14th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 16 (Year B)
/Call to Worship
It is the Lord who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt. Joshua 24
It was God who freed us from captivity and did great signs in our sight.
God has protected us and called us together to serve the Body of Christ.
Therefore, we will serve the Lord for we are God’s children.
Come, let us serve and worship the Lord.
Prayer of the Day
God of all wonder and praise,
a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. Ps. 84:10
Gather us in this place to make your heart our home.
And may our hearts beat with yours
as we seek guidance and wisdom
to be the disciples you’re calling us to be. Amen.
Call to Confession
As people of God’s promise,
let us confess our sins to one another
in all honesty and humility.
Confession
Abundant God,
you offer us the bread of life, John 6:58
a source of nourishment
that surpasses anything that we could secure for ourselves.
But often we trade that Living Bread
for things that give us instant gratification
or a false sense of security apart from your providence.
Forgive us for our lack of trust
and our inability to live into your steadfast love.
Gift us with faith we need to repent and turn to you.
This we pray in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Friends,
I announce to you this day that our sins have been forgiven.
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of God’s power. Eph. 6:10
Alleluia! Amen.
Prayer for Illumination
God of All Wisdom,
bless us today in the reading of your word
that we might be guided by its wisdom
and serve you and you alone. Amen.
Prayers of the People
Let us pray to God saying:
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
You have called us your children
and gathered us as your people
for the purpose of serving you
and the world you so lovingly created.
Give us courage to do the work at hand.
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
We give thanks, Heavenly Parent,
that there are many ways of serving your Kin-dom.
We ask for a clear mind and a generous Spirit
to guide us as we discern how we are called to serve.
We live in a busy world and many things compete for our attention.
May our focus be on your generous nature
and the ways we can share that generosity with others.
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
Help us, God of Servant Leadership,
to dress appropriately for the task of building up your Body.
Fasten the belt of truth upon our waists.
Dress us with the breastplate of righteousness.
Mount the shields of faith upon our arms.
Place the helmet of salvation atop our heads.
Help us put on the whole armor of your strength
that we may fight the good fight and run this race.
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
We ask this day that you help us serve those around us:
for those who have been hurt by the Church,
for those who have experienced judgement and harassment,
for those who are waiting to serve but have never been invited,
for those who are discerning new ways to serve in new chapters of their life,
and for those who feel like they have nothing to offer.
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
Abundant God of every blessing,
instill within us the heart of a servant
that we might follow the example of your son, Jesus Christ,
who embodied the life of the servant leader.
Give us wisdom and courage to take up the mantle of mission
and the sacrificial nature of your calling.
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
Healing God,
we pray for those who are upon our hearts this day
and ask that we may serve all who are in need…
Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.
Hear us, Faithful God,
as we lift up to you the prayer you taught us to pray, saying: Our Father…