Call to Worship

Children of God, whom do you follow?

We follow Christ, Ruler of us all.

Children of God, what kind of Ruler is Christ?

Christ reigns with love and truth, justice and mercy, compassion and peace.

Children of God, how will you live in the reign of Christ?

We will join Christ in choosing love, truth, justice, mercy, compassion, and peace even when our world tells us not to.

Children of God, come, let us worship God whose Love reigns over us, exemplified in Jesus Christ!

Come, let us worship! Thanks be to God. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, August 2024.

Prayer for the Day

Loving God of power and justice and peace,
In our broken world,
We seek a new order
Where there is courage to speak truth to power
We seek a new order
Where there is mutual support in church and community
We seek a new order
Where there is abundant time for healing
We seek a new order
Where there is peace and freedom for all.

Amen.

From the Monthly Prayers page of the Christian Aid website, http://www.christianaid.org.uk/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/11/prayer-new-order.html.

Prayer of Confession

Hide your truth in our hearts, dear God, for we are a people who are attracted to the error of our ways. We make bad choices, O Lord. We find ourselves in predicaments that make us sigh and groan. We have brought upon ourselves many of the disasters that have come our way. We were not honest and truthful in all situations. We even try to hide from our- selves when we realize that we are responsible for our own mistakes. O Lord, do not remove yourself from us. Forgive us, we pray, for the many sins, wrongdoings, shortcomings, and lies. Fill us with your grace and blot out our transgressions. Give us genuine love for each other, we pray. We thank you for the assurance of your forgiveness through your Son, Jesus Christ. Hear us, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by T. Anne Daniel in The Africana Worship Book, Year B (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2007), 164.

Benediction

Beloved, may God bless you with the wisdom to discern the truth as you follow Christ, who testifies to the truth by embodying Love in all times and in all places. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, August 2024.