Opening Sentences – “Let Us Raise Our Voices”

(1 Corinthians 1:2)

To the church in (insert name of your city)
Located on (insert church’s street name) street
To make a difference
To those sanctified in Christ Jesus
Saved to serve humbly and dependably
To those called to be holy
Serving as living witnesses of God’s transforming grace

Let us raise our voices unashamedly
Rivaling heaven’s angels
To praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Let us lift every voice and sing to our Master and Maker.

Kwasi I. Kena, The Africana Worship Book, Year A, Valerie Bridgeman Davis and Safiyah Fosua, eds., (Discipleship Resources, 2006), 53.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 40)

I waited patiently for GOD; who turned to me and heard my cry,
who lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
and set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

We sing a new song!
Our mouths are full of the praise of God.

Blessed are we when we make the Lord our trust;
when we do not turn aside to false gods.

We sing of all your many wonders, O God,
too many to declare them all.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but our ears you have pierced and a body you have prepared for us.

We sing, "Here I am, I have come—
I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is in my heart."

Written by The Rev. Marilyn K. Levine and posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/. Reposted: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2014/01/responsive-call-to-worship-psalm-40.html.

Prayer of Confession

(inspired by Isaiah 49, Psalm 40, 1 Corinthians 1)

Faithful God,
you call us to be saints,
but we are more comfortable with the role of sinner;
you call us to be your servants,
but we worry that we lack the skills to do your work;
you put a new song of praise in our mouths,
but we stumble on unfamiliar words;
you show us the work to be tackled,
but we turn away defiant,
insisting we have more important things to do.

Put your song on our lips and in our hearts,
and remind us of the joy that awaits us
when we put our trust in you.
Guide us into the light
of your unwavering, never-ending,
and grace-filled love. Amen.

Words of Assurance

(inspired by 1 Corinthians 1:1-9)

God is faithful and ever-present.
The God who knew us before our birth
loves us still and strengthens us,
that we will one day be blameless.
Through the gift of Jesus Christ,
God offers forgiveness, grace, and mercy.
Enter into the light!

Posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/worship/article/entry/4549/worship-connection-january-12-2014. Reposted: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2014/01/prayer-of-confession-epiphany-2a.html.

Benediction

Let us go from here today secure in the knowledge that we are not lacking in any spiritual gift. We go into our world surrounded by the blessing of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the equipping of the Spirit, to live and work as disciples who make disciples for the transformation of the world. Amen.

Derek Weber, Discipleship Ministries, July 2022