St Luke … Witness and Healer
Welcome and notices
Please go to our website https://stlukesuca.org.au if you want to find out more about the life of the congregation.
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer of adoration
Blessed are you, Compassionate Father,
Creator of all:
we glorify and adore you.
Blessed are you, Lord Jesus Christ,
loving Saviour of the world:
we glorify and adore you.
Blessed are you, eternal Spirit,
gracious source of light and life:
we glorify and adore you.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Lord our God, source of sure and certain hope:
we praise your name for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer of praise and confession
Holy one and holy three,
Life-giving God you have come amongst us in Jesus,
And in Jesus you announce good news for the poor, liberty for captives, sight for those who cannot see and freedom for the oppressed.
In you is love that surpasses all loves. You are the Light of all lights.
We confess our need of you …
We are not meant to navigate this life on our own …
Help us to be honest about ourselves … help us to disentangle the good from the bad …
Enable us to be humble enough to declare that in too many ways we have not lived up to the standard of living found in Christ …
(Pause)
Bring your healing, forgiveness, and good news into our lives …
Break us free from anything that takes us away from the path of Christ …
Please gather us up into the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Assure us that you desire to forgive us through and through … that you desire to deal with the burden of guilt that so many carry. May we hear your good news of hope and liberty right within the core of our beings … And may we be open to the Holy Spirit transforming us more and more into the people you would have us be. Through Christ Jesus our Saviour.
Amen!
Some phrases are derived from prayers to be found at www.bruceprewer.com/DocB/BSUNDAY29.htm
Declaration of forgiveness
This is the best of all:
when we are empty, God fills us;
when we are disheartened, God is compassionate;
when we are wounded, God brings healing;
when we confess our sin, God forgives.
In Christ, through Christ and because of Christ,
our sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Scripture readings:
Luke 1: 1-4
1 Dear Theophilus:
Many people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken place among us. 2 They wrote what we have been told by those who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message. 3 And so, Your Excellency, because I have carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you. 4 I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught.
Luke 4: 14-21
Prayers for intercession
O Lord, hear the deep prayers of our hearts:
Prayers for hope for those who feel desolate and are struggling to find meaning in life
Prayers for healing for those who are in physical, mental or spiritual need
Prayers for jobs for those who cannot find paid employment
Prayers for community for those who feel isolated
Prayers for peace for those whose lives are filled with conflict.
Prayers for people who genuinely listen for those seeking to be understood.
Prayers for comfort for those who grieve.
Prayers for food and clean water for those who hunger and thirst.
Prayers for shelter for those who are homeless.
Prayers for those impacted by droughts, fires or flooding rains
Prayers for freedom for those who live under dictatorships.
Prayers for wisdom for our leaders.
Prayers for spiritual growth and health for our churches.
In the name of Christ,
Amen.
— adapted from a prayer written by Rev Abi, and posted on RevGalBlogPals blog. http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.ca/
Unless otherwise stated prayers are either by the author or based on resources from Uniting in Worship 2 © Uniting Church Press, Sydney, 2005. And images are from Wikimedia Commons and are in the public domain.
