Healing Reign
Service Prayers for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost
August 21, 2016

Isaiah 58:9b-14      Psalm 103:1-8      Hebrews 12:18-29      Luke 13:10-17

Call to Worship

One		We may be thirsty and parched, 
		like an unwatered garden, 
		so we come into God’s presence: 
All:		The Divine One is a spring of water!  

One:		We may be weary from worry and work
		so we come into God’s presence:
All:		The Holy One offers us Sabbath rest!

One:		We may be lost or confused
		so we come into God’s presence:
All:	The Wise One offers us welcome and guidance! 

One:		We may be bent over with struggle or pain
		So we come into God’s presence:
All:		The Healing One empowers us to stand strong!

Invocation

	O God of all goodness, 
	you welcome us, forgive us and heal us.  
You seek us out from places where we have hidden from you. 
You crown us with steadfast love and mercy. 
Reveal yourself to us in this moment. 
  	Let us know your presence so that we may bless you:
	Bless you, O God! 
	Bless your holy name!  Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Isaiah’s people--the people of Israel returning home from long exile-- 
	sought in the Prophet’s words guidance  for building God’s kin-dom:
		Offer food to the hungry, Reach out to the afflicted,
		Remove the yokes of oppression and injustice,
		Overcome despair and complaint in struggle.
		
We too, struggle with this guidance, 
	and too often fail 
		in our attempts to build  community.
Holy One, forgive us.
	Take away whatever holds us back.  
	Show us the way to confidence and generosity so that 
	we may be known as your people:
		Repairers of the broken places and 
		Restorers of streets to safety and peace.  

O God, with your help we can change and bring you glory.  

	Silent confession.....

Assurance of Pardon

Though we may have strayed, when we come to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, we can be sure that the kin-dom we are offered cannot be shaken.  We will not be abandoned; indeed we will have continual guidance. Each time we feed the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted we grow in the strength of our faith and our bond with God.  We are changed.  Praise be to God; this simple miracle is made available to all of us, God’s children.

Offering Invitation

As God's humble and compassionate workers, 
let us participate in the healing reign of Jesus 
through our pledges and offerings given at this time.

Dedication

With reverence and awe for your ways, 
we offer our gifts for the work of love and justice, 
the work of healing, restoring and setting free in your holy name, 
God of our hearts.

Benediction

Now let us go forth in God’s love,
and with God’s power 
let us help all people to “stand up straight”, 
no matter how long they have been infirm 
and no matter what day of the week it is!  
Go and offer wholeness in the name of God.

Healing Reign: Service Prayers for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost was written by The Rev. Catherine Rolling.

Copyright 2016 Local Church Ministries, Faith Formation 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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