Psalm 29:1-4 and
It’s your voice we long for this morning, Lord,
thundering into our lives, mighty and powerful.
The voice of wisdom instructing us,
the voice of justice inspiring us,
the voice of hope encouraging us,
the voice of love calling us home.
Give us ears to hear this morning,
we pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
God of Hope,
we come into your presence this morning
with confidence that you will meet us here.
Where there is sadness, bring joy;
Where there is tiredness, bring refreshment;
Where there is despair, bring a renewed sense of hope.
Let this place be a sanctuary,
a safe haven for us,
a home for holy words and songs and prayers
as we devote ourselves to you.
We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore?
But even if mothers forget, I’d never forget you—never.
Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.
The walls you’re rebuilding are never out of my sight.”
Thank you, God, that worship is always our true home.
Thank you that it is here that we are welcomed,
here that we can show our true selves
and be truly accepted and loved for who we are.
Help us in this hour to rest in your love,
in the presence of our church family,
children of God, together.
Our call to worship is based on James 5:13-16:
Are any among us suffering? We will pray.
Are any cheerful? We will sing songs of praise.
Are any among us sick? We will call on the name of the Lord.
Have any committed sins? We confess our sins to each other.
We come to worship in the name of God our Creator,
Jesus our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit who sustains us.
Let’s pray together:
Thank you, God, for the invitation to worship
and for this congregation where we have found our home.
With your help, we will both give a blessing,
and receive a blessing today
because we do it all in your name, Amen.
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
Get regular resource updates and special announcements!
