In Spirit and Truth

Prayers for Worshipers

Gleason

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781498294720
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

This book will be a welcome addition to the libraries of those who are engaged in planning and leading worship. It provides thoughtful, expressive prayers that may be used during traditional worship services and also at retreats, at church events, and for the many occasions in life that call for a prayerful response. Encompassing many categories of prayer, the selections included will be a helpful resource for pastors, chaplains, worship leaders, and liturgists throughout the church year as they encourage those they serve to pray and to worship in spirit and truth.

1

Enter His Gates

Prayers for Preparation

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

—Ps 100:4

The beginning of worship often finds stragglers making their way to the pews; visitors gazing at their surroundings, unsure of what to expect; friends recounting the week’s events; and parents trying to calm already-restless children. The following Prayers for Preparation may be printed in the bulletin as a device for helping worshipers center themselves before the introit or announcements, or they may serve as the opening words of worship spoken aloud by the leader, letting the congregation know that it is time to put aside distractions and become focused. These first prayers include petitions for the presence of the Holy, and they express hope for the fulfillment of our longing to know and serve the One who has gathered us together. Prayers for services where the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated, as well as for specific Sundays, are at the end of the chapter.

In this time of worship, O God, refresh our desert hearts with living water. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, and fill us with joy and peace. Then send us out into the world to spill your good news everywhere. Amen.

In the silence and the singing, in the praying and the listening, in the giving and receiving, be present here. In the hand that shares your peace, in the voice that speaks your Word, in the instrument that plays your praise, be present here. So fill this place that we may not fail to see and hear you whom we seek. So fill our hearts that we may not fail to be moved to give you thanks and glory. We pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Almighty God, you sent Jesus to proclaim your reign and to teach with authority. Anoint us with your Spirit so that we too may bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to the captive, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives in unity with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Holy God, as we gather this day to praise and worship you, we rejoice that you are a God who does not stand at a distance, but who comes near and calls us into relationship with you. You call us into covenant and give us your Word of wisdom so that we might live lives wholly pleasing to you. Open our hearts so that we may hear your Word and claim your promises in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Spirit of God, inspire us, indwell us, and inform us so that your ways, your will, and your wisdom might be known to us and through us. As we gather in Christ’s name, open our ears to your teaching, our eyes to your truth, and our hearts to your leading. By your presence here, unite us in faith and purpose. Amen.

Jesus, you promised your people an advocate to be with us forever as a Spirit of Truth. Grant that, as we gather, we may be governed by that Spirit so that our words, thoughts, and actions might reveal the One who calls us to this place and in whose name we pray. Amen.

God of Promises Kept, as we gather this day, give us the faith to believe that, by your grace, our mourning may be turned to dancing, our darkness made bright, and our hopes fulfilled in miraculous ways. Fill us with faith, with wonder, and with awe so that this sanctuary may truly become holy ground. Amen.

As we gather in your holy presence, O Divine Counselor, teach us the language of love. As your Word fills our hearts, let wisdom direct our understanding so that we, in speech and action, may share your message of truth and justice. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

This day, O Giver of Good Gifts, as we gather in this sacred place, grant that we may be willing to put down our preconceptions and our prejudices; to let go of our selfishness and senselessness; and to reach out to receive your Word and your wisdom, your light and your love. Let reflection lead to restoration; let prayer inspire preparedness; let fellowship in the Spirit beget faithful service and discipleship so that you may be glorified. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.

God of Surprises, when we want to remain in the confines of our comfortable understanding, open us to the wideness of your mercy and the depth of your grace. Amen.

God of Our Lives, we give ourselves to you in praise. Open our eye...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1: Enter His Gates
• Chapter 2: Come Let Us Worship
• Chapter 3: Good for the Soul
• Chapter 4: Joy by the Answer
• Chapter 5: There Is a Season