Twelve Prayers for Guests
1-At the Beginning of Worship – prayers
By worship leader(s) or all
God of amazing love,
We come with joy to celebrate your call,
and seek your direction.
Show us our gifts,
perfect our varied ministries,
and help us to live in joyful appeal to your will;
through Jesus Christ. Amen
We meet together, holy and loving God,
as sisters and brothers in Christ.
We come to worship you,
and to honor your presence among us.
Renew our lives, deepen our faith,
uncover our unity, and give us joy in your love,
through Jesus Christ,
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Holy Love, Source and Origin of all things,
pour out your Spirit
to unite, inspire, and energize us,
that what we hear, speak, and sing,
we may live, breathe, and do,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, One God,
be glory for ever and ever. Amen
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
2-Beginning Worship or Coming to Christ’s table
By worship leader(s) or all
God of peace,
you hold the nations in your hand,
yet know and love us all.
By your Spirit, you gather us,
from all nations you call us.
in Christ, you make us one;
As we come to Christ’s table,
show us who we are,
what we can be,
and where we should go.
Set us free from all that is mean and wrong;
hold us in our pain and hurt;
and bring us from brokenness to wholeness,
through Jesus Christ,
our Rescuer, Partner and Friend. Amen.
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
3-Before Whom Generations Rise
By worship leader(s) or all
Living God, Holy Trinity
before whom the generations rise and pass away,
to whom all life is an open book,
you search us and know us,
yet never control us,
and your Spirit prays for us with sighs too deep for words.
Thank you for the signs of your presence –
in or through others:
a nudge, a call, a vision,
encouragement, rebuke, and unexpected wisdom.
Show us how to live our lives before you,
in your presence, your absence,
and everything in between,
through Jesus Christ
your most present Word.
Amen
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
4-Hiding and Hidden
By worship leader(s) or all
Holy and Loving God,
whose Spirit searches all creation,
you know what we hide,
how we hide,
and what is hidden from us.
Move among us, that we may meet you,
and be touched and turned about,
healed, restored and renewed,
through Jesus Christ,
in whom your eternal Wisdom took human flesh
to be our Teacher, Friend and Savior. Amen.
OR –
Living God,
whose Spirit searches all creation,
you know what we hide,
and what is hidden from us.
Move among us and within us.
to rescue, heal,
restore and renew us,
through Christ,
Spirit bearer and Spirit giver.
Amen
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
5-Wisdom and Shallowness
By worship leader (s) or all
Living God, your wisdom is so deep,
that to our shallowness it seems foolish,
Your strength is so fearless,
that to our mistrust it seems weakness.
As we tell the story of your faithfulness,
and join the drama of your love,
help us we drink deeply of your eternal Wisdom,
who came in flesh to be the Christ,
our Teacher, Friend, and Savior.
Amen.
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
6-Christ our Teacher – A Collect
By worship leader(s) or all
Christ, our Teacher,
you open our minds to new possibilities,
and demand the best we can give.
Instruct us in the grammar of love,
that we may be shaped by your example,
inspired by your Spirit,
and in all things accountable to you,
our Wisdom, Word, and Way. Amen.
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
7-First Sunday after Christmas
By worship leader(s) or all
Holy and Loving God,
as the baby Jesus was brought to the Temple,
dedicated to you, and welcomed
as the light of all the nations,
may we and all our children,
be so dedicated to you,
that in the mirror of our lives
the world may see Christ's shining light,
in whose name we pray. Amen.
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
8-Unexpected God
By worship leader (s) or all
Unexpected God,
you made Christ's desolate dying
the seed of life-giving hope.
Take our bitter seeds
of disappointment, pain and loss,
and from our winter's cold
bring new hope,
new faith,
and new beginnings,
through Christ, alive among us.
Amen
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby
9-Everlasting God, Giver Of Life
At a funeral – by a worship leader, or all
Everlasting God, giver of life,
from whom we come, and to who we return,
When words dry up, and grief overwhelms us
bring us through pain to hope,
through tears to trust,
and through turmoil to peace,
that we may walk with you through life
and in dying, rest in your love
until all is made new
in Jesus Christ.
Amen
(prompted by a prayer of Jeff Gephart, Jan 2004)
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
10-Palm Sunday
By worship leader (s) or all
Living Christ, our Ruler and Savior,
on this day you came to Jerusalem,
in peace, not on a war-horse but a donkey,
honored with palm branches,
yet not understood.
As we welcome you with palms,
establish in us your rule of peace, truth, and love,
that we may follow your way wholeheartedly
even if it leads to a cross.
We pray this prayer,
trusting that you are alive among us,
and that you will bring us home,
from death to eternal life.
Amen.
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
11-Easter Praise
By worship leader(s) or all
Or responsively as below
Living God, with loving power
you raised Jesus from the dead.
So we need not fear death, but will trust your love. Alleluia!
Living God, with loving power
you overturned the powers of this world
that crucified your Chosen One.
So we need not fear them,
but can follow the way of Christ,
with peaceful hope and persistent love. Alelluia!
Living God, with loving power
you sent your Spirit to inspire us and unite us.
So we will praise you, and be your people,
now and always. Amen
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.
12-Holy Spirit Healing Spirit -A Collect
By worship leader (s) or all
Holy Spirit, Healing Spirit,
beyond us, within us, among us,
heal us, inspire us, and direct us.
that our prayers and deeds may be one,
through Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
OR –
Spirit of God,
beyond us, within us, among us,
Give us new heart, new hope, and a new song,
that our prayers and deeds may be one,
through Jesus Christ. Amen
This prayer may used free of charge in worship and church programs provided that the words “Copyright © 2011 by Brian A. Wren; All rights reserved; Used by permission: source: www.praisepartnersworship.com” are shown below it or nearby.