Carol Penner, Author at Leading in Worship

Living Water Congregational Prayer

September 1, 2013

Thank you for water;
for its smooth cleanness as it runs from our taps,
water that is safe for drinking,
water that doesn’t stop running.
Thank you for beautiful blue of lakes,
for the chortling of streams, for the rushing of rivers,
for the richness of water resources.
Thank you for water from the skies,
for water that falls on gardens and crops,
fuelling green growth, food for the world.
Thank you for water for fun;
for swimming pools filled with laughing children,

Journey offering prayer

September 1, 2013

We offer our gifts to you, Lord,
with grateful, cheerful hearts.
Thank you that you meet our needs on the journey,
providing what we need when we need it.
Trusting you, we can share what we have with others,
and we do this joyfully, together, today,
in Jesus` name, Amen.

Labour Day Congregational Prayer

August 31, 2013

On this Sabbath day of rest, dear God, we turn to you,
with thanks for the work that you give us to do.
We work by night, by day,
inside and in the great outdoors,
we work in coveralls or suits or casual clothes,
we work sitting, standing, travelling by car,
we work with tools or books or instruments in our hands,
we work silently, with words, or with technology.
Whatever our work, it’s shape or size, we do it for you.
Thank you for employment, for salaries and paycheques,
for the chance to labour and do our best.
Thank you for the chance to retire from paid work….

Fruit of our Labour Offering Prayer

August 31, 2013

We work for you, God, in whatever we do.
Paid labour, volunteer work, our home life–
all our time we spend for you.
Thank you for jobs which provide us with an income
or pensions that support us.
We share the fruit of our labour with you,
knowing that you are the Great Provider.
Use these offerings in your kingdom work,
as you provide good news, healing and hope to all people. Amen.

Labour Day Call to Worship

August 31, 2013

Psalm 90.17: Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands– O prosper the work of our hands!

Our God, in the glory of late summer
we come to worship
revelling in the beauty of your handiwork.
Give us insight this morning
into how the work of our hands
is part of the work of your hands.
We join with you in lifting the heavyhearted,
comforting the sorrowful,
and calming the anxious.
Fill us with the joy of service this morning.
We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Amen.

God of Gardens Congregational Prayer

August 2, 2013

God of gardens,
thank you for the garden of [name your area]
for tree peonies and white lilacs,
for graceful roses, and sweet honeysuckle [name the flowers that bloom in your area]
For fields carpeted in green, for vegetables growing, for fruit setting,
for the whole wide earth teeming with life everywhere we look,
for the birds that sing choruses of praise every morning.
The kingdom of God is like this;
beautiful and rich and many faceted,
blooming in hearts around the world for those who have eyes to see.
The news tells us every horrible thing that happens,
but you bring good news:
that people do love each other, that people do help each other,
that you care for us, that we can make a difference.

Prayer of the Unemployed

August 2, 2013

In the wrench of job loss, we fall at your feet, Lord Jesus.
Occupation and income all suddenly thrown aside,
our life’s apple cart overturned.
Uncertainty is thrust upon us,
not-knowing haunting our waking hours,
anxiety our companion all night long.

Jesus stand among us.
Look in our eyes with love,
assuring us that we are loved just as we are,
even as people without jobs.
Grasp us by the shoulders,

Grace These Gifts Offering Prayer

August 2, 2013

Ever-faithful God,
we long to be faithful givers,
modelling ourselves on you
who gives everything to us.
May your Spirit of abundance,
which gives more than we ask or imagine,
grace these gifts for your kingdom
in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Psalm of Praise

May 17, 2013

Lord you give life to life
from Day 1, your Spirit brooding over the deep,
your wind rushing, your breath filling.
As creatures of the earth we rejoice in life
using our breath, our being
to raise this hymn of praise:
Hallelujah to the sun’s hot passion
embracing the ground’s great shoulders.
Hallelujahs for the growth from seed to plant
greening the earth; its fruit—beauty and food!
Hallelujahs for generations of life
tumbling one after another….

About Carol Penner

I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.

I love to write and to lead worship! If you are finding my writing helpful, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to use or adapt the material here, it is all written by me. If printing material, please credit “Copyright Carol Penner www.leadinginworship.com” (and say whether you modified it). If publishing, please contact me for permission. Contact me at carol@leadinginworship.com

Carol Penner

Living Water Congregational Prayer

Journey offering prayer

Labour Day Congregational Prayer

Fruit of our Labour Offering Prayer

Labour Day Call to Worship

God of Gardens Congregational Prayer

Prayer of the Unemployed

Grace These Gifts Offering Prayer

Psalm of Praise

About Carol Penner

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