Scripturally Based Service Prayers

Epiphany 7C (Transfiguration)

Call to Worship (a meditation on Luke 9:28-36 and Psalm 99: 5, 9)

L: Jesus says, “Come, walk with me.”
P: And we say, “Yes, Teacher, take us with you.”
L: “Watch and pray. Open your eyes and your hearts to the Word that God will speak to you today.”
P: “Clear away the fog that keeps us from seeing. Take away our fear of all that is good and grant us the peace of joyful praise.”
L: Let us worship God, for God is holy.
P: Indeed! God is the Holy One! Amen!

Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 99)

L: God rules in heaven and on earth! God is great because God loves justice, establishes equity and executes righteousness.
P: And so, we lift our eyes to the throne of God: the exalted One, the righteous One, and truly awesome in mercy. Holy is our God!
L: The greatest of our spiritual ancestors called upon God and God answered them. God spoke to them in the in the pillar of cloud; and they obeyed.
P: Holy are you, O God. Let us remember to praise you and thank you for your great mercy.
L: Let us worship God.

Prayer of Confession (a meditation on 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 and the hymn of Clara H. Scott)

We sing with the hymn writer, “Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me,” but too often we don’t really mean it. Like our sisters and brothers who traveled with Moses, we are put off when we are with those who are truly in God’s presence. We are uncomfortable with goodness and find fault with those who try to do what is right. We confuse being morally correct with goodness, socially acceptable behavior with righteousness, and petty prejudice with justice. Forgive us, O God. Remember your mercy in dealing with our sin. Remove the veils of self-satisfaction from our eyes and cleanse the guilt of our hearts. We pray in the name of the One, who came to show us the way of forgiveness, even Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon (adapted from 2 Corinthians 3:16-4:2)

L: Paul reminds us that in Christ God removed the veil that hardens our hearts and that through the Spirit there is freedom from sin.
P: We pray for the Spirit to free us to see the glory of God and transform us from one degree of glory to the next.
L: Through God’s mercy we are engaged in the ministry of Christ.
P: We renounce those things that shame God and us and look for the mercy that God promises.

Commission
(a meditation based upon Luke 9:23-24, 35-36, and the hymn by Frances R. Havergal)

L: Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my son, my Chosen; listen to him!”
P: Yes, God, help us to listen. Help us to answer from our heart of hearts, “Speak, for your servant hears.”
L: Remember what Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.”
P: “Take my life and let it be consecrated [God] to thee. Take my moments and my days. Let them flow in ceaseless praise.”

Use these prayers as you wish. If you would note their source somewhere in the bulletin, I would be happy. It would also be good to hear whether or not you have used them and/or if you find them helpful. (Mostly, I write them as a personal spiritual discipline that I am glad to share.)

Rick