This document provides an introduction and collection of opening prayers written by Pastor Pete Haynes for worship services at Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren. It explains that an opening prayer can call God's people to welcome God's presence as they are, and awaken them to God opening their doors, selves, and lives to God who is always with them. The document then shares over a dozen sample opening prayers written by the pastor for leading worshippers in confession, praise, and inviting God's presence and guidance.

1. OpeningPrayers
For better or worse, I refer to the beginning prayer of worship as an "Opening Prayer" rather
than as the more traditional "Invocation." Indeed, in worship we do "call" upon the Lord, we lift
up our "voices" to God - which is what "invocation" means. However, we shouldn't be tempted to
believe that our efforts invoke, conjure up, or bring about God's presence. The truth is - "I am
with you always, even to the end of the age;" (Matthew 28:20) "I am standing at the door,
knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and
you with me;" (Revelation 3:20) The voice of Christ is calling us. He is knocking upon our door.
In worship, we are the ones who are invoked, the ones who respond to that call, that knock to
open our door and greet the awesome presence of God. Thus the phrase, "Opening Prayer," has
a double meaning. Pragmatically, it is the prayer that begins or opens worship. In this moment,
however, we are awakening to God, opening our "door," our "selves," our very lives to the One
who is with us always. One of my mentors, the late Rev. E. Paul Weaver, referred to this as the
"Prayer for the Awareness of God's Presence." Whatever terms we use, that is what we mean.
Confession is a part of worship. In higher church liturgy it usually has its own separate space
towards the beginning of the service, as a unison or responsive reading followed by an
assurance of pardon. An opening prayer can function, also, in this capacity - leading God's
people to welcome the Lord into our lives, as we are, not as some pipe-dream of who we think we
are.
Below is an ever-increasing collection of Opening Prayers written by me over the years (unless
otherwise noted). Some may have been pulled from other sources. Like many ministers, my
record keeping has not always been the best. If you find one here which should be attributed to
someone else, please let me know and I will do so. Feel free to borrow - "for the glory of God
and my neighbor's good."
Pete Haynes, pastor
Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
See also:
Advent
Worship Resources
Prayers for
Special Occasions
Offering Resources
Offertory
Scripture Sentences
Each resource on this page has been bookmarked. To link to a particular prayer use the designation at the beginning
of it, without the parenthesis,with a #. Thus,the first prayer would be bookmarked as:
http://rockhay.tripod.com/worship/prayers-etc/opening.htm#a-1
Dates at the end of an entry are when they have been used at this church, according to records not kept until Oct.,
2000. All have been part of worship here, though when they were written or first used may go back as far as 1990
(my first computer files).

2. (a-1)
O God, our resurrection & life, the promise of your new life in Christ is like a breath of fresh air
in a dry & thirsty land. We have gathered as believers, & as those who are honestly seeking the
truth. Guide our worship this hour.
O God who makes all things new, speak to us as whole people today. May your truth touch not
just our intellects, but also our deeper yearnings of heart & soul. We bring with us our daily
concerns, as well as our more eternal questions. May your new creation in us shed light upon our
everyday walk.
O God who fed the multitudes with but a few loaves & some fish, feed us now with the
abundance of what you freely offer, that we might overflow with your goodness right where we
live. All this we pray in the name of, & because of, Jesus our Christ. Amen. (4/25/04)
(a-2)
O God who is greater than the most powerful forces in this world, enable us to be still & know
that you are God.
O Lord who answers out of the whirlwind of everyday life, breathe in us your Holy Spirit to
strengthen, comfort, & guide us in the midst of the storm.
O still, small voice, speak to us this hour, that we might become makers of your peace in our
homes, in our communities, in our world.
We pray all this in the name of the One who calmed the raging sea. Amen.
(a-3)
O God, we trust in your power to create, to sustain, to enable. But we could not trust if we did
not know that you are always near. Be with us, Lord, as we are gathered here to worship you.
Help us not to check our minds or our hearts at the door, but enable us to bring all that we are to
you, so that we might experience your touch upon all aspects of our life. We pray this because
of, and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (1/14/01)
(a-4)
O God, we trust in your power, even as it is often found in weakness; in your wisdom, even as it
is expressed in seeming foolishness; in your wholeness, even as it comes to us amid brokenness.
We do not ask this day for dazzling displays of strength, electric exercises of intellectual
prowess, or marvelous manifestations of miracles. We come simply to worship you. Touch us
this day, O Lord, sinners that we are, that we might become your saints, your body, your
children, your church. For this Temple of your Spirit is built not upon our own abilities,
knowledge, or restorative skill, but upon you, in Jesus Christ. Amen. (10/10/04)

3. (a-5)
Gentle...yet powerful.
Lowly...yet almighty.
Shepherd...yet King.
In your gentleness, guide us.
In your power, strengthen us.
In your lowliness, strip from us our selfish pride which only destroys us.
In your greatness, lift us up that we might aspire to greater things.
As a shepherd, call us to be your servants.
As a King, call us to be your royal priesthood.
O God, who is our shepherd and our King;
O Christ, who was crucified and is now risen from the dead;
O Spirit, who comforts and empowers;
O great One in Three, Holy Trinity, this hour, set us free to worship. Amen.
(a-6)
Gentle Shepherd ... King of Love, we come to you as we are, not as we pretend to be. The truth
is, God, that when we lift our heads above our path, we all too often discover ourselves lost in a
maze of choices. We confess from the very beginning of this worship that we are lost... Were it
not for you, O great seeker of our souls, patient parent to our childhood, joyful host to our
homecoming; Were it not for you, O Lord, we would be lost forever. But, because of you, there
is room for us at the great Love Feast. Gentle Shepherd ... King of Love, seek and find us as we
are, not as we pretend. Be patient with us, and teach us how to wait. May the echoes of your
celebration reverberate in our midst this hour, transforming our worship from a mournful plea to
a joyful song. Gentle Shepherd ... King of Love, lead us. Amen. (variation 4/29/12)
(a-7)
Light of Christ, awaken us this hour to the glory of your presence in our midst. Shine among us
in such a way that the darkness without and within may be pushed back, such that we might truly
see what is really real. Help us to recognize our sin for what it is. Enable us to behold the world
as you created it to be, as you created us to be. Empower us to move from darkness to light, from
sin to new life. May your light within us shine through into worship this day, as all days. This we
pray in the name of the Word made flesh, the light which is the light of all people. Jesus Christ.
Amen. (2/25/01, 1/12/02, 7/22/07)
(a-8)
O Holy God, like Isaiah the prophet we stand in awe of your glory, feeling tremendously small
and polluted by our sin, and the sin of our society. Even so, you touch us with your burning
presence, and we are made clean and whole. O God, our Creator, continue to build this
household of faith into what you want us to be. O Christ, our Savior, lead us to do as you will. O

4. Spirit, our Power, strengthen us for the work of the Kingdom, a worship and a service which is
ours today as well as tomorrow. O Blessed Trinity, fill this place and these people with your
presence. For yours is the Power, and the Salvation, and the Creation, now and always. Amen.
(6/6/04)
(a-9)
O God from whom every gift derives, we gather to worship you this day. You are an awesome
God, greater than our comprehension or our imagination. You are beyond any word we could
ever use to describe you. And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of your vast Love.
We have come to you in thanksgiving and praise, to know that you are God and to place our lives
anew into your perspective. Enlarge our vision this hour with your Word. Instill in us, again,
your hope in place of our despair, your peace where our hatred threatens, your joy amidst our
depression, your love overwhelming our apathy.
May your Holy Spirit surround and indwell this congregation now, and forevermore. In Jesus we
pray. Amen.
(7/27/03, 1/22/06)
(b-1)
Eternal God, our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our end, we have gathered in this time
and at this place to worship you. In your time, you created all things, and wove into their fabric a
yearning for fulfillment in you. It is this yearning within us which has pulled us here this
morning. Take these moments, O Lord of time and space, and complete them in us, through your
Holy Spirit. May our labor bring forth a new creation in you. This is your hour, Christ Jesus, help
us to make the most of each precious moment. For in your name we have gathered, and we pray.
Amen. (5/5/02, 7/3/05)
(b-2)
Like Elijah, O God, we turn and face you in the midst of the storm. Help us this hour to hear you
speak to us - not in the wind, or the thunder, nor even in the upheaval of the ground beneath us.
Help us to hear you speak to us, in our heart of hearts, as that still, small voice amidst the
maelstrom, which gives us direction, and peace, and hope. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
(b-3)
O God, music is the food of our souls ... but not all are musically inclined.
We long to sing of you with the greatest of melodies,
the sweetest of tunes,
the grandest of rhythms,
the purest of pitches,
the fullest of sounds.

5. We aspire for excellence in our praise, to be worthy of your greatness ...
Well, perhaps our goals are a bit high ...
Do you suppose you could lend a few angels from your heavenly choir?
"O for a thousand tongues to sing!"
One just doesn't seem to be enough.
One tongue to sing;
One set of ears to hear;
One pair of arms to break free;
One heart to rejoice.
One just doesn't seem enough.
"O for a thousand ...", a million.
Hear our longing, O God.
We are not just tongues, or ears, or arms, or hearts.
We are whole persons, not just the sum of our many parts,
some of which work better than others.
We are whole persons who long to worship you with everything we've got;
for you are the source of everything we've got, great and small.
For the wholeness which you give us in the midst of our imperfection -
our ability to be fully human, for this we are thankful,
and our praise represents our thankfulness,
our longing for more of you in our common life.
Hear now our praise, "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"
(7/25/04)
(b-4)
O God, who is here - in this place, now - in our midst; Empower us to praise you, not with words
and actions which come from outside of us, but from within us; Dwell in us more fully that we
may sing to you with all our being; Fill us with a sense of your joy, that we might actually
delight in your worship; Focus us upon your self-giving Love, which is above every love we
have ever known, the source of all.
O God, who is here - in this place, now - in our midst; Make your love real here and now,
through Jesus Christ. Amen.
(b-5)
O God, the joy of this day, the hope for every day to come, Move in our midst, fill us with your
Spirit, and make us one. May our words, as well as our actions, and even the secret thoughts of
our hearts, be a part of your worship this hour, O Lord of great power, displayed in sacrificial
love. For we pray focused upon the One who died for all, your only begotten son. Amen.

6. (b-6)
"Get out of bed, sleepy head," we heard a voice say: an alarm clock, a mother or father, a
husband or wife, an excited child. "Eat breakfast," "get dressed," "hurry up - let's go", the voices
prodded us, Lord. And so, we are here. But are we really? Wake us up, God. Really! WAKE US
UP!
So often we begin worship by asking for you to be here. But we are the ones who need the
prodding. Prod us, Lord! Tickle us awake with your Spirit! Make us alive in Christ! Help us to
be aware that you are here with us, now!
You have crowned us with your presence. May we this hour crown you, glorify you with lives
that are lived for you.
In Jesus, we pray. Amen.
(b-7) confessional:
The Life you give us in Christ is so very real, God. Who are we to receive such goodness? Yes,
we have come to church today, but we confess that we have not been all that faithful throughout
the past week.
There were moments when we acted in love. But more often our actions were powered by other
motives. Forgive us. Help us to forgive ourselves.
We did remember you upon occasion, but too easily we forgot you amid the daily grind. Forgive
us. Help us to live in you.
Every now and then an "Amen" did come out of us in word or action. But like the father who
came to Jesus with his dying son, we more often cried out: "I believe; help my unbelief!" Forgive
us. Empower us with your Spirit.
Who are we to profess the life you freely give? Who are we to claim your daily goodness? Who
are we to receive your healing presence?....
Thank you, Father God, for your forgiveness.
Thank you, Christ Jesus, for your Life.
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your power.
We open ourselves to you, anew ... today. Live now in us, we pray. In Jesus name. Amen.
(b-8) CALL TO WORSHIP AND PRAYER (uses 2 leaders)
2 - Please stand, ready to worship God.
1 - Listen! Do you hear?
2 - Listen! Are you alive to what God has created around you?
1 - Look! Have you beheld the wonder of God's Creation?
2 - Look! Do you see the wonder of God's presence around us?
1 - Wait! "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him."
2 - Wait! "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength."
1 - Come! "Come to me all who labor & are heavy burdened, & I shall give you rest."
2 - Come! "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the
Kingdom of heaven belongs."

7. 1 - Pray! "Pray without ceasing."
2 - Pray! "Lord, teach us how to pray."
1 & 2 & congregation - "Our Father, who art in heaven ..." (etc.)
(b-9)
You are such a gracious host, Lord God of all creation. Who are we to receive such goodness?
You prepare a table for us, amidst our daily struggles, our successes and failures, even in the
presence of our enemies. You anoint us, wash us, feed us. You do all this.
We confess that we tend to see our daily bread solely in terms of our own handiwork. But we are
not self-sufficient. We need you. Forgive us. We need these brothers and sisters in Christ around
us. Empower us.
Shower us with your "holy manna" that we might be strengthened for the journey to which you
have called us. By faith we stand and worship. By faith we walk and work. By faith we profess
that your Christ is alive, and that your spirit moves us to be and to do more than we ever thought
possible.
We pray all this in the name of the One who said "I am the bread of life." Amen.
(c-1)
You are here, Lord, in this place. Now. Not only do we stand in awe of how great you are, larger
than our imagination; But we also can scarcely comprehend that you are with us this moment.
Yes, from a distance you are watching us. But you stand beside us as well. Your Spirit's presence
quickens our pulse, fills us with wonder when we become aware than you are near. In extra-
ordinary, as well as common, every-day ways, you make your presence known to us. This is your
time of worship, God. The words don't belong to the Pastor or myself. The music isn't the
property of the organist. The praying and singing we all do comes not only from us but, most
importantly, from you. When we lose sight of this, today as well as every day, O Lord, forgive
us, and live in and through us. Do great things with us right now, and in the week which lies
ahead. We pray this, our heavenly Father, in the name of your Son - Jesus Christ, in the power of
your Holy Spirit. Amen. (5/26/02)
(c-2)
Holy God, make your presence known to us today. We come to you as we are, called to be
saints, holy ones, but so often less than our calling. Help us this hour to let go of those sins to
which we cling. Help us to know that our self-worth does not depend so much on our ability to
hold on to our lives, as on your power to release ourselves into your hands.
Holy God, make your presence known to us today. We come to you with our vision so often
clouded by our sin. Clear away the mist, through Jesus, that we can catch a glimpse, now, of
your presence here. Help us to behold you as you are, not as we would like you to be. In Him,
through whom we become holy, on the wings of the Spirit, we pray to you, our Father. Amen.
(10/6/02, 11/1/09)

8. (c-3)
O God of the still, small voice quiet our inner spirit. Help us to focus upon you, and you alone, to
hear your voice within. There are so many other voices demanding our attention. But we cannot
attend to them without you.... "Be still and know that I am God," you say to us as you said to
Elijah.... May your voice speak through us. In weakness, be our strength. In poverty, be our
wealth. In depression, be our joy. In apathy, be our love. We cannot sing Love's song, O Lord,
unless it be your voice singing in us. Take this heart, and with this mouth make your praise and
thanksgiving a reality here and now. Because of, and in the name of our Messiah, Jesus. Amen.
(c-4)
Creator and Ruler of the Earth, we lift up our voices, our eyes, our hearts, our lives to you in
praise. Make us your alleluia people. Uphold the weary, for whom praise may be very difficult.
Humble the strong, for whom "alleluia" may be too easy. Creator and Ruler of the Earth,
continue to form us into your new creation, that we might welcome you to more fully become the
ruler of our hearts and minds. Through him who came as a servant, and who now reigns over all
creation, Jesus, our Christ. Amen. (10/21/01, 8/14/05, 11/12/06)
(c-5)
O God, whose holiness is not limited to grand cathedrals or saintly persons, spectacular
mountains or mountain-moving leaders; O God, whose holiness is often discovered in simple
everyday places and simple everyday folks, plant your holiness in this place, in us now. Grow us
this hour, that we might flower, right where we are, with the beauty of your holiness. Through
Jesus we pray. Amen. (2/4/01)
(c-6)
O God, who gives to those who ask, provide for each of us in your way, a special gift to be used
for your glory, and for the good of our neighbors. O God, who reveals to those who seek, show
us this day what these gifts are, and how they may be used. O God, who opens to those who
knock, help us to step forward, now, into your gracious presence, knowing that we are each and
all blessed with something special to share. One more thing, Lord, stir us up, so that we don't
become too self-satisfied, and forget to keep asking, and seeking, and knocking. We pray all this
in the name of the One who asks for the voiceless, who seeks out the lost, who stands at the door
and knocks. Come in, Lord Jesus. Amen.
(c-7)
Most Gracious God, hallowed be your name, help us to honor your name in what we say and

9. what we do, this hour in our worship, this week in our work. May your gracious presence
surround us this day, so that obedience to your Word becomes a joy rather than a burden. May
the depth of your Grace, the width of your Love, the height of your Joy, inspire us, here and now,
to more fully be your people, folks known not by forced friendliness, but by gracious goodwill.
We look to you for this, God, because, on our own, we are tempted to be just the opposite.
Empower us with your Spirit, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. (7/11/04)
(c-8)
O God who watches over all of creation, you are far greater than our ability to understand. How
do you do it? From where do you do it? Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father who art in heaven."
What a mouthful, Lord! On the one hand you are as close as a loving parent. But on the other
hand, you watch from a distance.
O God who is beyond our reasoning, accept us as we are. Take our faith as it is, and move us to
higher places. Teach us the truth, that we might be able to call on you in truth, where you are,
and not just where we want you to be.
O God who is both compassion and power, receive from us this hour all the praise, the
thanksgiving, the love we are able to return to you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
(3/30/03)
(c-9)
Eternal God, whose signature we see, if we dare to look, in the creation of the universe, help us
this hour to look and to listen for your handwriting and your voice in this place, among these
people. Connect our temporary praise to your timeless rhythms, your ageless melodies, your
everlasting joyful noise. Guide us now to focus upon you, knowing that in you our distractions
become new possibilities for action. Breathe life into our singing, our praying, our speaking, our
listening, our touching, that all these activities might become more than they are. In our worship
we reach out to you, O God, knowing that you have already enfolded us in your arms. Thank
you. In Jesus, we pray. Amen. (9/15/02, 10/8/06)
(d-1)
Lord God, words are not enough to express your awesomeness, your majesty, your holiness. Our
highest expressions of theology are but baby talk next to you: your creation, your very self. Make
us aware, through your Holy Spirit, that you are here among us. May this awareness lead us to
approach this hour more carefully. The words we speak, the tunes we sing, the thoughts we
think, the joy and sadness we feel, may these be pleasing to you. For in spite of the inadequacy
of our words, this worship is addressed to you. Make it complete, whole, full to overflowing, O
God, our rock, and our redeemer. In Christ we pray. Amen. (7/15/01, 10/2/05)

10. (d-2)
"Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will
give them will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." (John 4:14)
"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me
will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
O God of living water, O bread of life; We are hungry. We are thirsty. Our prosperity, though,
masks these deepest needs. Quench our thirst now, that our lips might sing your praise. Fill our
emptiness now, that our lives might show your love. "Cast your bread upon the waters" of this
place. (Ecclesiastes 11:1) Let your waters "break forth in (our) wilderness, (your) streams in (our)
desert." (Isaiah 35:6b) Create an oasis here and now in us, where the hungry and thirsty might
come and receive, a channel that might carry your living water where it is needed. Flow in and
through us this hour. This we pray, in the name of the One whose love is expressed in bread and
wine. Amen.
(d-3)
O God, powerful and loving, we look to you for both strength and compassion. We confess that
we don't really understand power, nor - when it comes down to it - are we very good at love.
Very easily we go to extremes: too hard or too soft. Teach us your tough love. Sharpen us this
hour on the whetstone of your Word. With the tender arms of your Spirit, embrace us. O
powerful and loving God, fashion us to become tough and tender disciples. We worship you now
because we know of no other like you. In the name of Jesus, your beloved Son, our leader and
friend, we pray. Amen.
(d-4) (used with "A Mighty Fortress")
O God, our refuge, our strength, our help; you are the bedrock upon which our lives are built, the
mighty fortress which surrounds and protects. Though the earth should change, the mountains
shake, the waters rise, we will not fear. Help us, O Lord, to live fearlessly amidst the storm. But
in so doing, guide us as followers of the prince of peace, the servant king, away from a fortress
mentality, where outsiders are enemies, toward a Kingdom where Love is the final word. On
bended knee we sing praise to the One you have exalted, the lamb who was slain for our sin.
May the doors of this mighty fortress open wide this hour, that the music of the Kingdom may
resound through this valley and into our hearts, our homes, our communities, our world. In the
name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. (3/7/04)
(d-5)
O God, whose glory is found not just on majestic thrones far beyond our reach, but also amid the
imperfection of the human family; help us to approach this hour, this day, and thus every day this
week, as a gift from you, full of glorious possibilities, as well as holy expectations. This does not

11. come naturally, Lord. Our temptation is to be so "realistic", or so lost in the clouds, that we miss
your kingdom coming on earth, even as it is in heaven. It is often in the simplest of ways, in the
middle of situations for which a sigh is our only response, that your glory becomes a reality.
Come, Holy Spirit, help us to see and worship, to trust and live, starting right now! In Jesus'
name, we pray. Amen. (6/11/06)
(d-6)
Yes, Lord, teach us to wait. You are eternal. In you we find freedom from the tyranny of time.
You have given us the minutes and hours of our days not to enslave us, but to give order. Help us
to use this hour wisely, to wait, and experience your nearness. Only in returning and rest are we
saved, in quietness and trust are we strengthened. (pause)
Yes, Lord, teach us to wait. Only then can we learn to fly with the eagles. Only then can we sing
your song of freedom. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
(d-7)
We thank you for this new day, God. Confession time: ... we're not very good at giving thanks.
We tend to be takers more than givers. You give us so much, only we get so turned around that
we can't see what you provide for us, each and every day. We get so lost in the struggle to make
ends meet, that "meat", and what it takes to buy it, becomes our end. Forgive us, Lord, and free
us. Open us to your simple gifts, that we might be able to turn right side around; that we might,
in fact, find delight in turning; that we might enjoy simply giving. Today is a day for turning, O
God, a new day, your day of rest and renewal. Bow us, bend us, turn us this hour, so that these
words become the song of our heart, mind, & soul: "May Jesus Christ be praised!" Amen.
(d-7a)
"Thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in
quietness and in trust shall be your strength.'" (Isaiah 30:15)
For those turning toward home, You are Lord, leading every step of the way. For those needing
rest in the wilderness, You are God, making all things new. For those seeking quiet amidst the
storm, You are Holy, speaking in a whisper. For those still learning how to trust, You are One,
drawing closer to your heart. Lord God, Holy One of Israel, Lead us, Renew us, Speak to us,
Your will be done in us, Enough for today. Now. We pray to you as children to their Daddy, like
Jesus taught us. In his name, Amen.
(d-8)
O God, whose Word is not just a one-way conversation, talk with us, today, and hear us as we
pray. Free us, that we might listen for your voice, and empower us to speak to you. For in Christ
Jesus, you have called us into a friendship which influences all other relationships. Help us to see

12. beauty where we might be tempted to see ugliness, in ourselves, as well as in others. May your
"joy" be found there as well. As you have washed our feet in Christ, kneel us to washing your
feet in others. As you have lifted us off our knees, help us to lift others up. Four we all were
created in your image. Re-create in us, just now, a new heart, O God, one that beats in tune with
your own. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
(d-9)
Holy God, you have revealed yourself to us in a trinity of ways: as our powerful Creator, our
dying Savior, and our comforting Spirit. But we also know you as a loving parent; a risen Lord;
and a dynamic breath of fresh air. We're never really sure of how you are able to be all these
things to us, but you are. And we praise you. You are an awesome God, limited only by our
ability to understand. Inhabit our worship this hour. Teach us the grace of placing our limitations
within the wonder of your unlimited hands. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. (6/10/01, 10/14/01,
1/9/05, 4.22/07, adapted for 2/20/11)
(e-1)
O God, we are gathered here under the shelter of your wings, nurtured by your motherly love,
and encouraged, then, to fly by faith on the wind of your spirit. You have spoken to us, saying
"They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as
eagles." Teach us how to wait, then, that we may learn how to fly. May this nest we call "family"
be built with sturdy materials. Don't let us forget, though, that this nest was not created as a
fortress behind which to hide, but as a perch from which to take off. And strengthen us with the
assurance that we do not fly alone. This we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
(e-2)
Thank you, Lord, for the song you've planted in us, a melody which rings out no matter what our
circumstances may be. Some of us here today need your strength, for our voices are barely heard
above the noise of our problems. Others of us require your leading, for in the confusion of life
we are losing our sense of direction. Some need your word of caution concerning roads we are
hell-bent on traveling. Others could use your encouragement as we walk the path you have
opened for us. When we sing our praise, Lord, in the same breath we are asking you to move
amid our problems, our confusion, our mistakes, as well as the good we do, and make your
praise a part of our daily life. Help us to rejoice and be glad. In the name of Christ, our joy.
Amen. (6/2/02, 3/6/05, 9/2/07)
(e-3)
(used with Exodus 15:11,13,17-18)
Come, Holy Spirit of God, and blow open the waters of this congregation. Lead us forward this
day, O Jesus, pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Plant us on your holy ground, O God of the

13. burning bush, such that we cannot help but take off our shoes. We have come to worship you, in
Jesus' name. Amen.
(e-4) Responsive Prayer
One: O God, you have planted in us a yearning for "home". With the psalmist we cry,
All: "Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion,"
One: knowing that this highway is not so much a line on a map, as a space within.
All: We are on a journey, Lord. Together we are traveling home. You beckon us onward.
One: You are not just out there, though. You are here, blessing us all along the Way.
All: Thanks for the green pastures and still waters of your hospitality, our Shepherd.
One: In the dark places through which we walk, facing various enemies, we are grateful:
All: for your direction, your protection, your hearty food, your welcoming hand.
One: As we journey home, give us the breath to sing our songs of Zion.
All: And help us to march to the beat of a different drummer. In Jesus name. Amen.
(e-5)
There is no way that we can really bless you, O God, no way that we can truly become a blessing
to others, without your blessing first becoming a part of us. Behind the scenes you are at work, O
Lord, blessing this world. For the wrong, of which we are so often a part, we deserve your curse.
But you bless us, instead. Thank you!
We ask your blessing, your active presence among us today. Work in us and through us. Allow
us to see the evidence of your involvement. O bless the Lord. May all that is within us bless your
holy name. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
(9/11/05)
(e-6)
O Lord, we are like workers in a field, reaping the harvest of your Word. Keep us faithful, today,
to the work of worship. May your Spirit move in our midst, waking us up when we are tired,
opening our eyes to the goodness you spread before us, strengthening our hand to cut through the
stalk and get to the grain which provides our spiritual bread. In so doing, feed us. As you do so,
however, remind us of those who are still hungry, needing the taste of what you so richly
provide. Do not satisfy us so much that we fail to reach out to them. For in reality, we are all
poor. And yet, "blessed are the poor," you said in Jesus, "for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven;
blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled..." In you, we are rich. Receive, now, the offering
of our worship: the gifts we bring from your field, the songs we sing from your Spirit, the words
we say from our heart. Increase the harvest, O Lord. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. (6/16/02)

14. (e-7)
Immortal God, as we witness the stunning change in seasons, we realize that all of life reflects
your creative power. Invisible God, as we search for your love in a violent world, we realize that
you have shown us your silent power in grieving women, like Ruth and Naomi, in a baby born
away from his home village, in today's humble believers in foreign lands. Wise God, as we listen
for direction in our lives, we understand that you are present and speaking in this time of
worship. Great God, we praise your continued desire to lead your people to servant lives of joy
and sharing - lives directed by the example of your Son, Jesus Christ, and works guided by the
power of your Holy Spirit. O help us to see and feel this power this holy morning. (written by Jean
Sack. refers to hymn: "Immortal, invisible, God only wise")
(e-8)
God, you have been at work in this world, from that first day of Creation up until today. So many
lives, down through the centuries, have been shaped by your hand. People going beyond the
possible, walking by faith and thus changing the course of history, in ways large or small. We
call them saints. But it was you behind them all. You are an awesome God!
We confess, O Lord, that we are tempted to place your saints into an unreachable box, so good
and holy that their experience does not touch our own. If anything, we are full of holes rather
than holy, and selfish motives accompany our acts of goodness. Still, you take our tattered and
torn lives and sew together a holy people. You make us into saints.
Thank you for the One in and through whom our lives become holy: your son, Jesus Christ. He is
like fragrant oil which overflows its container, soothing and healing our wounds, and
consecrating our lives to your impossible possibilities. Because of him, our hands are never
empty. And because of him we are gathered here today, to worship you. In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
(e-9)
Lord, make us free... free with eyes not focused upon ourselves; free with ears open to hearing
your Word; free with hands reaching out; free with hearts no longer chained by what we possess,
but bound, instead, by what we can share. Yes, Lord, make us free... free to worship; free to be
extravagant with thankfulness; free to break open the most costly oil upon your feet; free to love
as love really is, In Jesus...Amen.
(f-1) (follows "Praise, I will praise you, Lord")
With all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we praise you, Lord. But this is only possible
through your presence in us, by your grace. Otherwise, we are easily distracted, diverted away
from where you wish us to be, distanced from your calling, lost in our current situations. Forgive
us our lack of attention to your Word, our failure to seek and find what we need from the source
of all our joy. Help us to repent, to turn in the right direction this very moment, that we may
fulfill your commandment to love you with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
May we indeed worship you today with all our heart. In Jesus' name. Amen. (5/16/04)

15. (f-2)
Thank you, God, for the ability to sing out our faith. Of course, some of us are better singers than
others. Accept our praise, from each and every tongue united in Jesus Christ. We know that all
our voices together cannot even begin to convey the wonder and glory and majesty of who you
are. Strangely enough, though, you make our song complete. To your gracious ears, the praise of
a few is as great as the best chorus and symphony. We still find this hard to believe. You put a
new song in our mouths. You set us free to sing! Thank you God. Receive the praise of these
joy-filled hearts, in Jesus name. Amen. (7/4/04, 1/29/06)
(f-3)
As we come together into your presence with singing, O Lord, we confess that Love is still a
mystery to us... This is as it should be, for Your Love is not something under our control. It is
like Your Spirit, a wind which blows where it will, an unseen power. It is like Your Justice,
which rolls down like waters, and Your Righteousness - an ever-flowing stream. Blow through
us, roll through us, flow through us this hour, that your Love in us might be perfected on the
anvil of faith. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. (8/18/02)
(f-4)
In order for you to move in us, O Lord, we need to open the door. In some ways, that's the
hardest step. We can be that mountain which seems impossible to move. Through our joys and
our fears, our laughter as well as our tears, move us this morning, God. The door is open.
Welcome. In the name of the One who said, "nothing is impossible," we pray. Amen.
(f-5)
Thank you, God, for your gift of the Holy Spirit. Like the wind that blows across our land, we
cannot control it. But like a ship on the sea, we can lift our sails and journey with it. By your
mercy, Lord, move us. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. (5/15/05)
(f-6)
Eternal God, we open our minds and hearts to you this hour. Turn us on to you, and keep us
tuned in, even after we have left this place. This we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. (10/24/04)
(f-7)
O God, who is to us like a loving, faithful father, we open ourselves this day to your care. May

16. your refreshment, your renewal, your forgiveness, your strength, your hope surround those who
are gathered here in Jesus' name. Amen. (6/17/07)
(f-8)
We have come, O Lord. Not as faithful as we should be, nor as joyful as we could be. Even so,
we have been attracted by your faithfulness and your joy. Holy Spirit, teach us this day more
about your truth, as revealed by Jesus Christ. Fill us with your promised happiness. Challenge us
to follow you this moment, this day, this coming week. All this we ask in the name of Jesus,
whom we adore as Christ the Lord. Amen. (10/28/01)
(f-9)
In "the name of Jesus" we pray, O Lord. Our own, individual names separate us from one
another and, more importantly, from you. When we gather with your Holy Spirit as our guide,
many prayers become one prayer. A jamble of many words becomes less a tower of Babel, and
more a simple, united song of praise. Thank you for this one-ness we have found in Jesus Christ,
O God of every nation, Master of the universe. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
(g-1) Call to Worship
(The worship leader (#1) reads from the lecturn. The others join in from the pews in turn.)
1 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
2 - You are God's temple!
3 - God's Spirit dwells in you!
4 - We are God's temple!
5 - God's Spirit dwells in us!
Prayer
An awesome thought, O Lord: We are your temple. You dwell in us. We must confess our
feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. The plain truth is: we're all sinners. Even so, you make
us your sanctuary. Without your steadfast love, though, these Temples are nothing. Move
through these rooms with your Spirit. Touch that Holy of Holies, that sacred space within us.
Teach us how to live...in Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
(g-2)
"To live our praise to thee." That is our deepest desire, O God. Take these words we speak this
day, these songs we sing, the gifts we offer; our inner thoughts, our outer expressions - take them
all, and make them into a living praise that will not end with the final note of the postlude, but go

17. with us beyond this place into our world. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
(7/14/02)
(g-3) Call to Worship
Brother James, in his New Testament letter, nudges us forward with these words: "Are any
among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise."
(5:13) If you fit into those categories, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here today to pray to
and to rejoice in the Lord. And those of us who find ourselves in the middle - not hurting at this
moment, but also not really all that happy - Come, let’s stand before the Lord just as we are and
sing the Lord’s song. He’ll bring us around just right.
Brothers and sisters, we have met to worship! Let’s do it!
Opening Prayer
O God, who gave manna in the wilderness long ago, who still provides for those who hunger and
thirst today, we have come to worship you. May the things we sing and say, as well as the things
we think and feel, be acceptable (pleasing even) to you. Forgive us when what we say is not what
we think, when our actions do not live up to our words of faith - forgive and live in us that we
might become a people of integrity. Shower this hour with your blessings, that we might leave
this place to share your good news with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. (10/1/00)
(g-4) Call to Worship
Soon, our children will stand before us
and sing to the Lord a song of Jesus.
Are we ready to stand with them
and sing as children of God ourselves?
Soon, infants in their parent’s arms will come forward
and be dedicated to the Lord.
Are we ready to be dedicated also?
Do we not, all of us, come to God as children
held in the arms of their heavenly Father?
With happy voices singing, then,
may our praise be full and clear.
May we tell the wondrous story,
and live in truth before God.
Come, stand, worship!
("With Happy Voices Singing," hymn #83)
Opening Prayer
We praise you, O God. You have been faithful and true, through good times and bad. Forgive us
for doubting when we have not seen your hand at work, believing that you are too distant to care
or too weak to act. Open our eyes, our ears, our minds, our hearts to the glory of what you are
about in this world. Open our hands to both receive from you and to reach out to others. Breathe

18. into us the new life of your Holy Spirit, that we might breathe out your good news. This we pray
in the name of the One who is our foundation: Jesus Christ. Amen! (10/15/00)
(g-5) Opening Prayer
Thank you, God, for all your many blessings. We are surrounded with your goodness and mercy,
if only we have eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to touch, and hearts to confess them. As you love
us beyond what we do, caring for us simply because you created us - so we praise you for who
you are, after and beyond what you give to us.
Forgive our pride, which paints too small a picture of you next to our own portrait. Forgive our
sloth, which holds back from dreaming big dreams with you in fear of the hard work involved.
Forgive and live in us such that you and your vision becomes our motivation to face a new day
with faith and hope. May these be moments of a new beginning for us.
This we pray in the name of the One who said, "behold, I make all things new." Amen. (11/19/00)
(g-6) Call to Worship (alludes to Psalm 104)
One - Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, I stand in awe at your greatness.
All - You are clothed with honor and majesty and robed in light.
One - You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
All - Making the winds your messengers, and fire and flame your servants
One - How great are your works, O God!
All - In your wisdom you created the earth and all that is within it.
One - In thanksgiving, let us worship and praise the Lord our God.
Hymn - "How Great Thou Art"
Opening Prayer
Great and awesome God, creator and source of all life, we worship and praise you. Out of chaos
and darkness you spoke words which brought order and light and life. We marvel at such
evidence of your greatness and glory. Yet, you laid these aside when you took on human flesh in
Jesus Christ. In him we gained a new understanding of your power and glory, for he revealed
through his life, that true power is based upon empowering others, and that glory is made visible
through loving and serving others. We marvel anew at the depth of your care for us and the many
ways our lives have been blessed by the sacrificial life and love of Jesus. It is because of him that
we are gathered here today, and it is in his name that we pray. Amen. (11/22/00)
(g-7) Call to Worship (Psalm 148:1-2, 13-14 NRSV)
"Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;

19. praise him, all his host!
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the LORD!"
(then - "Good Christian friends, rejoice!")
Opening Prayer
"Good" ... "Christian" ... "friends" ... do we really fit that billing, O Lord. So often we fall flat on
our faces when it comes to being who you created us to be. We lag behind, all of us, when it
comes to following your Son. Too easily we lose track of the "seventy times seven" ways of
forgiving. "Turning the other check," and "going the second mile" become dim memories of
something called "friendship." Have mercy, O God, for our "heart and soul" lag behind our
"voice" when it comes to praise and joy.
Thank you for the precious gift you have placed into our lives, a birth we celebrated not all that
long ago. Help us to orient ourselves in such a way that every morning we can say, "Christ is
born today!" Not just two thousand years ago. Not just two weeks ago. But today, January 7th,
2001. Not just in the ancient nearest land of Israel. Not just beneath a Christmas tree. But here in
this place. Not just to Joseph and Mary and their "tribe." Not just to "tiny tots with their eyes all
aglow." But to us, to me... "Christ is born today!
This is the day. We open the door to your knock, our Savior. Welcome! Amen. (1/7/01)
(g-8) (quotes John 7:37-38, could follow "Come thou fount of every blessing")
Like a stream, O Lord, your blessings flow through our lives. Help us this hour to bend and drink
in what you so richly provide, your living water which refreshes and invigorates. Forgive us the
desire to place barriers across the current in order to store up for ourselves what you intend to
share with all. Likewise, have mercy on our wandering feet which too often march in the
opposite direction of where you desire us to be. Beyond forgiveness, pour your Holy Spirit upon
us, that we might become part of your never-ending stream. This we pray in the name of the One
who said, "Let those who are thirsty come to me, and those who believe in me drink... for ‘out of
the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.’" Amen. (3/17/02, 1/21/01)
(g-9) We praise you, Lord, for this sanctuary on our journey. You are the holiness in this place.
We pause to reflect on your holiness, as we seek to reflect your holiness in our own lives. But a
sanctuary is about safety as well as about holiness. We know you also as the safety which we
feel in this sanctuary. We have paused on our week’s journey, once again to experience the
holiness and the safety that we find in you and in your body.
Our hearts are grateful for all of the goodness and love that we have experienced during this past

20. week. We recognize you as the giver of all good things and praise you for this. When we
understand that good news reporting is so often construed to be the most ample report of bad
things that happen to people, we are thankful that the Gospel is nothing but the good news of
your love for us. Thank you for such really Good News.
On our life journeys, we find ourselves making missteps, stopping short of our goals on the
journey, slowing our pace, changing course, and even giving up and turning back from the
journey. Though we recognize when we miss the mark, we become experts in concealing our
failings. We ask your pardon for all our shortcomings. Renew in us today the overwhelming
assurance that all is not lost because of our failing. Give us again the certainty that you and other
fellow travelers will be by our sides, no matter what may happen on the journey. Reawaken in us
a clear vision of where we are going as we worship and fellowship together here today.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen (written by Ellis Shenk) (3/4/01)
(h-1) Yes, Lord, you are our "light," our "salvation," as well as our "strength." Forgive us for
allowing fear to rule us, as it does much more than we care to admit. This fear has a thousand
names, but your perfect love casts it out. We come to you this hour as those who need:
the breath of your Spirit to blow through us,
the brightness of your light to shine in us and around us,
the fire of your love to bring us to life right now, and
the sight and sound of your glory to bring forth our "hallelujah."
Yes, Lord, revive us again! Again, and again, and again! This we pray, in the name of the One
who set his face to Jerusalem - your Son Jesus, our Christ. Amen! (3/11/01)
(h-2) Shepherd us, O God. You who care about the lost and the least - seeking, finding, carrying
them home - we cannot help but enter into your joy. You call us together. "Rejoice with me, for I
have found my sheep that was lost," you tell us. Forgive us when we hold back and grumble our
way through your grace and mercy. Keep seeking and finding us!
Clean this house, O God. You whose word is like a lamp for our feet - lighting up this place,
sweeping and searching every nook and cranny - we are drawn together by your call. "Rejoice
with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost."
"There is more joy in heaven," you tell us, "there is joy in the presence of angels." May it
overflow into this gathering, O Lord - into us. Help these tongues to sing our praise of your glory
and grace. And Lord, as we sing, help us to hear your heavenly choir. In Jesus’ name, amen.
(3/25/01)
(h-3) Welcome, Lord Jesus. You are the reason we are gathered here. As you entered Jerusalem
long ago, come into the temple of our hearts and minds just now. If need be, turn a few tables
upside down to bring us right-side up.
Welcome, Holy Spirit. You are the power behind this hour. As you strengthened believers long
ago, come among us just now. If need be, blow away the dust and cobwebs to spring clean this
home.

21. Welcome, God. You are who you are! We don’t really need to welcome you here, for you are
with us always. Even so, we open the gates and cry, "Hosanna! Blessed is the One who comes in
the name of the Lord!" Amen. (4/8/01, 4/13/03, 3/20/05)
(h-4) (follows "Crown him with many crowns")
Lord of life, of love, of peace, of time itself, we stand in awe of your eternal presence and
resurrection power. We open our lives, once again, to your involvement. Come, Lord Jesus. As
you sit in heaven, be seated here on the throne of our hearts. Forgive us our sin, and enter in.
Amen. (4/29/01)
(h-5) (follows "All hail the power of Jesus’ name")
We praise you, Lord God, and lift up the name of your Son. Through your Holy Spirit, direct us
to not only speak the words, but to live as if they are true - to "crown him" Lord of our own lives.
We confess that, on our own, we stumble and fall. We tarnish that crown with impure thoughts
and thoughtless actions. Empower and guide us to walk by faith as those who are forgiven - step
by step, day by day. Bless, O Lord, the promises made this hour, for they are grounded in your
faithfulness to us. Yes, indeed! "All hail the power of Jesus’ name." And God’s people said,
(everyone: "Amen!") (5/6/01)
(h-6) Thank you, God. You are so good to us. Your love is steady and does not falter, unlike our
own. You are faithful and true, even when we are not. Forgive us for when we step over the line
in our relationship with you and with others, hurting those we love or those we don’t. Forgive us
also when we don’t step over that other line, when we fail to be thankful and to share gratitude.
How often we jeopardize our connection with you and with our loved ones by not sharing a good
word, or by not putting that gratitude into action.
Thank you, Lord, for who you are and what you do. Help us to speak about and to act upon your
perfect gifts, your wonderful works - every day, in ordinary ways and places. This we pray in the
name of the One who was and is your most perfect gift, your wonderful work - Jesus Christ.
Amen. (5/13/01)
(h-7)
Lord God,
our alpha and omega, our beginning and our end;
who has defeated sin and death
through your Son Jesus Christ;
who wipes the tears from our eyes even now,
with the promise of a future
where tears will only be for joy;

22. We praise you, O Lord, and love you
with heart, soul, and mind.
May this worship be like a spring
of cold, clear water,
refreshing, cleansing, renewing, living,
and pleasing in your sight.
Amen! (5/20/01, 6/24/07)
(h-8) (follows Praise Medley (vs. 1&7) "All creatures of our God and King,"
(vs. 1&4) "O worship the King," & (vs. 1&4) "Crown him with many crowns")
Lamb upon the throne, Lord of peace, our God and King, Creator, Shield and Defender,
Redeemer and Friend!... Mere words can not fully describe all that you are. Who are we to stand
in your presence, in awe of your glory? And yet you have drawn us here. Your Holy Spirit
empowers us to share your good news, to tell the story of your Son and your coming Kingdom,
to rejoice in your Life freely given. You have already moved past our sin. In confessing how we
have fallen far short of what you created us to be, we are enabled by you to see past our sin also.
Help us to live beyond ourselves, in you - beginning yet again, this very moment. This we pray,
focused upon and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen! (5/27/01)
(h-9) (follows "Holy Spirit, truth divine")
Lord God, in a world
where truth seems so relative,
your Word is a solid foundation;
where love is but a flickering, momentary flame,
your passion is a constant ember;
where power is widely abused,
your quiet strength works for justice;
where law is enforced from the outside in,
your rule is from the inside out;
where peace is misunderstood as an absence of conflict,
your reconciliation is a voice of calm amid the storm;
where joy depends upon outer circumstance,
your happiness is an ever-flowing spring from within.
As we sing your praise, Awesome God,
we open ourselves to you,
that we may receive your promised Spirit.
Abide in us. Help us to abide in you.
Gathered in the name of your Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen. (6/3/01)
©1990-2001, Peter L. Haynes

23. Go to main Worship Page
Go to Long Green Valley Church webpage
OpeningPrayers
For better or worse, I refer to the beginning prayer of worship as an "Opening Prayer" rather
than as the more traditional "Invocation." Indeed, in worship we do "call" upon the Lord, we lift
up our "voices" to God - which is what "invocation" means. However, we shouldn't be tempted to
believe that our efforts invoke, conjure up, or bring about God's presence. The truth is - "I am
with you always, even to the end of the age;" (Matthew 28:20) "I am standing at the door,
knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and
you with me;" (Revelation 3:20) The voice of Christ is calling us. He is knocking upon our door.
In worship, we are the ones who are invoked, the ones who respond to that call, that knock to
open our door and greet the awesome presence of God. Thus the phrase, "Opening Prayer," has
a double meaning. Pragmatically, it is the prayer that begins or opens worship. In this moment,
however, we are awakening to God, opening our "door," our "selves," our very lives to the One
who is with us always. One of my mentors, the late Rev. E. Paul Weaver, referred to this as the
"Prayer for the Awareness of God's Presence." Whatever terms we use, that is what we mean.
Confession is a part of worship. In higher church liturgy it usually has its own separate space
towards the beginning of the service, as a unison or responsive reading followed by an
assurance of pardon. An opening prayer can function, also, in this capacity - leading God's
people to welcome the Lord into our lives, as we are, not as some pipe-dream of who we think we
are.
Below is an ever-increasing collection of Opening Prayers written by me over the years (unless
otherwise noted). Some may have been pulled from other sources. Like many ministers, my
record keeping has not always been the best. If you find one here which should be attributed to
someone else, please let me know and I will do so. Feel free to borrow - "for the glory of God
and my neighbor's good."
Pete Haynes, pastor
Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
See also:
Advent
Worship Resources
Prayers for
Special Occasions
Offering Resources
Offertory
Scripture Sentences
Each resource on this page has been bookmarked. To link to a particular prayer use the designation at the beginning
of it, without the parenthesis,with a #. Thus,the first prayer would be bookmarked as:
http://rockhay.tripod.com/worship/prayers-etc/opening.htm#a-1
Dates at the end of an entry are when they have been used at this church, according to records not kept until Oct.,
2000. All have been part of worship here, though when they were written or first used may go back as far as 1990
(my first computer files).

24. (a-1)
O God, our resurrection & life, the promise of your new life in Christ is like a breath of fresh air
in a dry & thirsty land. We have gathered as believers, & as those who are honestly seeking the
truth. Guide our worship this hour.
O God who makes all things new, speak to us as whole people today. May your truth touch not
just our intellects, but also our deeper yearnings of heart & soul. We bring with us our daily
concerns, as well as our more eternal questions. May your new creation in us shed light upon our
everyday walk.
O God who fed the multitudes with but a few loaves & some fish, feed us now with the
abundance of what you freely offer, that we might overflow with your goodness right where we
live. All this we pray in the name of, & because of, Jesus our Christ. Amen. (4/25/04)
(a-2)
O God who is greater than the most powerful forces in this world, enable us to be still & know
that you are God.
O Lord who answers out of the whirlwind of everyday life, breathe in us your Holy Spirit to
strengthen, comfort, & guide us in the midst of the storm.
O still, small voice, speak to us this hour, that we might become makers of your peace in our
homes, in our communities, in our world.
We pray all this in the name of the One who calmed the raging sea. Amen.
(a-3)
O God, we trust in your power to create, to sustain, to enable. But we could not trust if we did
not know that you are always near. Be with us, Lord, as we are gathered here to worship you.
Help us not to check our minds or our hearts at the door, but enable us to bring all that we are to
you, so that we might experience your touch upon all aspects of our life. We pray this because
of, and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (1/14/01)
(a-4)
O God, we trust in your power, even as it is often found in weakness; in your wisdom, even as it
is expressed in seeming foolishness; in your wholeness, even as it comes to us amid brokenness.
We do not ask this day for dazzling displays of strength, electric exercises of intellectual
prowess, or marvelous manifestations of miracles. We come simply to worship you. Touch us
this day, O Lord, sinners that we are, that we might become your saints, your body, your
children, your church. For this Temple of your Spirit is built not upon our own abilities,
knowledge, or restorative skill, but upon you, in Jesus Christ. Amen. (10/10/04)

25. (a-5)
Gentle...yet powerful.
Lowly...yet almighty.
Shepherd...yet King.
In your gentleness, guide us.
In your power, strengthen us.
In your lowliness, strip from us our selfish pride which only destroys us.
In your greatness, lift us up that we might aspire to greater things.
As a shepherd, call us to be your servants.
As a King, call us to be your royal priesthood.
O God, who is our shepherd and our King;
O Christ, who was crucified and is now risen from the dead;
O Spirit, who comforts and empowers;
O great One in Three, Holy Trinity, this hour, set us free to worship. Amen.
(a-6)
Gentle Shepherd ... King of Love, we come to you as we are, not as we pretend to be. The truth
is, God, that when we lift our heads above our path, we all too often discover ourselves lost in a
maze of choices. We confess from the very beginning of this worship that we are lost... Were it
not for you, O great seeker of our souls, patient parent to our childhood, joyful host to our
homecoming; Were it not for you, O Lord, we would be lost forever. But, because of you, there
is room for us at the great Love Feast. Gentle Shepherd ... King of Love, seek and find us as we
are, not as we pretend. Be patient with us, and teach us how to wait. May the echoes of your
celebration reverberate in our midst this hour, transforming our worship from a mournful plea to
a joyful song. Gentle Shepherd ... King of Love, lead us. Amen. (variation 4/29/12)
(a-7)
Light of Christ, awaken us this hour to the glory of your presence in our midst. Shine among us
in such a way that the darkness without and within may be pushed back, such that we might truly
see what is really real. Help us to recognize our sin for what it is. Enable us to behold the world
as you created it to be, as you created us to be. Empower us to move from darkness to light, from
sin to new life. May your light within us shine through into worship this day, as all days. This we
pray in the name of the Word made flesh, the light which is the light of all people. Jesus Christ.
Amen. (2/25/01, 1/12/02, 7/22/07)
(a-8)
O Holy God, like Isaiah the prophet we stand in awe of your glory, feeling tremendously small
and polluted by our sin, and the sin of our society. Even so, you touch us with your burning

26. presence, and we are made clean and whole. O God, our Creator, continue to build this
household of faith into what you want us to be. O Christ, our Savior, lead us to do as you will. O
Spirit, our Power, strengthen us for the work of the Kingdom, a worship and a service which is
ours today as well as tomorrow. O Blessed Trinity, fill this place and these people with your
presence. For yours is the Power, and the Salvation, and the Creation, now and always. Amen.
(6/6/04)
(a-9)
O God from whom every gift derives, we gather to worship you this day. You are an awesome
God, greater than our comprehension or our imagination. You are beyond any word we could
ever use to describe you. And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of your vast Love.
We have come to you in thanksgiving and praise, to know that you are God and to place our lives
anew into your perspective. Enlarge our vision this hour with your Word. Instill in us, again,
your hope in place of our despair, your peace where our hatred threatens, your joy amidst our
depression, your love overwhelming our apathy.
May your Holy Spirit surround and indwell this congregation now, and forevermore. In Jesus we
pray. Amen.
(7/27/03, 1/22/06)
(b-1)
Eternal God, our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our end, we have gathered in this time
and at this place to worship you. In your time, you created all things, and wove into their fabric a
yearning for fulfillment in you. It is this yearning within us which has pulled us here this
morning. Take these moments, O Lord of time and space, and complete them in us, through your
Holy Spirit. May our labor bring forth a new creation in you. This is your hour, Christ Jesus, help
us to make the most of each precious moment. For in your name we have gathered, and we pray.
Amen. (5/5/02, 7/3/05)
(b-2)
Like Elijah, O God, we turn and face you in the midst of the storm. Help us this hour to hear you
speak to us - not in the wind, or the thunder, nor even in the upheaval of the ground beneath us.
Help us to hear you speak to us, in our heart of hearts, as that still, small voice amidst the
maelstrom, which gives us direction, and peace, and hope. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
(b-3)
O God, music is the food of our souls ... but not all are musically inclined.
We long to sing of you with the greatest of melodies,
the sweetest of tunes,
the grandest of rhythms,

27. the purest of pitches,
the fullest of sounds.
We aspire for excellence in our praise, to be worthy of your greatness ...
Well, perhaps our goals are a bit high ...
Do you suppose you could lend a few angels from your heavenly choir?
"O for a thousand tongues to sing!"
One just doesn't seem to be enough.
One tongue to sing;
One set of ears to hear;
One pair of arms to break free;
One heart to rejoice.
One just doesn't seem enough.
"O for a thousand ...", a million.
Hear our longing, O God.
We are not just tongues, or ears, or arms, or hearts.
We are whole persons, not just the sum of our many parts,
some of which work better than others.
We are whole persons who long to worship you with everything we've got;
for you are the source of everything we've got, great and small.
For the wholeness which you give us in the midst of our imperfection -
our ability to be fully human, for this we are thankful,
and our praise represents our thankfulness,
our longing for more of you in our common life.
Hear now our praise, "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"
(7/25/04)
(b-4)
O God, who is here - in this place, now - in our midst; Empower us to praise you, not with words
and actions which come from outside of us, but from within us; Dwell in us more fully that we
may sing to you with all our being; Fill us with a sense of your joy, that we might actually
delight in your worship; Focus us upon your self-giving Love, which is above every love we
have ever known, the source of all.
O God, who is here - in this place, now - in our midst; Make your love real here and now,
through Jesus Christ. Amen.
(b-5)
O God, the joy of this day, the hope for every day to come, Move in our midst, fill us with your
Spirit, and make us one. May our words, as well as our actions, and even the secret thoughts of
our hearts, be a part of your worship this hour, O Lord of great power, displayed in sacrificial
love. For we pray focused upon the One who died for all, your only begotten son. Amen.

28. (b-6)
"Get out of bed, sleepy head," we heard a voice say: an alarm clock, a mother or father, a
husband or wife, an excited child. "Eat breakfast," "get dressed," "hurry up - let's go", the voices
prodded us, Lord. And so, we are here. But are we really? Wake us up, God. Really! WAKE US
UP!
So often we begin worship by asking for you to be here. But we are the ones who need the
prodding. Prod us, Lord! Tickle us awake with your Spirit! Make us alive in Christ! Help us to
be aware that you are here with us, now!
You have crowned us with your presence. May we this hour crown you, glorify you with lives
that are lived for you.
In Jesus, we pray. Amen.
(b-7) confessional:
The Life you give us in Christ is so very real, God. Who are we to receive such goodness? Yes,
we have come to church today, but we confess that we have not been all that faithful throughout
the past week.
There were moments when we acted in love. But more often our actions were powered by other
motives. Forgive us. Help us to forgive ourselves.
We did remember you upon occasion, but too easily we forgot you amid the daily grind. Forgive
us. Help us to live in you.
Every now and then an "Amen" did come out of us in word or action. But like the father who
came to Jesus with his dying son, we more often cried out: "I believe; help my unbelief!" Forgive
us. Empower us with your Spirit.
Who are we to profess the life you freely give? Who are we to claim your daily goodness? Who
are we to receive your healing presence?....
Thank you, Father God, for your forgiveness.
Thank you, Christ Jesus, for your Life.
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your power.
We open ourselves to you, anew ... today. Live now in us, we pray. In Jesus name. Amen.
(b-8) CALL TO WORSHIP AND PRAYER (uses 2 leaders)
2 - Please stand, ready to worship God.
1 - Listen! Do you hear?
2 - Listen! Are you alive to what God has created around you?
1 - Look! Have you beheld the wonder of God's Creation?
2 - Look! Do you see the wonder of God's presence around us?
1 - Wait! "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him."
2 - Wait! "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength."
1 - Come! "Come to me all who labor & are heavy burdened, & I shall give you rest."
2 - Come! "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the
Kingdom of heaven belongs."

29. 1 - Pray! "Pray without ceasing."
2 - Pray! "Lord, teach us how to pray."
1 & 2 & congregation - "Our Father, who art in heaven ..." (etc.)
(b-9)
You are such a gracious host, Lord God of all creation. Who are we to receive such goodness?
You prepare a table for us, amidst our daily struggles, our successes and failures, even in the
presence of our enemies. You anoint us, wash us, feed us. You do all this.
We confess that we tend to see our daily bread solely in terms of our own handiwork. But we are
not self-sufficient. We need you. Forgive us. We need these brothers and sisters in Christ around
us. Empower us.
Shower us with your "holy manna" that we might be strengthened for the journey to which you
have called us. By faith we stand and worship. By faith we walk and work. By faith we profess
that your Christ is alive, and that your spirit moves us to be and to do more than we ever thought
possible.
We pray all this in the name of the One who said "I am the bread of life." Amen.
(c-1)
You are here, Lord, in this place. Now. Not only do we stand in awe of how great you are, larger
than our imagination; But we also can scarcely comprehend that you are with us this moment.
Yes, from a distance you are watching us. But you stand beside us as well. Your Spirit's presence
quickens our pulse, fills us with wonder when we become aware than you are near. In extra-
ordinary, as well as common, every-day ways, you make your presence known to us. This is your
time of worship, God. The words don't belong to the Pastor or myself. The music isn't the
property of the organist. The praying and singing we all do comes not only from us but, most
importantly, from you. When we lose sight of this, today as well as every day, O Lord, forgive
us, and live in and through us. Do great things with us right now, and in the week which lies
ahead. We pray this, our heavenly Father, in the name of your Son - Jesus Christ, in the power of
your Holy Spirit. Amen. (5/26/02)
(c-2)
Holy God, make your presence known to us today. We come to you as we are, called to be
saints, holy ones, but so often less than our calling. Help us this hour to let go of those sins to
which we cling. Help us to know that our self-worth does not depend so much on our ability to
hold on to our lives, as on your power to release ourselves into your hands.
Holy God, make your presence known to us today. We come to you with our vision so often
clouded by our sin. Clear away the mist, through Jesus, that we can catch a glimpse, now, of
your presence here. Help us to behold you as you are, not as we would like you to be. In Him,
through whom we become holy, on the wings of the Spirit, we pray to you, our Father. Amen.
(10/6/02, 11/1/09)

30. (c-3)
O God of the still, small voice quiet our inner spirit. Help us to focus upon you, and you alone, to
hear your voice within. There are so many other voices demanding our attention. But we cannot
attend to them without you.... "Be still and know that I am God," you say to us as you said to
Elijah.... May your voice speak through us. In weakness, be our strength. In poverty, be our
wealth. In depression, be our joy. In apathy, be our love. We cannot sing Love's song, O Lord,
unless it be your voice singing in us. Take this heart, and with this mouth make your praise and
thanksgiving a reality here and now. Because of, and in the name of our Messiah, Jesus. Amen.
(c-4)
Creator and Ruler of the Earth, we lift up our voices, our eyes, our hearts, our lives to you in
praise. Make us your alleluia people. Uphold the weary, for whom praise may be very difficult.
Humble the strong, for whom "alleluia" may be too easy. Creator and Ruler of the Earth,
continue to form us into your new creation, that we might welcome you to more fully become the
ruler of our hearts and minds. Through him who came as a servant, and who now reigns over all
creation, Jesus, our Christ. Amen. (10/21/01, 8/14/05, 11/12/06)
(c-5)
O God, whose holiness is not limited to grand cathedrals or saintly persons, spectacular
mountains or mountain-moving leaders; O God, whose holiness is often discovered in simple
everyday places and simple everyday folks, plant your holiness in this place, in us now. Grow us
this hour, that we might flower, right where we are, with the beauty of your holiness. Through
Jesus we pray. Amen. (2/4/01)
(c-6)
O God, who gives to those who ask, provide for each of us in your way, a special gift to be used
for your glory, and for the good of our neighbors. O God, who reveals to those who seek, show
us this day what these gifts are, and how they may be used. O God, who opens to those who
knock, help us to step forward, now, into your gracious presence, knowing that we are each and
all blessed with something special to share. One more thing, Lord, stir us up, so that we don't
become too self-satisfied, and forget to keep asking, and seeking, and knocking. We pray all this
in the name of the One who asks for the voiceless, who seeks out the lost, who stands at the door
and knocks. Come in, Lord Jesus. Amen.
(c-7)
Most Gracious God, hallowed be your name, help us to honor your name in what we say and

31. what we do, this hour in our worship, this week in our work. May your gracious presence
surround us this day, so that obedience to your Word becomes a joy rather than a burden. May
the depth of your Grace, the width of your Love, the height of your Joy, inspire us, here and now,
to more fully be your people, folks known not by forced friendliness, but by gracious goodwill.
We look to you for this, God, because, on our own, we are tempted to be just the opposite.
Empower us with your Spirit, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. (7/11/04)
(c-8)
O God who watches over all of creation, you are far greater than our ability to understand. How
do you do it? From where do you do it? Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father who art in heaven."
What a mouthful, Lord! On the one hand you are as close as a loving parent. But on the other
hand, you watch from a distance.
O God who is beyond our reasoning, accept us as we are. Take our faith as it is, and move us to
higher places. Teach us the truth, that we might be able to call on you in truth, where you are,
and not just where we want you to be.
O God who is both compassion and power, receive from us this hour all the praise, the
thanksgiving, the love we are able to return to you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
(3/30/03)
(c-9)
Eternal God, whose signature we see, if we dare to look, in the creation of the universe, help us
this hour to look and to listen for your handwriting and your voice in this place, among these
people. Connect our temporary praise to your timeless rhythms, your ageless melodies, your
everlasting joyful noise. Guide us now to focus upon you, knowing that in you our distractions
become new possibilities for action. Breathe life into our singing, our praying, our speaking, our
listening, our touching, that all these activities might become more than they are. In our worship
we reach out to you, O God, knowing that you have already enfolded us in your arms. Thank
you. In Jesus, we pray. Amen. (9/15/02, 10/8/06)
(d-1)
Lord God, words are not enough to express your awesomeness, your majesty, your holiness. Our
highest expressions of theology are but baby talk next to you: your creation, your very self. Make
us aware, through your Holy Spirit, that you are here among us. May this awareness lead us to
approach this hour more carefully. The words we speak, the tunes we sing, the thoughts we
think, the joy and sadness we feel, may these be pleasing to you. For in spite of the inadequacy
of our words, this worship is addressed to you. Make it complete, whole, full to overflowing, O
God, our rock, and our redeemer. In Christ we pray. Amen. (7/15/01, 10/2/05)

32. (d-2)
"Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will
give them will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." (John 4:14)
"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me
will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
O God of living water, O bread of life; We are hungry. We are thirsty. Our prosperity, though,
masks these deepest needs. Quench our thirst now, that our lips might sing your praise. Fill our
emptiness now, that our lives might show your love. "Cast your bread upon the waters" of this
place. (Ecclesiastes 11:1) Let your waters "break forth in (our) wilderness, (your) streams in (our)
desert." (Isaiah 35:6b) Create an oasis here and now in us, where the hungry and thirsty might
come and receive, a channel that might carry your living water where it is needed. Flow in and
through us this hour. This we pray, in the name of the One whose love is expressed in bread and
wine. Amen.
(d-3)
O God, powerful and loving, we look to you for both strength and compassion. We confess that
we don't really understand power, nor - when it comes down to it - are we very good at love.
Very easily we go to extremes: too hard or too soft. Teach us your tough love. Sharpen us this
hour on the whetstone of your Word. With the tender arms of your Spirit, embrace us. O
powerful and loving God, fashion us to become tough and tender disciples. We worship you now
because we know of no other like you. In the name of Jesus, your beloved Son, our leader and
friend, we pray. Amen.
(d-4) (used with "A Mighty Fortress")
O God, our refuge, our strength, our help; you are the bedrock upon which our lives are built, the
mighty fortress which surrounds and protects. Though the earth should change, the mountains
shake, the waters rise, we will not fear. Help us, O Lord, to live fearlessly amidst the storm. But
in so doing, guide us as followers of the prince of peace, the servant king, away from a fortress
mentality, where outsiders are enemies, toward a Kingdom where Love is the final word. On
bended knee we sing praise to the One you have exalted, the lamb who was slain for our sin.
May the doors of this mighty fortress open wide this hour, that the music of the Kingdom may
resound through this valley and into our hearts, our homes, our communities, our world. In the
name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. (3/7/04)
(d-5)
O God, whose glory is found not just on majestic thrones far beyond our reach, but also amid the
imperfection of the human family; help us to approach this hour, this day, and thus every day this
week, as a gift from you, full of glorious possibilities, as well as holy expectations. This does not

33. come naturally, Lord. Our temptation is to be so "realistic", or so lost in the clouds, that we miss
your kingdom coming on earth, even as it is in heaven. It is often in the simplest of ways, in the
middle of situations for which a sigh is our only response, that your glory becomes a reality.
Come, Holy Spirit, help us to see and worship, to trust and live, starting right now! In Jesus'
name, we pray. Amen. (6/11/06)
(d-6)
Yes, Lord, teach us to wait. You are eternal. In you we find freedom from the tyranny of time.
You have given us the minutes and hours of our days not to enslave us, but to give order. Help us
to use this hour wisely, to wait, and experience your nearness. Only in returning and rest are we
saved, in quietness and trust are we strengthened. (pause)
Yes, Lord, teach us to wait. Only then can we learn to fly with the eagles. Only then can we sing
your song of freedom. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
(d-7)
We thank you for this new day, God. Confession time: ... we're not very good at giving thanks.
We tend to be takers more than givers. You give us so much, only we get so turned around that
we can't see what you provide for us, each and every day. We get so lost in the struggle to make
ends meet, that "meat", and what it takes to buy it, becomes our end. Forgive us, Lord, and free
us. Open us to your simple gifts, that we might be able to turn right side around; that we might,
in fact, find delight in turning; that we might enjoy simply giving. Today is a day for turning, O
God, a new day, your day of rest and renewal. Bow us, bend us, turn us this hour, so that these
words become the song of our heart, mind, & soul: "May Jesus Christ be praised!" Amen.
(d-7a)
"Thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in
quietness and in trust shall be your strength.'" (Isaiah 30:15)
For those turning toward home, You are Lord, leading every step of the way. For those needing
rest in the wilderness, You are God, making all things new. For those seeking quiet amidst the
storm, You are Holy, speaking in a whisper. For those still learning how to trust, You are One,
drawing closer to your heart. Lord God, Holy One of Israel, Lead us, Renew us, Speak to us,
Your will be done in us, Enough for today. Now. We pray to you as children to their Daddy, like
Jesus taught us. In his name, Amen.
(d-8)
O God, whose Word is not just a one-way conversation, talk with us, today, and hear us as we
pray. Free us, that we might listen for your voice, and empower us to speak to you. For in Christ
Jesus, you have called us into a friendship which influences all other relationships. Help us to see

34. beauty where we might be tempted to see ugliness, in ourselves, as well as in others. May your
"joy" be found there as well. As you have washed our feet in Christ, kneel us to washing your
feet in others. As you have lifted us off our knees, help us to lift others up. Four we all were
created in your image. Re-create in us, just now, a new heart, O God, one that beats in tune with
your own. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
(d-9)
Holy God, you have revealed yourself to us in a trinity of ways: as our powerful Creator, our
dying Savior, and our comforting Spirit. But we also know you as a loving parent; a risen Lord;
and a dynamic breath of fresh air. We're never really sure of how you are able to be all these
things to us, but you are. And we praise you. You are an awesome God, limited only by our
ability to understand. Inhabit our worship this hour. Teach us the grace of placing our limitations
within the wonder of your unlimited hands. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. (6/10/01, 10/14/01,
1/9/05, 4.22/07, adapted for 2/20/11)
(e-1)
O God, we are gathered here under the shelter of your wings, nurtured by your motherly love,
and encouraged, then, to fly by faith on the wind of your spirit. You have spoken to us, saying
"They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as
eagles." Teach us how to wait, then, that we may learn how to fly. May this nest we call "family"
be built with sturdy materials. Don't let us forget, though, that this nest was not created as a
fortress behind which to hide, but as a perch from which to take off. And strengthen us with the
assurance that we do not fly alone. This we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
(e-2)
Thank you, Lord, for the song you've planted in us, a melody which rings out no matter what our
circumstances may be. Some of us here today need your strength, for our voices are barely heard
above the noise of our problems. Others of us require your leading, for in the confusion of life
we are losing our sense of direction. Some need your word of caution concerning roads we are
hell-bent on traveling. Others could use your encouragement as we walk the path you have
opened for us. When we sing our praise, Lord, in the same breath we are asking you to move
amid our problems, our confusion, our mistakes, as well as the good we do, and make your
praise a part of our daily life. Help us to rejoice and be glad. In the name of Christ, our joy.
Amen. (6/2/02, 3/6/05, 9/2/07)
(e-3)
(used with Exodus 15:11,13,17-18)
Come, Holy Spirit of God, and blow open the waters of this congregation. Lead us forward this
day, O Jesus, pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Plant us on your holy ground, O God of the

35. burning bush, such that we cannot help but take off our shoes. We have come to worship you, in
Jesus' name. Amen.
(e-4) Responsive Prayer
One: O God, you have planted in us a yearning for "home". With the psalmist we cry,
All: "Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion,"
One: knowing that this highway is not so much a line on a map, as a space within.
All: We are on a journey, Lord. Together we are traveling home. You beckon us onward.
One: You are not just out there, though. You are here, blessing us all along the Way.
All: Thanks for the green pastures and still waters of your hospitality, our Shepherd.
One: In the dark places through which we walk, facing various enemies, we are grateful:
All: for your direction, your protection, your hearty food, your welcoming hand.
One: As we journey home, give us the breath to sing our songs of Zion.
All: And help us to march to the beat of a different drummer. In Jesus name. Amen.
(e-5)
There is no way that we can really bless you, O God, no way that we can truly become a blessing
to others, without your blessing first becoming a part of us. Behind the scenes you are at work, O
Lord, blessing this world. For the wrong, of which we are so often a part, we deserve your curse.
But you bless us, instead. Thank you!
We ask your blessing, your active presence among us today. Work in us and through us. Allow
us to see the evidence of your involvement. O bless the Lord. May all that is within us bless your
holy name. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
(9/11/05)
(e-6)
O Lord, we are like workers in a field, reaping the harvest of your Word. Keep us faithful, today,
to the work of worship. May your Spirit move in our midst, waking us up when we are tired,
opening our eyes to the goodness you spread before us, strengthening our hand to cut through the
stalk and get to the grain which provides our spiritual bread. In so doing, feed us. As you do so,
however, remind us of those who are still hungry, needing the taste of what you so richly
provide. Do not satisfy us so much that we fail to reach out to them. For in reality, we are all
poor. And yet, "blessed are the poor," you said in Jesus, "for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven;
blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled..." In you, we are rich. Receive, now, the offering
of our worship: the gifts we bring from your field, the songs we sing from your Spirit, the words
we say from our heart. Increase the harvest, O Lord. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. (6/16/02)

36. (e-7)
Immortal God, as we witness the stunning change in seasons, we realize that all of life reflects
your creative power. Invisible God, as we search for your love in a violent world, we realize that
you have shown us your silent power in grieving women, like Ruth and Naomi, in a baby born
away from his home village, in today's humble believers in foreign lands. Wise God, as we listen
for direction in our lives, we understand that you are present and speaking in this time of
worship. Great God, we praise your continued desire to lead your people to servant lives of joy
and sharing - lives directed by the example of your Son, Jesus Christ, and works guided by the
power of your Holy Spirit. O help us to see and feel this power this holy morning. (written by Jean
Sack. refers to hymn: "Immortal, invisible, God only wise")
(e-8)
God, you have been at work in this world, from that first day of Creation up until today. So many
lives, down through the centuries, have been shaped by your hand. People going beyond the
possible, walking by faith and thus changing the course of history, in ways large or small. We
call them saints. But it was you behind them all. You are an awesome God!
We confess, O Lord, that we are tempted to place your saints into an unreachable box, so good
and holy that their experience does not touch our own. If anything, we are full of holes rather
than holy, and selfish motives accompany our acts of goodness. Still, you take our tattered and
torn lives and sew together a holy people. You make us into saints.
Thank you for the One in and through whom our lives become holy: your son, Jesus Christ. He is
like fragrant oil which overflows its container, soothing and healing our wounds, and
consecrating our lives to your impossible possibilities. Because of him, our hands are never
empty. And because of him we are gathered here today, to worship you. In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
(e-9)
Lord, make us free... free with eyes not focused upon ourselves; free with ears open to hearing
your Word; free with hands reaching out; free with hearts no longer chained by what we possess,
but bound, instead, by what we can share. Yes, Lord, make us free... free to worship; free to be
extravagant with thankfulness; free to break open the most costly oil upon your feet; free to love
as love really is, In Jesus...Amen.
(f-1) (follows "Praise, I will praise you, Lord")
With all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we praise you, Lord. But this is only possible
through your presence in us, by your grace. Otherwise, we are easily distracted, diverted away
from where you wish us to be, distanced from your calling, lost in our current situations. Forgive
us our lack of attention to your Word, our failure to seek and find what we need from the source
of all our joy. Help us to repent, to turn in the right direction this very moment, that we may
fulfill your commandment to love you with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
May we indeed worship you today with all our heart. In Jesus' name. Amen. (5/16/04)

37. (f-2)
Thank you, God, for the ability to sing out our faith. Of course, some of us are better singers than
others. Accept our praise, from each and every tongue united in Jesus Christ. We know that all
our voices together cannot even begin to convey the wonder and glory and majesty of who you
are. Strangely enough, though, you make our song complete. To your gracious ears, the praise of
a few is as great as the best chorus and symphony. We still find this hard to believe. You put a
new song in our mouths. You set us free to sing! Thank you God. Receive the praise of these
joy-filled hearts, in Jesus name. Amen. (7/4/04, 1/29/06)
(f-3)
As we come together into your presence with singing, O Lord, we confess that Love is still a
mystery to us... This is as it should be, for Your Love is not something under our control. It is
like Your Spirit, a wind which blows where it will, an unseen power. It is like Your Justice,
which rolls down like waters, and Your Righteousness - an ever-flowing stream. Blow through
us, roll through us, flow through us this hour, that your Love in us might be perfected on the
anvil of faith. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. (8/18/02)
(f-4)
In order for you to move in us, O Lord, we need to open the door. In some ways, that's the
hardest step. We can be that mountain which seems impossible to move. Through our joys and
our fears, our laughter as well as our tears, move us this morning, God. The door is open.
Welcome. In the name of the One who said, "nothing is impossible," we pray. Amen.
(f-5)
Thank you, God, for your gift of the Holy Spirit. Like the wind that blows across our land, we
cannot control it. But like a ship on the sea, we can lift our sails and journey with it. By your
mercy, Lord, move us. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. (5/15/05)
(f-6)
Eternal God, we open our minds and hearts to you this hour. Turn us on to you, and keep us
tuned in, even after we have left this place. This we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. (10/24/04)
(f-7)
O God, who is to us like a loving, faithful father, we open ourselves this day to your care. May

38. your refreshment, your renewal, your forgiveness, your strength, your hope surround those who
are gathered here in Jesus' name. Amen. (6/17/07)
(f-8)
We have come, O Lord. Not as faithful as we should be, nor as joyful as we could be. Even so,
we have been attracted by your faithfulness and your joy. Holy Spirit, teach us this day more
about your truth, as revealed by Jesus Christ. Fill us with your promised happiness. Challenge us
to follow you this moment, this day, this coming week. All this we ask in the name of Jesus,
whom we adore as Christ the Lord. Amen. (10/28/01)
(f-9)
In "the name of Jesus" we pray, O Lord. Our own, individual names separate us from one
another and, more importantly, from you. When we gather with your Holy Spirit as our guide,
many prayers become one prayer. A jamble of many words becomes less a tower of Babel, and
more a simple, united song of praise. Thank you for this one-ness we have found in Jesus Christ,
O God of every nation, Master of the universe. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
(g-1) Call to Worship
(The worship leader (#1) reads from the lecturn. The others join in from the pews in turn.)
1 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
2 - You are God's temple!
3 - God's Spirit dwells in you!
4 - We are God's temple!
5 - God's Spirit dwells in us!
Prayer
An awesome thought, O Lord: We are your temple. You dwell in us. We must confess our
feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. The plain truth is: we're all sinners. Even so, you make
us your sanctuary. Without your steadfast love, though, these Temples are nothing. Move
through these rooms with your Spirit. Touch that Holy of Holies, that sacred space within us.
Teach us how to live...in Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
(g-2)
"To live our praise to thee." That is our deepest desire, O God. Take these words we speak this
day, these songs we sing, the gifts we offer; our inner thoughts, our outer expressions - take them
all, and make them into a living praise that will not end with the final note of the postlude, but go

39. with us beyond this place into our world. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
(7/14/02)
(g-3) Call to Worship
Brother James, in his New Testament letter, nudges us forward with these words: "Are any
among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise."
(5:13) If you fit into those categories, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here today to pray to
and to rejoice in the Lord. And those of us who find ourselves in the middle - not hurting at this
moment, but also not really all that happy - Come, let’s stand before the Lord just as we are and
sing the Lord’s song. He’ll bring us around just right.
Brothers and sisters, we have met to worship! Let’s do it!
Opening Prayer
O God, who gave manna in the wilderness long ago, who still provides for those who hunger and
thirst today, we have come to worship you. May the things we sing and say, as well as the things
we think and feel, be acceptable (pleasing even) to you. Forgive us when what we say is not what
we think, when our actions do not live up to our words of faith - forgive and live in us that we
might become a people of integrity. Shower this hour with your blessings, that we might leave
this place to share your good news with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. (10/1/00)
(g-4) Call to Worship
Soon, our children will stand before us
and sing to the Lord a song of Jesus.
Are we ready to stand with them
and sing as children of God ourselves?
Soon, infants in their parent’s arms will come forward
and be dedicated to the Lord.
Are we ready to be dedicated also?
Do we not, all of us, come to God as children
held in the arms of their heavenly Father?
With happy voices singing, then,
may our praise be full and clear.
May we tell the wondrous story,
and live in truth before God.
Come, stand, worship!
("With Happy Voices Singing," hymn #83)
Opening Prayer
We praise you, O God. You have been faithful and true, through good times and bad. Forgive us
for doubting when we have not seen your hand at work, believing that you are too distant to care
or too weak to act. Open our eyes, our ears, our minds, our hearts to the glory of what you are
about in this world. Open our hands to both receive from you and to reach out to others. Breathe

40. into us the new life of your Holy Spirit, that we might breathe out your good news. This we pray
in the name of the One who is our foundation: Jesus Christ. Amen! (10/15/00)
(g-5) Opening Prayer
Thank you, God, for all your many blessings. We are surrounded with your goodness and mercy,
if only we have eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to touch, and hearts to confess them. As you love
us beyond what we do, caring for us simply because you created us - so we praise you for who
you are, after and beyond what you give to us.
Forgive our pride, which paints too small a picture of you next to our own portrait. Forgive our
sloth, which holds back from dreaming big dreams with you in fear of the hard work involved.
Forgive and live in us such that you and your vision becomes our motivation to face a new day
with faith and hope. May these be moments of a new beginning for us.
This we pray in the name of the One who said, "behold, I make all things new." Amen. (11/19/00)
(g-6) Call to Worship (alludes to Psalm 104)
One - Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, I stand in awe at your greatness.
All - You are clothed with honor and majesty and robed in light.
One - You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
All - Making the winds your messengers, and fire and flame your servants
One - How great are your works, O God!
All - In your wisdom you created the earth and all that is within it.
One - In thanksgiving, let us worship and praise the Lord our God.
Hymn - "How Great Thou Art"
Opening Prayer
Great and awesome God, creator and source of all life, we worship and praise you. Out of chaos
and darkness you spoke words which brought order and light and life. We marvel at such
evidence of your greatness and glory. Yet, you laid these aside when you took on human flesh in
Jesus Christ. In him we gained a new understanding of your power and glory, for he revealed
through his life, that true power is based upon empowering others, and that glory is made visible
through loving and serving others. We marvel anew at the depth of your care for us and the many
ways our lives have been blessed by the sacrificial life and love of Jesus. It is because of him that
we are gathered here today, and it is in his name that we pray. Amen. (11/22/00)
(g-7) Call to Worship (Psalm 148:1-2, 13-14 NRSV)
"Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;

41. praise him, all his host!
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the LORD!"
(then - "Good Christian friends, rejoice!")
Opening Prayer
"Good" ... "Christian" ... "friends" ... do we really fit that billing, O Lord. So often we fall flat on
our faces when it comes to being who you created us to be. We lag behind, all of us, when it
comes to following your Son. Too easily we lose track of the "seventy times seven" ways of
forgiving. "Turning the other check," and "going the second mile" become dim memories of
something called "friendship." Have mercy, O God, for our "heart and soul" lag behind our
"voice" when it comes to praise and joy.
Thank you for the precious gift you have placed into our lives, a birth we celebrated not all that
long ago. Help us to orient ourselves in such a way that every morning we can say, "Christ is
born today!" Not just two thousand years ago. Not just two weeks ago. But today, January 7th,
2001. Not just in the ancient nearest land of Israel. Not just beneath a Christmas tree. But here in
this place. Not just to Joseph and Mary and their "tribe." Not just to "tiny tots with their eyes all
aglow." But to us, to me... "Christ is born today!
This is the day. We open the door to your knock, our Savior. Welcome! Amen. (1/7/01)
(g-8) (quotes John 7:37-38, could follow "Come thou fount of every blessing")
Like a stream, O Lord, your blessings flow through our lives. Help us this hour to bend and drink
in what you so richly provide, your living water which refreshes and invigorates. Forgive us the
desire to place barriers across the current in order to store up for ourselves what you intend to
share with all. Likewise, have mercy on our wandering feet which too often march in the
opposite direction of where you desire us to be. Beyond forgiveness, pour your Holy Spirit upon
us, that we might become part of your never-ending stream. This we pray in the name of the One
who said, "Let those who are thirsty come to me, and those who believe in me drink... for ‘out of
the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.’" Amen. (3/17/02, 1/21/01)
(g-9) We praise you, Lord, for this sanctuary on our journey. You are the holiness in this place.
We pause to reflect on your holiness, as we seek to reflect your holiness in our own lives. But a
sanctuary is about safety as well as about holiness. We know you also as the safety which we
feel in this sanctuary. We have paused on our week’s journey, once again to experience the
holiness and the safety that we find in you and in your body.
Our hearts are grateful for all of the goodness and love that we have experienced during this past

42. week. We recognize you as the giver of all good things and praise you for this. When we
understand that good news reporting is so often construed to be the most ample report of bad
things that happen to people, we are thankful that the Gospel is nothing but the good news of
your love for us. Thank you for such really Good News.
On our life journeys, we find ourselves making missteps, stopping short of our goals on the
journey, slowing our pace, changing course, and even giving up and turning back from the
journey. Though we recognize when we miss the mark, we become experts in concealing our
failings. We ask your pardon for all our shortcomings. Renew in us today the overwhelming
assurance that all is not lost because of our failing. Give us again the certainty that you and other
fellow travelers will be by our sides, no matter what may happen on the journey. Reawaken in us
a clear vision of where we are going as we worship and fellowship together here today.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen (written by Ellis Shenk) (3/4/01)
(h-1) Yes, Lord, you are our "light," our "salvation," as well as our "strength." Forgive us for
allowing fear to rule us, as it does much more than we care to admit. This fear has a thousand
names, but your perfect love casts it out. We come to you this hour as those who need:
the breath of your Spirit to blow through us,
the brightness of your light to shine in us and around us,
the fire of your love to bring us to life right now, and
the sight and sound of your glory to bring forth our "hallelujah."
Yes, Lord, revive us again! Again, and again, and again! This we pray, in the name of the One
who set his face to Jerusalem - your Son Jesus, our Christ. Amen! (3/11/01)
(h-2) Shepherd us, O God. You who care about the lost and the least - seeking, finding, carrying
them home - we cannot help but enter into your joy. You call us together. "Rejoice with me, for I
have found my sheep that was lost," you tell us. Forgive us when we hold back and grumble our
way through your grace and mercy. Keep seeking and finding us!
Clean this house, O God. You whose word is like a lamp for our feet - lighting up this place,
sweeping and searching every nook and cranny - we are drawn together by your call. "Rejoice
with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost."
"There is more joy in heaven," you tell us, "there is joy in the presence of angels." May it
overflow into this gathering, O Lord - into us. Help these tongues to sing our praise of your glory
and grace. And Lord, as we sing, help us to hear your heavenly choir. In Jesus’ name, amen.
(3/25/01)
(h-3) Welcome, Lord Jesus. You are the reason we are gathered here. As you entered Jerusalem
long ago, come into the temple of our hearts and minds just now. If need be, turn a few tables
upside down to bring us right-side up.
Welcome, Holy Spirit. You are the power behind this hour. As you strengthened believers long
ago, come among us just now. If need be, blow away the dust and cobwebs to spring clean this
home.

43. Welcome, God. You are who you are! We don’t really need to welcome you here, for you are
with us always. Even so, we open the gates and cry, "Hosanna! Blessed is the One who comes in
the name of the Lord!" Amen. (4/8/01, 4/13/03, 3/20/05)
(h-4) (follows "Crown him with many crowns")
Lord of life, of love, of peace, of time itself, we stand in awe of your eternal presence and
resurrection power. We open our lives, once again, to your involvement. Come, Lord Jesus. As
you sit in heaven, be seated here on the throne of our hearts. Forgive us our sin, and enter in.
Amen. (4/29/01)
(h-5) (follows "All hail the power of Jesus’ name")
We praise you, Lord God, and lift up the name of your Son. Through your Holy Spirit, direct us
to not only speak the words, but to live as if they are true - to "crown him" Lord of our own lives.
We confess that, on our own, we stumble and fall. We tarnish that crown with impure thoughts
and thoughtless actions. Empower and guide us to walk by faith as those who are forgiven - step
by step, day by day. Bless, O Lord, the promises made this hour, for they are grounded in your
faithfulness to us. Yes, indeed! "All hail the power of Jesus’ name." And God’s people said,
(everyone: "Amen!") (5/6/01)
(h-6) Thank you, God. You are so good to us. Your love is steady and does not falter, unlike our
own. You are faithful and true, even when we are not. Forgive us for when we step over the line
in our relationship with you and with others, hurting those we love or those we don’t. Forgive us
also when we don’t step over that other line, when we fail to be thankful and to share gratitude.
How often we jeopardize our connection with you and with our loved ones by not sharing a good
word, or by not putting that gratitude into action.
Thank you, Lord, for who you are and what you do. Help us to speak about and to act upon your
perfect gifts, your wonderful works - every day, in ordinary ways and places. This we pray in the
name of the One who was and is your most perfect gift, your wonderful work - Jesus Christ.
Amen. (5/13/01)
(h-7)
Lord God,
our alpha and omega, our beginning and our end;
who has defeated sin and death
through your Son Jesus Christ;
who wipes the tears from our eyes even now,
with the promise of a future
where tears will only be for joy;

44. We praise you, O Lord, and love you
with heart, soul, and mind.
May this worship be like a spring
of cold, clear water,
refreshing, cleansing, renewing, living,
and pleasing in your sight.
Amen! (5/20/01, 6/24/07)
(h-8) (follows Praise Medley (vs. 1&7) "All creatures of our God and King,"
(vs. 1&4) "O worship the King," & (vs. 1&4) "Crown him with many crowns")
Lamb upon the throne, Lord of peace, our God and King, Creator, Shield and Defender,
Redeemer and Friend!... Mere words can not fully describe all that you are. Who are we to stand
in your presence, in awe of your glory? And yet you have drawn us here. Your Holy Spirit
empowers us to share your good news, to tell the story of your Son and your coming Kingdom,
to rejoice in your Life freely given. You have already moved past our sin. In confessing how we
have fallen far short of what you created us to be, we are enabled by you to see past our sin also.
Help us to live beyond ourselves, in you - beginning yet again, this very moment. This we pray,
focused upon and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen! (5/27/01)
(h-9) (follows "Holy Spirit, truth divine")
Lord God, in a world
where truth seems so relative,
your Word is a solid foundation;
where love is but a flickering, momentary flame,
your passion is a constant ember;
where power is widely abused,
your quiet strength works for justice;
where law is enforced from the outside in,
your rule is from the inside out;
where peace is misunderstood as an absence of conflict,
your reconciliation is a voice of calm amid the storm;
where joy depends upon outer circumstance,
your happiness is an ever-flowing spring from within.
As we sing your praise, Awesome God,
we open ourselves to you,
that we may receive your promised Spirit.
Abide in us. Help us to abide in you.
Gathered in the name of your Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen. (6/3/01)
©1990-2001, Peter L. Haynes

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