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A Call to Worship (based on Psalm 34)

L: O taste and see that the LORD is good,
P: Let us exalt God's name together.
L: I will bless the LORD at all times
P: God's praise shall always be in my mouth.
L: Look to the LORD, and be radiant;
P: For God's light shines brightly in the darkness.
L: O magnify the LORD with me,
P: Come, let us worship God.

 

Prayer For Illumination

Open wide the window of our spirits, O Lord, and fill us full of light; open wide the door of our hearts, that we may receive and entertain thee with all our powers of adoration and love.  Amen.

From the Canticle of Light and Darkness:

We look for light but find darkness,
for brightness, but walk in gloom.
We grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight.

Blessed be your name, O God, for ever.
You reveal deep and mysterious things;
You are light and in you is no darkness.
Our darkness is passing away
and already the true light is shining.

 

Prayer of Confession

God of Mercy, amidst the sound of crashing buildings and the silence of a city never silent, we make our confession.

We confess our fears.

(silence)

We confess the fear that evil has won, and that Love has been vanquished.

We confess our need to punish and hurt and hate those who have hurt us so deeply.

We confess the desire to escape from it all even as billows of ash in the northeastern sky reminded us of what had occurred.

Forgive us God.

Forgive us... and help us to forgive.

 

Prayer for Healing

    Lord God, heavenly Father, we ask you to have mercy on all those among our community of faith who are afflicted with illness and pain. Preserve their life, o Lord, and, if a way can be found in your eternal purposes, grant them relief from pains and healing from this illness.   Comfort them with the assurance of your love and presence and with the forgiveness of all their sins through the grace of your dear Son and our  Savior, Jesus Christ.

    Keep us all in your great love. Grant us those gifts of body and soul that we can bear. Finally, bring as out of this life of trials to the heavenly mansions of our eternal house, which have been prepared for us through the Work of our Savior and which have been promised to us by the Word of your truth. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

 

Prayer for strength to share in the sufferings of Christ

O Jesus, you have called us to suffer as you have suffered for us, leaving us an example that we might follow. When you were insulted, you did not return the insult. When you were mistreated, you did not counter with threats, but entrusted yourself to the One who judges justly. By your wounds we are healed. Help us to imitate you in suffering. Help us to be so firmly grounded in the way of the cross, that we may no longer live according to the flesh but according to the will of our Creator God. Having walked on this earth and having died a gruesome death for us, you are able to bring aid to all who suffer and are tempted. We entrust ourselves to you, knowing that you will never fail us. Amen.

 

A Reformation/Counter-Reformation Day Prayer:

Lord God of hosts, the Refuge of every sinner and the Strength of all who put their trust in you, we praise you for having made us partakers of the blessings of your Reformation. Without any merit on our part, you have sent your Holy Spirit into our hearts and brought us to faith in your dear Son, Jesus Christ. You have made known to us the worthlessness of our own good deeds and the perfect merit of Christ. You have directed our faith to rest on the exceedingly great and precious promises of your Gospel. You have revealed the beauty of your grace, which rescued us from a just condemnation and assured us of certain salvation in Christ. Grant us your grace that we may receive your forgiveness with thanksgiving and reflect your mercy in thanks-giving. Use us as your witnesses in bringing the message of pardon in Christ to our fellow men everywhere. Open our eyes to a better understanding of your Word and a deeper appreciation of your grace that our faith in Christ Jesus may grow and flourish with the fruits of righteous living. Grant purity of doctrine and practice to you. Amen.

 

Closing Prayer:

Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you for preserving your holy church against the very forces of hell. For the gift of the blessed gospel we praise your name. For the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection from the dead and life eternal in Christ, we thank you, loving Father, we treasure the rich heritage handed down from our fathers in the faith. Continue, O God, to raise up faithful leaders among us, so that we can carry on your saving work to the end of time. All glory to your name! Hear our prayer which we ask in the name of your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.  Amen.