Sunday Prayers: 2 Samuel 11:1–18, 26–27, Psalm 51:1–12
Honouring God’s desire for relationship with us.
Call to Worship
One: We come into this time of worship, seeking hope for our lives.
All: To be strengthened with hopeful hearts and trust in God’s love for us.
One: We leave behind the clamour of the world, craving the wisdom of God’s word.
All: To be renewed with joyful hearts and the promise of God’s care for us.
One: We set down the demands of our lives, needing rest in God’s presence.
All: To be restored with faithful hearts and peace from our faith in God.
Opening Prayer
All: God of blessing and love,
Gather us close to you, that we may find renewal in your promise to care for us each day. Support us with the glory of your presence in our lives. Gather up our hurts and the pain others have caused for us. Restore us with generous hearts and patient understanding. Gather up our faults and the ways we have let you down. Renew us with humility to acknowledge where we fall short, and faith to strive again to follow your way. Bring us back into holy relationship with you. Amen.
Offering Prayer
God of ever flowing mercy and grace,
Accept this offering today — our incomplete gifts from our imperfect hearts. Use and shape our gifts to heal the hurt in your world. Use and shape our hearts to recognize the places in your world where we can be a blessing and a healing. Renew us all with your abundant love. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Understanding God,
When we are discontent and restless, help us hear your word for us. Guide us to let your love and mercy energize us in each day.
Refresh us when we are held back by regret. Encourage us to turn wistfulness into gratitude and to find your ongoing love in our every day. Renew us to greet our future with hope.
Comfort us when we are frozen with anxiety. Reassure us to trust in your eternal goodness and vigilance. Remind us to bring our troubles to you in prayer and help us hear your word to us in return.
Rouse us when we are bogged down with grouchiness. Inspire us with the glory of your creation and the possibility of community. Awaken us to notice small moments of joy in each day.
Calm us when we are stifled with frustration. Nurture us to trust in your love and remember your providing for us. Help us find patience and acceptance.
Enliven us when we are lethargic and bored. Prompt us to find meaning in our days and to seek out ways to embody your love. Encourage us to find purpose through serving you.
Help us shake off the moods that limit and weaken us. Help us grow with the strength of your love for us. Amen.
Benediction
Go out this day renewed with a clean heart, confident that God’s steadfast love, abundant mercy and eternal peace are there for you in every moment, loving you, treasuring you and abiding with you. Amen.
