring our prayers to You, knowing You will hear and respond.
We pray for those who are estranged from spouse or family, friends or neighbours; who find it difficult to forgive past wrongs done to them;
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who for years have carried feelings of guilt or regret for something they did or something they neglected to do; who find it difficult to ask for forgiveness or forgive themselves;
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who find themselves far away from You, struggling to overcome their doubts or disillusionment, and who wonder how to find their way back;
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those watching someone they love try to cope with serious illness or injury, and who long for Your miraculous intervention;
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the many others in our world who are suffering this day — from grief, or loneliness, hunger, poverty, violence or illness;
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Sustain all those who look to You in hope.
And strengthen us — Your people — so that we may be a light to all those who find themselves in darkness.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen
E. LET US PRAY
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Heb 1:3)
Let us pray …
F. BENEDICTION
(based on Isaiah 35:3-4)
Go from here
with confidence and hope.
Strengthen those who are tired and exhausted;
comfort those who are anxious and fearful.
Say to them all:
“Be strong, and do not fear!
For God is coming —
Indeed, God is already here!”
CREDITS
The following resources found on https://re-worship.blogspot.com/ and adapted for this prayer sheet:
A. United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/
B. written by Rev. Susan A. Blain, and posted on the Worship Ways website. http://uccfiles.com/
D. https://re-worship.blogspot.nl/2011/08/prayers-of-people-august-14-2011.html
F. https://re-worship.blogspot.nl/2013/11/benediction-isaiah-35-3-4.html
Prayer sheet prepared by Rev. Irene Bom, OLM in the International Presbytery of the Church of Scotland.
First used in Scots International Church Rotterdam at the monthly prayer service in May 2016, and adapted for general use. (The theme was proposed by our Consistory Clerk, Ato Bob Hensen, who led the prayer meeting that month.)