Invocation
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Good morning, heavenly Father.
We worship you, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Good morning, Holy Spirit.
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek him with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Hebrew Bible reading
Psalm 18:1-19
Praise for Deliverance
For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lordrescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock where I seek refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold.
3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I was saved from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death were wrapped around me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.
5 The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 I called to the Lord in my distress,
and I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook because he burned with anger.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it.
9 He bent the heavens and came down,
total darkness beneath his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his hiding place,
dark storm clouds his canopy around him.
12 From the radiance of his presence,
his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered them;
he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.
15 The depths of the sea became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out to a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
New Testament Reading
Matthew 8:23-27
23 As he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves—but Jesus kept sleeping. 25 So the disciples came and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to die!”
26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
Lord, You know me. You know everything about me.
You know every good thing I have done
and every bad thing I have done. You see my brokenness.
You saw it when You made Your way to Golgotha.
You took all my sin on Yourself and now
You offer me unmerited and unlimited forgiveness.
I confess my sins to You because I know
that You are my only hope to deal
with all the guilt and shame that I carry.
Thank you for Your extravagantly generous gift of love.
I receive Your forgiveness.
I live in Your righteousness.
And I am filled with wonder and joy. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea.
We are thankful for:
- the natural resources and diverse gifts that come from these countries, such as the distinctive music and dance of Cameroon
- those who minister to victims of sexual violence, trafficking and other human rights abuses
- Christians and people of other faiths who courageously have pursued reconciliation and peace among those in conflict
- individuals and organizations who have provided for health clinics and schools in Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
We pray for:
- just resolutions to the conflicts and violence among diverse groups and their leaders
- refugees who flee to other countries, and for those who host them
- economic developments that make it possible for all to rise out of poverty
- stable democratic governments that effectively serve the common good.
In our own place in the world, we pray for:
- all whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace
- federal, state and local politicians
- church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- all the churches of our city or region
- our local community, businesses, and schools
- our local congregation and its ministries
- opportunities for meaningful worship and fellowship
- opportunities for practicing the way of Jesus
- opportunities for outreach and service to others
- the needs of our families and friends
- our personal needs
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
O Lord, give me more charity, more self-denial,
more likeness to Thee.
Teach me to sacrifice my comforts to others,
and my likings for the sake of doing good.
Make me kindly in thought, gentle in word, generous in deed.
Teach me that it is better to give than to receive…
And unto Thee, the God of Love, be glory and praise for ever.
Amen.
– Henry Alford (1810-1871)
Contemporary Prayer
When we contemplate such beauty,
the immensity before us,
blossoming with colour and scent,
the surprising diversity of all that surrounds us,
the green forests, the animals,
the intelligence which allows us humans
to create with you,
God, the acts of your grace on our behalf,
we can only express our joy at being your children
and gladly sing of the generosity of your love.
© Rev. Dr Kayoka-Luendu M., Cameroon. English transl. Dr Colette Bouka Coula, adapted by Terry MacArthur.
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Sending Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray
that we may live this day in your presence
and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, we pray that this day
we may take up our cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, we pray that this day
you will fill us with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
three persons in one God,
have mercy upon us. Amen.
Canticle
Christ, as a light,
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield,
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
All Told 