God is Our Balm
Service Prayers for the 17^th Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 20 (Semicontinuous)

 Jeremiah 8:18-9:1       Psalm 79:1-9       
1Timothy 2:1-7       Luke 16:1-13

Call to Worship

One:                Though our hearts may be grieving, we come risking joy:

All:                  God is our balm.

One:                Though we weep over the woes of the day, we are here seeking hope:

All:                  God soothes our discomfort.

One:                Though our lives are often difficult, we gather for strength:

All:                  God restores our souls and cares for us;

God calms our anguish and dries our tears.

Let us call on the Holy One, and rejoice in God,

ever our source of solace in our daily journey,

ever our comforter in times of trial                          Amen.

Invocation

God of our hearts,

you are our Physician in times of hurt;

your balm heals our wounds.

You hear our prayers, intercessions and supplications.

Your presence is pleasing to us and we welcome you.

Together in your sanctuary

we rejoice in your embrace of us

and offer you our boundless praise                                      Amen!

Prayer of Confession 

Sometimes God we take ourselves so seriously

—our opinions, our emotions, our needs, our entitlements—

that we fail to notice our effect on others. 

And we do not make connections between our limitless wants

and the resources left for others. 

We do this without knowing it. 

Bring our awareness to Justice for all

—to the common good, to your universality of blessings. 

Remind us you love all.

Silent confession.....

Assurance of Pardon

The God of salvation, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth, offers forgiveness to each of us through the Redeemer sent in human form. We are grateful that over and over we are given the chance to begin again and that nothing we have done can separate us from God’s love.

Offering Invitation

Children of a loving God, our hope is that as we have been faithful with little, we can be generous in our giving so that ___insert church name____ can be faithful with much.  May our continued work for God’s purposes be enhanced by the gifts we offer now.

Dedication

God, as your church we reflect your hopes for humanity.  We offer these gifts and ask you to guide us to shrewd and loving management of all we are given in order to further your work in our midst.   

Benediction

Go forth, following as God leads you, into faithful living.  Taking the balm of grace and healing you have received, offer it in each encounter of your day by day living.  Thus the soul of the people is restored.  Amen.

Prayerful Living: Service Prayers for the 17^th Sunday after Pentecost was written by The Rev. Catherine Rolling, of Portland, OR and Greenville, WV, a United Church of Christ minister and a spiritual director, currently gardening and discerning/seeking a call.

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. 

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