Sunday Prayers for Christ the King Sunday, Ezekiel 34:11–16, 20–24

3 min readNov 21, 2023

Including Matthew 25:31–46

Call to Worship

Before God, our king, we affirm God’s love as the road-map for our life.
Before God, our judge, we rely on God’s mercy for when we fall short.
Before God, our shepherd, we revere God’s care for the world and for those in need.
Before God, divine, we worship the glory of creation, and God’s presence in the world.
Beside God, human one, we strive to walk with Christ, giving thanks for God’s understanding of our lives.

Opening Prayer

Shepherd God,
We give thanks that you notice us and understand the places where we are in need.

You see us at our most tired, and you tend to us, calling us to rest and accept your peace. You see us at our loneliest, and you reassure us with the comfort of your love. You see us at our most afraid, and you sustain us with courage, based in your eternal hope. Most of all, you see us when we fail and you love us anyway, abiding with us and blessing us with your grace.

Thank you God for living with us.
Amen.

Offering Prayer

Sheltering God,
In the dark places of our world, we affirm our calling to follow the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth:

To feed the hungry, and provide food security without judgment.
To give drink to the thirsty, and supply clean water that is safe to use.
To welcome the stranger to our community,
and help them make new friends and a new home.
To visit those who feel stigmatized and shunned;
to reassure them that they are seen and accepted.

Remind us that in the faces of others, we see the face of Christ.
Teach us compassion, inspire us with mercy and strengthen us in love.
Amen.

Prayers of the People

Almighty God,
You see our lives, with days of clouds and in the times of thick darkness. Be our strength and our light in times of need. Rescue us from our troubles.

Caring God, thank you for your promise to seek the lost. Steady our steps in times of doubt and confusion. Guide us to follow the teaching of your son Jesus, that we may rest in the comfort of your love.

Healing God, thank you for your promise to bind up the injured. Ease our pain and make us whole. Soothe the fear and uncertainty of those with ill-health, that they may know the comfort of your peace.

Nourishing God, thank you for your promise to strengthen the weak. Reassure us with your abiding presence in our lives. Remind us of the mercy that surrounds us, that we may grow with the comfort of your hope.

Almighty God, as we crave your loving blessings in our lives, help us see the ways we can make a difference to the lives of others.

In the name of Jesus the Christ, all this we pray.
Amen.

Benediction

Go out into the week ahead, being fed by God; your cares heard, your needs attended to, your faith strengthened. And with the nourishment of God’s love, may you tend to those in your lives with grace and compassion, as you are blessed by God to live in hope and love. Amen.