Calls To Worship
Worship
Adapted from Psalm 8
Leader: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
People: You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.
Leader: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place…
People: Who are we that you are mindful of us?
Leader: Creator of Heaven and Earth, thank You for creating us and loving us in a way that knows no limits.
People: We acknowledge You as Lord and praise You for all of creation.
Leader: Holy Spirit, we welcome You in this time of praise and worship.
People: Please, Lord, shape us and mold us into the disciples of Jesus Christ that You are calling us to be.
Lenten Prayer Adapted from Psalm 29
Leader: Then let us wait for the Lord, and in this season of Lent, let us wait by the cross.
Leader: “Ascribe to the Lord, glory and strength.” Glorify God’s holy name.
People: We worship the Lord with awe in our hearts.
Leader: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders.”
People: “The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”
Leader: “The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars… The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.”
People: “The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness… The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare;”
Leader: And all in God’s holy temple cry,
People: Glory! Glory to God in the highest. Holy! Holy is the Lord God Almighty. “You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power.”
Leader: Let us worship God.
(Adapted from Psalm 29:1, 3-5, 7-9 (RSVUE) Lk 2:14 (KJV), Rv 4:8, 11 (NRSVUE))
Responsive Prayer from Psalm 29
Give the Lord the glory due his name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters:
The God of glory thunders:
The Lord is upon many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The Lord sits upon the flood; the Lord sits as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to his people;
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
(Adapted for modern liturgical use from Ps 29:1-4, 7, 8, 10-11 (KJV), Ps 29:9 (NIV))
Adapted from Psalm 72
Leader: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
People: Blessed be your glorious name forever, God, may your glory fill the whole earth.
Leader: Come, Let us worship God!
Adapted from Psalm 86:8-10, NRSV
There is none like you, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come
and bow down before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things,
you alone are God.
Adapted from Psalm 95:6-7
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Adapted from Psalm 95:6-7 (The Psalter)
Come, bow down and worship,
kneel to the Lord, our Maker.
This is our God, our shepherd,
we are the flock led with care.
Adapted from Psalm 98
Leader: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
People: The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
Leader: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth; burst into jubilant song with music.
People: Make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing.
Leader: With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn
People: Shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
Leader: Let us worship God.
Hassell Bullock
Adapted from Psalm 100
Leader: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
People: come before him with joyful songs.
Leader: Worship the Lord with gladness; Come before him with joyful songs.
People: Know that the Lord is God. Come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God.
Leader: It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
People: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
All: For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
(NIV, adapted for liturgical use)
Adapted from Psalm 100:1-3
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with Gladness.
Come into his presence with singing.
Knowing that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his.
We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Lord, please help us to remember whose we are as we worship you today.
Austin D. Hill
Adapted from Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Adapted from Psalm 111 (NLT)
Leader: Praise the Lord!
People: I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
Leader: How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
People: All who delight in him should ponder them.
Leader: Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
People: His righteousness never fails.
Leader: He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
People: How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
Leader: He gives food to those who fear him;
People: he always remembers his covenant.
Leader: He has shown his great power to his people
People: by giving them the lands of other nations.
Leader: All he does is just and good,
People: and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
Leader: He has paid a full ransom for his people.
People: He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
Leader: What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
People: Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
All: All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.
Praise him forever!
Adapted from Isaiah 2:3-5
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
So that we may walk in his paths.
The law will go out from Zion,
The word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
God will judge between the nations
And will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords in plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
Nor will they war any more.
Come, house of Jacob,
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Austin D. Hill
Adapted from 1 Corinthians 12
Leader: “Now concerning spiritual gifts,” brothers and sisters, “there are varieties of gifts,”
People: “But the same Spirit;”
Leader: “And there are varieties of service,”
People: “But the same Lord;”
Leader: “And there are varieties of activities,”
People: “But it is the same God who empowers all of them in everyone.”
Leader: To each person “is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” “All gifts are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as the Spirit wills.” So let us now come to worship the One who gifts each of us to serve and glorify God.
Adapted for liturgical use from 1 Cor 12:1a, 4-7, 11 (ESV)
Adapted from Philippians 2
Leader: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
People: But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
Leader: And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on the cross.
People: Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name,
Leader: So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth; and under the earth,
People: And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Leader: So let us join in singing our praise.
Let us worship the eternal God,
the source of love and life, who creates us.
Let us worship Jesus Christ,
the risen one, who lives among us.
Let us worship the Spirit,
the holy fire, who renews us.
To the one true God be praise
in all times and places,
through the grace of Jesus Christ.
Touch Holiness. Edited by Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi.© 1990, Pilgrim Press.
God, you are my God. I earnestly seek you.
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will life up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Adapted from Psalm 126
Leader: Come, and worship the Lord, who fills mouths with laughter and tongues with shouts of joy.
People: The Lord has done great things for us, and so we rejoice.
Leader: May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
People: Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
Leader: Let us worship God, who restores life and heals the broken!
Inspired by Psalm 32:11 (ESV)
Leader: Come into my presence with singing; come to me with shouts of praise!
All: We are glad to worship You, O Lord! We rejoice with songs of praise.
Leader: Come to me, all people. Come to me, find refuge, sing praise, and have your hearts renewed!
All: We shout for joy, O God! We shout Your praise because You have been good to us!
Dustin Ray
Adapted from Psalm 25:1-5
Leader: In you, Lord our God, we put our trust.
People: We trust in you; do not let us be put to shame, nor let our enemies triumph over us.
Leader: No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. Show us your ways, Lord, teach us your paths.
People: Guide us in your truth and teach us, for you are God our Savior, and our hope is in you all day long.
Leader: Let us worship the Lord!
Submitted by Scott Bullock
Micah 6:6-8
Leader: With what shall I come before the Lord
And bow down before the exalted God?
People: Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
Leader: Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams
With ten thousand rivers of oil?
People: Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Leader: He has showed you, O man, what is goodl
And what does the Lord require of you?
People: To act justly and to love mercy
And to walk humbly with your God.
We come to this place seeking something …
something better than ourselves;
something that gives life meaning;
some relationship that reaches deep into
our souls to fulfill us;
maybe even something to which we cannot put a name.
But we come seeking … ‘
and even more important, we are sought by one who gives us
worth and meaning and value and love.
So, today, let us enter into this time of worship with hearts and minds
that are open to the one who has laid down his life for us,
who stands at the throne of God in support of us, and who reigns
in power for us. Come, let us worship.
Heather A. Hood, “Call to Worship,” in Brad Berglund Ed., Reinventing Worship: Prayers, Readings, Special Services and More.