Litany and Prayer for the Sixth Sunday in Easter, Year A

Call to Worship:

One: May God be gracious to you and bless you.

All: May God’s face shine on you!

One: God has given us an Advocate, a Spirit of truth.

All: God is with us. We are not left orphaned;

One: God truly listens, and gives heed to the words of our prayers.

All: Through the many trials in our lives,

One: God’s loving Advocate, God’s Spirit of truth, remains with us always.

All: Let us all sing for joy and praise God! Amen.

                    from Psalm 67 and John 14:16-21

Community Prayer:

God of Spirit and Truth,

You have indeed given us an Advocate. Your Holy Spirit continues to reach out to us, teaching us, reminding us, guiding us. Your Spirit of truth is with us through drought and forest fires, through hunger, through the daily violence that shatters our world and lives, and through day to day conflicts that wear away at our center of balance. Your Spirit of truth nudges us to recognize the ways we are complicit in the causes of drought, violence, hunger, and daily conflicts. We pray that you help us loosen our tight grasp on the ways of the world, and open our hearts and minds to your way, that you might fill us with your peace and a clearer vision of your love for us and our world. This we pray, O Holy Spirit. Amen.

                            Call and Prayer by K. K. Hudson-Bates

Litany for Third Sunday of Lent, Year A

Call to Worship:

One: Come! Let us make a joyful noise to God!

All: Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving!

One: For God reaches across oceans, across cultures, across all barriers,

All: To bring us into closer relationships.

One: When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well,

All: He saw a woman needing acceptance and forgiveness.

One: Like the woman at the well, we too yearn for a connection to God.

All: Let us join our hearts to worship the God of Compassion.

           from John 4:1-15, 19-30 and Psalm 95

Community Prayer:

God of the Living Water,

You who know our very being, you see beyond our nationality and our culture. Like Jesus did with the woman at the well, you look through our mistakes and see us at the center of who we are. You push us to let go of cultural norms and biases that keep us from freely sharing your radical love. We pray for your continued presence in our lives as we struggle with our own prejudices and blind spots. We pray that we may be receptive of your nudging toward openness and inclusion. This we pray, O God of Spirit and Truth. Amen.

              Prayer and Call to Worship by K. K. Hudson-Bates

Litany and Prayer for Second Sunday in Lent, Year C

Call to Worship:

One: God is our light and our salvation.

All: Whom shall we fear?

One: God is the stronghold of our life.

All: Of whom shall we be afraid?

One: Let us not worry about what is behind,

All: Let us turn instead to what lies ahead.

One: Let us press on toward the goal of God’s call,

All: And keep our eyes on the prize!

One: And - let us sing!

All: Let us sing and make melody to God! Amen.

Community Prayer:

O God, Our Light and Guide,

You are with us each and every step we take in our lives. As Paul did for the church in Philippi, you care about us as we encounter obstacles and difficulties in our lives. You encourage us to lift our heads and look forward when we falter and or feel overwhelmed. When we are tempted to respect more those with money or power, you challenge us to instead lift up those without. In times when we feel worried or frightened, you comfort us and teach us to hold fast to what we know is right. Guide us as we try likewise to encourage, challenge and comfort those we encounter in our daily living. This we pray, O Loving God. Amen.

Prayer and Call to Worship by K. K. Hudson-Bates

Litany for Epiphany, Year C

Call to Worship:

One: God is with us always,

All: To the end of the age!

One: God calls us each to use our gifts for the common good.

All: We have a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit.

One: We have a variety of ways we can serve, but the same God.

All: God is with us always. Let us worship God.

          from 1 Corinthians 12:1-27

Call by K. K. Hudson-Bates