Prayers for Worship
Easter 5
May 10, 2009

Prayers for Worship
by David von Schlichten

Call to Worship

Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
People: Because the Vine lives, we live!
Leader: God, our Mother, you love us,
People: so we love our brothers and sisters.
Leader: We praise you, Heavenly Mother, according to the Trinity-Name,
People: abiding in you as you abide in us.

Prayer of Invocation

Holy Spirit, snatch us and cultivate us to bear fruit according to the One who died on the tree and rose in the garden. Alleluia!

Prayer of Confession

The Eternal Vine has filled us with life. Apart from him we can do nothing. Without Christ, we wither. We deny the gospel to people whom society declares outsiders. The Spirit calls us to share the Good News but we keep our mouths shut, our hands closed. We say we love God but then we hate our siblings. We refuse to abide in you.

In the name of the One who died for the eunuch, forgive us, the baptized. Prune us. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
People: Alleluia!
Leader: Because of the Vine, we have life. God, our farmer and mother, forgives us every single sin.
People: God scrubs away our sins.
Leader: We shall proclaim God's deliverance to a people yet unborn.
People: The LORD has acted. Alleluia!

Prayer of Inspiration

Holy Spirit, we cannot understand the Scriptures unless you guide us. Sit beside us. Proclaim to us the good news about Jesus Christ, so that we can proclaim it to others, including the outcast. So be it.

Prayers of the People

Maternal Lord, you have taken Mother Church by the hand and guided her. We give extra praise for our sibling St. Matthias, the apostle who replaced Judas. Inspire us to do your work wherever the Spirit sends us. Abiding God, (congregational response: we thank you for all that you do for us.).

Maternal Lord, often we shut people out of the Church. Just as Philip reached out to the Ethiopian eunuch, who was an outsider in his time, give us the boldness to reach out to today's outsiders, including homosexuals and others of controversial sexual orientation. Abiding God, . . .

Mamma Adonai, you have blessed us with a good and prosperous nation. Bless every nation, every people, from Ethiopia to Iraq to Sudan to the United States. Help us to have the wise vulnerability to love one another with the perfect love that casts out fear. Abiding God, . . .

Mamma Adonai, we thank you for all members of the Armed Forces. Watch over them. Bring them home safely. Lead the Armed Forces to do your will, and hasten the day when such forces will be obsolete because of your flawless love. Abiding God, . . .

You gave birth and have cared for the entire universe. Mothers and other mother-figures are a reflection of your creative and nurturing power. We exalt you for mothers and other mother-figures. Help us to care for them as they have cared for us. Open our eyes, so that we do not take them for granted. Abiding God, . . .

You teach us. Thank you for education. Bless all graduates. We praise you for their accomplishments and beseech you to help graduates find jobs. Abiding God, . . .

You are love. We thank you for the love you have cultivated in us for each other. Watch over all proms. Keep people safe, help them to have fun in accord with your will, and make love grow. Abiding God, . . .

Nurturing, Cradling God, you have healed us over and over. Bless those in need of healing, including all we mention in our hearts or aloud right now. [Add names]. Direct us to care for the afflicted. Abiding God, . . .

(You may add other praises or petitions here...)

This bouquet of prayers we present to you for your glory and out of love for you and concern for our siblings. In the name of the Vine we pray. Amen.

Offertory Prayer

We offer these gifts as part of performing our vows in the sight of all of us who fear you.

Benediction

Leader: Abiding Adonai, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we shall remember and turn to you;
People: we shall bear fruit, loving others as the risen Christ has loved us. Alleluia! So be it!

(from www.goodpreacher.com/blog/)