Collect and Prayers - July 12

Call to Worship (selections form Psalm 77)
Leader: We will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;Congregation: We will remember your wonders of old.
Leader: We will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
Congregation: Your way, O God, is holy.
Leader: You are the God who works wonders;Congregation: Let us worship the Lord this day and all days.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

Collect
Great and Mighty God, you chose us, and we wish to choose you. Transform us into the living stones of your Church, an edifice sound enough to keep your covenant. Let us be worthy to wear the robes of your royal priesthood. We ask these things through your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.

Proclamation and Response
Prayers of the People
Let us now sit in silence and prepare to pray together as we offer God our praise, our petitions, and all that is in our hearts.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

O Heavenly Father, we offer you praise simply because you are worthy. We stand in awe of your constant pursuit of a loving relationship with your creation. We fall to our knees in response to your generous grace and submit to you our lives and hearts. We wish to be pleasing in your sight. We humbly and gratefully sing of your power and love, and give you thanks for all that you give to your broken people.

We find ourselves weakened by the flesh and the distractions of this world. We pray for your mercy as we continue to stray from you and your love. We ask for your mercy to mend our brokenness and to center our lives on you, so that we may extend your will and grace to those on this earth.

Your Church seeks to serve you in this world. We pray that you shape its leaders and the laity so that they may doggedly pursue your love.

We find ourselves reluctant to worship you fully. We pray for the Church to shed all that keeps us from joining the heavenly choir in its unending hymn of your praise and glory. Free us from our fears so that we may tell of your love and sing of your grace.

The world is filled with brokenness, war, oppression, and hate. We pray for your peace and resurrection to bring a new truth to these places. Embrace the people in this world that we fail to see or understand and wrap your loving arms around them so they may know you.

Among us are those who are hungry, sick, naked, or imprisoned. We ask for your abundant blessing for all those who are afflicted, and for your Holy Spirit to comfort and heal them. May you stir within your people a response to serve them, as you have called us to do.

To the Triune God, we pray these petitions as we offer thanksgiving to you and your creation. To the mystery of the one in three and three in one, and all that we seek to understand, we lift these prayers to you as our holy redeemer, who has offered this world more than it deserves. Amen.