Hold on to Faith
Service Prayers for the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 27 (Semicontinuous)

 Haggai 1:15b-2:9 and Psalm 145:1-5, 17-2 with 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 and Luke 20:27-38

Call to Worship

One:                The Holy One is here in this community of faith:        

Women:          Great is our God and greatly to be praised!

One:                Let us bless the Holy Name forever and ever

Men:               Great is our God and greatly to be praised!

One:                Let us meditate on God’s wondrous works

Choir:            Great is our God and greatly to be praised!

One:                Let us bless and praise God’s name forever and ever   

All:                  Great is our God and greatly to be praised!                                   

Invocation

Holy One, you have promised to be with us,

And long ago sent your Spirit to abide among us

and guide us to a future of goodness and hope.  

We come seeking your truth, your justice, your kindness.

O God, you are with us this morning.

Let us feel your presence and

welcome you into our lives.

Come and fill these desires of our hearts.            

Prayer of Confession

O God, we long to rest in you,

to trust in your goodness, in your care for us,

in your abundant life.

But we don’t know how to rest

And we have forgotten how to trust:

We seek material goods that we don’t really need. 

We befriend people not always out of love. 

We ask questions of you like the Sadducees did of Jesus,

questions that try only to prove our point,

not to grow in understanding of your desires for us.

Slow us down, Holy One.

Attend to us, Holy One,  

And show us that you are our salvation and our resting place.

Silent confession. . .

Assurance of Pardon

God is God of the living. 

The Holy One will make a place for you

that is full of life and love, forgiveness and humility, kindness and justice. 

Your belonging to God is your salvation. 

You may rest in that truth.

Offering Invitation

Standing firm and holding to the tradition we were taught,

let us offer to God tithes, offerings and gifts from our grateful hearts

in order for the work of love and justice

to continue in our community and in our world. 

Dedication

The gifts that sometimes seem, in our sight, to be nothing, O God,

You bless and increase to fill your house with splendor. 

Where you dwell, where your Spirit abides, prosperity will abound. 

We are happy to offer these gifts to you.

Benediction

Now may Jesus Christ and

God our Father/Mother,

who loves us and through grace

gives us eternal comfort and good hope,

give joy to your hearts

and strengthen them in every good work and word.   

Hold on to Faith: Service Prayers for the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost was written by The Rev. Catherine Rolling, a United Church of Christ minister and a spiritual director, living in the land of her heart, Appalachia.

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. 

.