By Stephon Carlisle Void and Safiyah Fosua

God, You Are Our Protection

A Call to Worship for Psalm 16
(Safiyah Fosua)

This piece and the prayer below are posted https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/21st-century-worship-resources-for-pentecost-25b there is an error in the call to worship for Psalm 16. The line given below is the correct line.

God, you are our protection
God, you are our refuge
You are our God; we have no god apart from you!

God, you are both cup and portion.
You have given us a good heritage.
We come to worship the God who shows us the path of life!

In the Beginning Was Your Word

A Prayer of Illumination
(Stephon Carlisle Void)

Heavenly Father, in the beginning was your Word. With your voice, the universe came to exist. With your Word, you brought forth the day and night. With your Word, you gave us the four seasons. With your Word, you gave us all the beasts of the air, land, and sea. It's because of your voice that humankind came into existence.

It's because of your still voice that the Bible exists. Your holy Word teaches us. It gives us new life. It gives us new hope. It gave us a compass to navigate through this dark world. It is a lamp for our feet, a guide for our path. God, your Word is perfect; it's powerful; it is awesome. We are nothing without it. It convicts us. It reassures us. It cuts like a two-edged sword. It is a fresh spring in a barren land. It is everything we need and everlasting. We trust in your Word and, Lord, we trust you. It introduced us to the gift that is your Son, Jesus, who is the Living Word.

God, we thank you for your Word. May it continue to speak to us from Genesis to Revelation. May we use it to show love and not to inspire hate. May we use it to show others the Way. May it renew us as we travel the road you've set before us. May it continue to give us peace in the middle of chaos. May it continue to restore, renew, and revive us. Thank you for your Word! Amen.

Prayer

(Inspired by 1 Samuel 1:4-20) https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/21st-century-worship-resources-for-pentecost-25b
(Safiyah Fosua)

Our souls are poured out before you, O God, as we look for more in life than contentment with family, friends, and possessions. We thank you, dear Lord, for all of your blessings. Yet, in our souls, we long to be a blessing to others on your behalf.

As Abraham was a blessing to many nations,
As Hannah longed for something in her life
to offer back to God,
We long to make a difference in this world for you.

Open our eyes, good Lord,
to whatever you have already entrusted
for the good of your people.

Open our ears, Lord,
to intersections
between human need and heart’s desire.

Open our hearts, Lord,
to recognize and nurture new gifts,
to consider unique possibilities,
dawning on the horizon.

Our souls are poured out before you, O God.
Let your servants find favor in your sight. Amen.