Collect and Prayers - July 19

Invitation and Gathering Call to Worship

Leader: Praise the Lord all you servants of the Lord.
Congregation: -We minister by night in the house of the Lord.
Leader: -Lift up your hands in the sanctuary.
Congregation: -Praise the Lord.
Leader: -Lord Maker of heaven and earth,
Congregation: - Bless us from Zion.

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

Collect
Our Father, Redeemer you have called us with a simple command... "Hear O Israel, and be careful to obey." Yet, often we turn into ourselves rather than be open to your merciful light. We ask today that you guide us to be submissive to your call and be open to that light of Christ in our words, deeds. We ask this in the name of your son who gave us the spirit of our existence. Amen

Proclamation and Response Prayers of the People
Let us now offer our heats, minds and bodies to God in prayer.

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

Lord of heaven and Earth we recognize your ever loving grace and thank you for guiding us in the ways that lead to life, gestured through your son, Jesus Christ. For your grand gestures of sacrificial love, and for your daily subtle invitations, like a new morning, a fresh start to a new week, and the grace to follow you, we give you thanks.

May we have the strength of the great Apostle Paul, who taught others by exhibiting love in all situations. May we find ourselves as bold as he, in encouraging others to imitate us, even as we imitate you.

We pray for the maturity of Spirit to set aside our own egos so that even when we succeed in chore or life ambitions, we remember you, O Lord, who gave us our abilities. May our greatest success be simply an imitation of you.

Hear O Lord our pleadings for forgiveness, for when we are lovers of pleasure which denies your power. When we follow the gestures of this world, hoarding instead of sharing, hating instead of loving, warring instead of peacemaking, rejoicing in humiliating others instead of seeking your humility, forgive us, we pray. Sweep us up in your gestures of forgiveness and lead us to newness of life.

As a people of your divine power may we always use your Son's example of love and forgiveness when we face the turmoil of our lives lifting our hands, hearts and minds first to the scriptures that tell the story of your magnificence. As your church may we enlighten others with example of how agape love can change even raise the dead.

We pray for our youth in this world, who are offered countless other models and gestures, vying for their attention and clamoring for their lives. May we, your church, embody your love in a way that invites them to you, and compels them to offer their lives in your service to the world.

We pray for your church around the world, for All Saints' and for our ministry to Brier Creek and the surrounding communities. May the poor and broken in flesh and spirit recognize our shared lifelong need of grace, and find resurrection and community here at your table, your font and your cross. -

We offer you all of these prayers in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.