Good Shepherd Sunday:
Service Prayers for the Fourth Sunday of Easter


Call to Worship
The Suffering Servant
becomes the healing source.
The stone rejected
becomes hope’s cornerstone.
The Crucified One
is raised to new life.
The God of healing, hope and life is in our midst:
Let us celebrate and worship our good God!

Invocation
O Good Shepherd,
You desire to guide all
into safety, refreshment and peace.
Meet us here today and
Fill us with your love,
that we may look into your world with your loving knowledge,
welcome our sisters and brothers with your joy
and offer our lives with your generosity
as members of your beloved community:
in your name we pray, Amen.

Invitation to Offering
Generosity is one of the signs of God’s abiding love. God’s grace overflows, God’s table is designed to welcome all in safety and peace. Let us gather our gifts together and offer them to God in gratitude, heartfelt commitment, and praise.

Blessing Over the Gifts
Guide and Protector of our lives, take these gifts and bless them and distribute them among your beloved ones; may they further your mission in our church and our world, through Jesus Christ.

Benediction
May our Loving Shepherd
send us forth into the world
fed, protected, and strengthened
to set tables of justice and joy:
in Jesus’ name. Amen


Good Shepherd Sunday: Service Prayers for the Fourth Sunday of Easter was written by the Rev. Susan A. Blain, Minister for Worship, Liturgy and Spiritual Formation, LCM.
Copyright 2009 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. Worship Ways Volume 8 Number 2