“The World Is Our Home”:
Service Prayers for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 16:9-15 • Psalm 67 • Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5
• John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 67)

One: May God be gracious to us, and bless us,
and cover us with the radiance of grace.

All: May your way be known everywhere, God:
in the hidden places of our hearts;
in the comfort of our homes;
in every corner of our world;
in the farthest reaches of creation.

You transform us; you heal our lives;

you renew the earth and every creature:

Let our praise for you shake the rafters with songs of joy!

Unison Invocation

God, we remember with wonder and joy
that your spirit is reaching everywhere:
rejoicing in the liveliness of all living things;
touching what is wounded or ill with healing power;
gathering in the lonely, the lost, the least;
soothing ancient animosities;
creating and recreating a vision of hope.
Come now, Holy Spirit.
Let our worship rejoice in you,
and lift our hearts,
and bind us in one family of loving grace.
We ask in Jesus’ name; Amen.

Prayer of Confession

One: Let’s start by acknowledging
that we’ve tried to listen for God’s call, and tried to follow.

All: We try; we don’t always succeed.

In things we have done, and things we’ve left undone,
we have relied on our own wits,
rather than relying on the power and presence of God.

We have not set apart the Sabbath,
honoring God with our rest and renewal.

We live in a world of gross inequities:
we’ve tried to be the voice of the voiceless —
to be the hands and feet of God —
but we don’t always see through our world
to the peace that God promises,
and we get tired.

God, you know us through and through,
at our best, at our worst,
and still you seek us out. Grant us grace
to be honest with ourselves and with you.

(Silent prayers of confession)

Words of Assurance

One: God holds out the vision of hope and harmony and healing.

It is ours again, today.

What we confess no longer has power over us.

In Christ Jesus, we are forgiven!

All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Amen.

Offertory Invitation

One: One after another, the voices from scripture

and from sisters and brothers around the world remind us

that God’s love for the world and all its creatures

is unending, unstoppable, unbroken: amazing.

Healing, hope, harmony, justice, joy:

God’s gifts, given for us freely.

Answer God with your delight!

Open your hearts and empty your wallets!

Let us gather our gifts together

and offer them to God in gratitude and praise.

Unison Prayer of Dedication

We have seen and heard what God can do —

healing hurts, delivering justice,

making a home where there is no home,

raising up life and love.

We bind ourselves to this God,

and dedicate our gifts to every tender and mighty act of grace.

Bless these tithes and offerings, God, and bless us as well,

to your home in our world.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Benediction

No need to print the responsive benediction:

you may introduce it by telling the congregation,

“These are the only words you will need: We lift them high!”

One: Lift up your hearts:

All: We lift them high!

Lift up your hopes:

We lift them high!

Lift up your dreams!

We lift them high!

God bless you and watch over you

and carry you all the way home.

In Jesus’ name: go in peace.       Amen.

Copyright 2010 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.