Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Home
(Prayer of Adoration)
Lord – You are good …and Your goodness knows no bounds.
When we were lost, You sought us out,
found us and brought us home.
When we were alone, You came near to us,
and You gave us a new circle of friends and family.
Each breath we take, each sunrise we see,
Each heartbeat we feel and each song we sing or hear –
All are gifts from You.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet, we’ve grown complacent in Your blessings:
Taking them for granted, rather than as signs of Your grace;
Keeping them for ourselves, rather than using them to bless others.
Forgive our selfish hearts and closed fists.
Forgive our self-importance
that leads us to take ourselves too seriously,
to take You too lightly and to forget others altogether.
Forgive us what we’re too embarrassed to name out loud,
As you hear the silent confessions of our hearts and the whispers of our souls … [Silence] AMEN.
Gracious God – our Father:
Sufficient and sovereign, yet, compassionate and kind;
You tell us the truth while the world lies to us;
You give us light and hope,
while all around us cast darkness and despair.
When we mess up our lives – you give us a new one.
When we lose our way – You find us and guide us home.
When we are cast out – You call us by name and take us in.
It’s no wonder we praise You.
It’s no wonder we love You.
Yet sometimes we seek to steal Your glory,
to love ourselves and ignore You.
Forgive us – and in the quiet hear our heart’s confession
Of how we hurt others and dishonor You. (silence … )
Opening Prayer for Reformation Sunday
Heavenly Father, thank you for a spiritual home
For the legacy of those who have gone before us and welcomed us
Lord Jesus, thank you for your church
For the legacy of your word and witness across the world
Holy Spirit, thank you for renewing your church in every age
Unify us and renew us
We long to be true to you and your ways
Reform us now
Make us courageous and steadfast and persevering
in sharing your grace and Good News
in living your merciful, transforming love
in the building of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven
Inspire us and defend us and send us out again, Holy One
For the honor and glory of your name alone, Amen
Reformation Day is celebrated annually on October 31. Some congregations choose to acknowledge this day on the Sunday closest to October 31.
Opening Prayer for Reformation Sunday © 2017 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
May those without hope take heart in you, O Christ.
May those with no home find shade at your right hand.
May those near the end see beginnings; may those at the last become first.
At the foot of your cross, O Christ, I come in prayer.
O Christ, be my help. O Christ, be our hope. Amen.”
Pamela C. Hawkins The Awkward Season: Prayers for Lent
Inspired by Ephesians 3
Heavenly Father,
All who gather here are your creation. You have called us forth into a world you have made and you continue to guide us all by your providence. As creatures, how can we begin to know you or think that we could approach your throne? Yet we are reminded by the word of your Spirit and the work of your Son, that we are your beloved people. May such good news find residence deep in our hearts as Christ makes his home in us. Give us the strength to comprehend, with all the saints, the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ. Every day we could grow in our understanding and never reach the end of your expansive love. Fill us with your presence that we may carry your blessings into your world.
Through Christ we pray, amen.
Casey Clark