Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Time
God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
God of hope, of new life—
All our times are in Your hands.
We thanks and praise You,
for you are the Lord of our yesterdays,
our todays and our tomorrows.
In You, the old is redeemed and
everything has become new!
Knowing that You are good and strong,
loving, wise and faithful;
we trust you with all that’s on our hearts today—
from that which brings us to tears in laughter,
to that which causes us to weep in sorrow.
Loving God, we thank You
for grace you’ve shone to us this week,
for prayers to which you’ve said “yes”
and those to which you’ve said, “No—I have a better idea.”
Jesus—Lord of the church,
we pray or this congregation:
May they be anointed with your touch,
empowered by Your Spirit; and
formed in Your image
so everyone may see You in them,
and through them;
that as You are lifted higher,
You can draw all people to Yourself in glory.
Holy and Gracious God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We give you thanks for the gift of life,
for the gift of Jesus our Savior,
for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and
for the gifts of Word and Sacrament to nourishes our souls.
Like a potter at the wheel you created us,
shaping us in secret in the hidden depths.
You read our inmost thoughts and desires
and you keep your hand upon us always,
reshaping us as seems good to you
whenever we allow ourselves to become
misshapen, pressed into the world’s mold.
Lord, lead us through the trials;
the suffering and sorrow,
the challenges and struggles,
the tired times and dark places.
And use those experiences to make us
more like Jesus.
In life’s ordinary moments,
bus, car or train,
pedestrian moments,
at home and employment,
with all those distractions.
How can we praise you?
How can we praise you
when time is so precious,
appointments and targets
distracting our focus,
muddying waters,
made clean for your purpose.
How can we praise you?
How can we praise you?
Through all of our actions,
a smile and a greeting,
a shoulder to lean on,
a word in due season,
love and compassion,
in all situations
John Birch, Faith and Worship
God of the Impossible – Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
There’s nothing too hard for you to do,
Nothing too complex for You to understand,
No place we go that You’re not there,
No sin too heinous that You’ll not forgive,
And no time when You cease to love Your own.
You amaze us with Your power and creativity;
You overwhelm us with Your grace and love.
Thank You!
Thank You for inviting us to come as we are, not as we aren’t;
upheld by your compassion and grace
so we can freely confess to you our sin,
duplicity and self-absorption.
In the quiet, Lord, now hear our whispered confessions
of what we’re too ashamed to say aloud to anyone but You,
for You know us intimately – and still loves us immensely.