PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITEDCHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

Fourth Sunday

Read/pray one of the United Church of Christ statements of faith at this link: http://www.ucc.org/about-us_what-we-believe, or use one of the historic creeds like the Apostles' or Athanasian Creeds.

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 22 - SATURDAY

God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship.

You who are Way, Truth and Life,

You have called us together to follow You

in paths that are often difficult and dangerous.

You have called us to bear a cross - just as You did –

to suffer and even die in order to live your will wholly

in the midst of opposing forces that reject generosity and hospitality,

forgiveness and compassion, as expressions of the authentic life

You desire for your people.

We answer your call to the disciplines and challenges of faith,

and ask your aid in meeting them.

At the same time,

we rejoice that even in the midst of trials and tumultuous times,

we often find that your way seems no sacrifice or burden to us.

We go forth with a light step, quick to rejoice and full of a peace

that we cannot fully explain,

but that we find enriched by faithful ones

who have joined hands with us to seek and share your glory.  Amen.

Scripture: John 14:1-14, 15:1-11; Mark 8:34-38; Matthew 11:28-30; Philippians 4:4-9

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 21 - FRIDAY

God calls us into the Church.

O Divine Love, in your wisdom You have created us for each other,

You have called us to be a holy people

and made us into a nation of priests.

You have shaped us into a spiritual dwelling for your own presence.

You have birthed us as a single body with Christ Jesus as its Head.

You have chosen us as the Bride of Christ

and prepared a wedding feast and set a date that only You know.

Because You have created and named us in such significant ways,

and because You have given us gifts in great variety,

we are able to instruct each other in your ways,

nurture faith that is robust and courageous,

bear one another’s burdens,

comfort each other in times of grief and trial,

restore one another when faith falters

and counsel one another, in love,

so that we all grow to maturity together.

O God of wisdom, we rejoice that you have given us to each other,

in all our diversity, as sources of your grace

and reminders of your glory.  Amen.

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-10; Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16; Acts 1:6-11; 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:1-8; Colossians 1:28-29; Galatians 3:22-29

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 20 - THURSDAY

God calls us into the Church.

Living One – You who have spoken through prophets and seers,

You whose word was fully alive in Jesus Christ -

we hear your voice calling us and we respond to your invitation

with deepening delight.

In calling us to the church, Christ’s body,

You have called us to partake of reality

that eclipses our individual concerns.

You have set us in intimate relation with each other

so that our lives nourish and are nourished by each one

who is part of this living, dynamic organism

that seeks to live for your glory in courageous and consistent ways.

We are not alone in our efforts to live our faith, for You are with us,

and all whom you have given us are with us

in this challenging life of great cost and greater victory.  Amen.

Scripture: Luke 1:57-80; John 1:1-18; Matthew 11:28-30, 28:16-20

Ephesians 2:11-22

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 19 - WEDNESDAY

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races..

Covenant-making God,

You who have delivered us from our bondage to sin,

called us to journey together as one, guided us into full freedom,

and given us your instruction and command,

we exult in your life-giving presence.

Because You have called us by name and made us your own,

we know who we are.

We are yours and we rejoice in You.

We take delight in your instruction that gives us wisdom,

prompts us for love of our neighbors

and enables us to identify the false gods

that would entangle us in lies and lead us toward destruction -

though they are no gods at all.

Because You have called us to be your people

and given us many gifts, and shaped our lives for service,

You have enabled us to be co-workers

and co-creators with You

in the extension of your good and gracious governance

to all of Creation.

God, we love You more deeply than we describe in words

and rejoice in your love which preceded and energizes our own.  Amen.

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Romans 6; Galatians 5:1-15; John 10:1-6, 15:12-17

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 18 - TUESDAY

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races..

Spirit of unity –

You who brood over that which is formless and empty

in order to create form and confer significance –

we worship You with delight.

You have taken our diversity,

in which we were stranger and alien to each other,

and have shaped us for companionship and community

as one covenant people.

Because of your creative action, we, who were no people at all,

have become chosen of God, a people of promise,

a people of many gifts, belonging to each other, needing each other,

as we live our faith

in the midst of many circumstances and many powers

that would divide us and urge us to reject and exclude each other.

During times of trial and confusion

You are beside us to comfort us and energize us.

Because of your presence,

we are able to act faithfully toward one another

and shine a ray of your glory into the world around us.

Bind us closer to each other even as you draw us closer to You.  Amen.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2; Ephesians 2:11-22, 4:1-11; 1 Peter 2:9-12; Colossians 3:1-11; Galatians 3:26-29

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 17 - MONDAY

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ.

O Holy Spirit, in the wind and flame of Pentecost

You have created the church

and marked it with your own freedom and energy.

You have shaped our life together around the life of Jesus Christ,

our Savior and Model.

You have given us the mind of Christ

and gifted us with many abilities for serving each other,

for nurturing and strengthening each other,

so that we may live bold lives of faith in the face of forces

that would undermine and dissipate our zeal.

When we falter, when we sin,

You raise up prophetic voices among us who speak to our hearts,

help us to see our failures,

and enable us to return to paths that are just and true.

O Spirit, You who are our constant companion

and source of deepest comfort,

guide us into full maturity as followers of Christ.

Let the flames of your presence ignite our passion

so that it burns steadily with your glory.  Amen.

Scripture: Acts 2:1-41; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Philippians 2:1-11; Ephesians 4:7-13; 1 Peter 4:7-11; Colossians 1:28-29

Prayer for March 24-30, 2019
Sermon Text: Luke 13:1-9

That we may relinquish everything that provides no energy for a life of freedom and joy

Merciful One, You generously offer us sustenance that we cannot procure for ourselves. You promise satisfaction that we are unable to generate by our purchases and habits and much vain labor.

You invite us to listen. You invite us to obey. You invite us into your presence. You promise that there, in your presence, we will find life that is satisfying. You promise to make enduring covenant with us, to be partner and provider throughout the days of our lives as your people.

Open our ears to hear your invitation. Open our hearts to welcome your presence. Open our hands to receive and share your gifts.

Help us to relinquish the many things we cling to that provide no satisfaction or energy for a life of freedom and joy.

We seek You now! We welcome your nearness. We forsake the sinful and destructive thoughts and actions that have diminished us and kept us from being wholly yours.  

We do not know the mysterious depths of your ways and thoughts, but we give ourselves to You in gladness. Amen.

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

Third Sunday

Read/pray one of the United Church of Christ statements of faith at this link: http://www.ucc.org/about-us_what-we-believe, or use one of the historic creeds like the Apostles' or Athanasian Creeds.

Prayer for March 17-23, 2019
Sermon Text: Luke 13:31-35

That we may welcome your challenging truthfulness

Jesus, we rejoice in the tenacity with which You pursued your mission. You were not diverted from your task when resisted and threatened by either political or religious powers. When even those who had the most to gain from your action resisted the newness that You would bring, You continued to speak the truth directly. You continued to act in the face of threat.  You continued to give all that You were as agent of God’s new governance. You showed unflinching courage, and strength of character, no matter how You were opposed.

Though courageous enough not to back down when threats arose against You and your mission, You were tender toward many. You longed to draw Your people near, to protect and nurture them, and give them a taste of the fullest life possible. But even then You faced resistance. Your love and generosity were largely unwanted.

Many rejected You even though they diminished their own lives by doing so.  Do not let us make the same mistake. Open our hearts and our arms to welcome and embrace You. Open our ears to hear and obey. Guide our steps so that we may follow You wherever You lead. Amen.  

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 16 - SATURDAY

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit.

Inspiring God, Source of all life,

You have breathed your own breath into us to give us life

that reflects your glory in ways that we cannot fully comprehend.

Spirit of comfort,

Spirit of knowledge,

Spirit of holy energy,

Spirit, calling us to repentance,

Spirit, centering us in Christ,

Spirit, gifting us to nurture each other as one body,

Spirit, blowing freely through our lives,

   Blowing out the dust of old worries and stale habits

      infusing our lives with freshness, with courage for new risks

      and liberty to explore broad realms of possibility, in faith.

O Holy Breath!  Refreshing Inspiration!

You who are closer than a thought!

Glory!  Glory!  Glory!

Scripture: John 3:5-8, 14:15-21, 25-27, 16:5-16, 20:19-23; Acts 1:1-8, 2:1-21; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 15 - FRIDAY

In Jesus Christ, God has come to us, reconciling the whole creation to its Creator.

You, One and Only - who express perfect unity

in the diversity of your own being -

though we represent diverse human groups

and speak in many languages, we give You glory as one people.

In your great wisdom and in your abundant mercy,

You have broken down every barrier between us

and called us together at the foot of Christ’s cross.

You are one Sovereign, one Savior and one Spirit.

You have given us one hope, one faith and one baptism,

while shaping us into one body that reflects your glory

even as it is being changed in your image

in order to transmit your glory more brightly.

We acknowledge that we are not

the sole recipients of your merciful action.

Through Christ Jesus, every aspect of creation

that has been distorted and damaged by sin and hatred

is offered healing and wholeness and is restored to harmony

in your generous governance.

Though we do not see this harmony in fullness

as we observe the world around us,

we trust in your provision and in your unwavering desire for unity.

Energize us to practice this unity more fully as we rejoice in You.  Amen.

Scripture: John 10:22-42, 14:5-14, 17:1-19; Ephesians 2:11-22, 4:1-6; Romans 8:18-25; Colossians 1:15-23

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 14 - THURSDAY

In Jesus Christ, God has come to us, conquering sin and death.

O Christ, victorious over all that would

clutch, capture, diminish and annul our lives,

how do we applaud You adequately, how hymn your praise in ways

that comprehend the depth of your accomplishment?

By your obedient choice, and through your terrible agony,

You have opened to us the great mystery of God’s liberating love.

You have given us days of light and beauty

and nights of peaceful rest

by terminating the power of sin and death that ruled our lives.

Sin’s shackles lie in heaps around us.

Death’s sting has been pulled.

Though we falter and fail at times,

and remember our bondage with strange fondness,

You urge us toward freedom and light the way before us

in ways that dispel our fears.

At waters of passage and in valleys of death

You calm our hearts by your constant companionship

and give us courage to walk in unknown places with assured steps.

O Christ, O Glorious One, we rejoice in your victory!  Amen.  Amen.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Ephesians 2:1-10; Philippians 2:1-11; Mark 4:1-12; Ephesians 1:3-10; Romans 16:25-27

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 13 - WEDNESDAY

In Jesus Christ, God has come to us and shared our common lot.

God of all, we rejoice that in Jesus You have taken on

all that it means to be human.

You have shared our common lot from birth to death:

growing to maturity in times of trouble, knowing temptation,

dripping with the waters of baptism

while answering the summons to your vocation.

You knew hunger and thirst and nights without a place for your head.

You experienced friendship and its betrayal, solitude and loneliness,

miraculous moments and unanswered prayer.

You knew that death awaited You, yet You plunged toward it

like a diver springing from a cliff on a cloudy night.

You drank the cup that made you plead and sweat blood.

You drank it – hard as it was, bitter as it was,

so terrible and yet so freighted with glory.  Amen.

Scripture: John 1:1-18; Luke 2:39-40, 9:57-62, 22:39-46, 23:26-49; Matthew 8:18-22; Mark 14:17-21, 43-47

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 12 - TUESDAY

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us.

O Clandestine One!  God-in-flesh!  God with us!

How You have come to us continues to surprise us.

Choosing full immersion –

complete engagement with all that we are –

from womb to birth, with infant cries and suckling sounds

and circumcised flesh, the slow crawl, first step,

initial words of Living Word,

growing in wisdom, stature, favor, learning Torah,

learning to work rough wood,

learning the call that will pre-empt every urge.

In the wilderness, “Prepare!”

Baptized among many, a dove, a voice, a claim.

In the wilderness, an adversary, tempting, needling,

rebuffed by words intoned from a well-tuned heart.

Telling Torah, telling parables, inviting a circle of friends,

touching strangers to health, breaking the bonds

of oppressive spirits, brutal powers.

Living in conflict, reformer, renegade,

untangling word snares, moving inexorably toward Zion,

toward suffering, rejection, towards a cross –

crux of the matter in the end – and glory unspeakable.  Amen.

Scripture: John 1:1-18; Matthew 1:18-25, 4:1-11; Luke 2:39-40; Mark 1:9-13, 4:1-34; 8:31-38

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 11 - MONDAY

God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.

God of all the earth, we praise You for your gracious governance.

We rejoice in your demand for justice

and trust You to loose every bond of oppression.

We thank You for raising up people who will model reconciliation,

and prepare a way for your peace

in every place where justice is not done

and where it seems a strange and distant hope.

Even now, we know that You are working in hidden, but sure ways

to undermine and topple powers that thrive by greed and exploitation.

We rejoice that You are One who acts on behalf of the poor:

reversing fortunes and restoring hope by declaring good news,

freeing those who are captive and controlled,

healing the blind and lame, restoring property and canceling debts.

Your desire and your action rouses us to action and solidarity

with the poor and powerless as an act of grateful praise.  Amen.

Scripture: Isaiah 58; Luke 1:46-55, 4:14-21; Matthew 5:9;

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

Second Sunday

Read or pray one of the UCC statements of faith at http://www.ucc.org/about-us_what-we-believe

or the statement of faith of your own Christian communion, or one of the historic statements like the Apostles' or Athanasian Creed.

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 10 - SATURDAY

God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.

God of justice, we rejoice that You do not remain passive

in the face of people and powers

who thrive by exploiting and damaging your good Creation,

or by oppressing and demeaning people

whom you have endowed with your likeness.

Amid oppression and injustice,

whether enacted forcefully or accepted passively,

and amid all the idolatries in which they are grounded,

against any form of wickedness

that springs forth from human imagination,

You raise up people who raise their voices

to wield worded weapons that declare your judgment

and announce the new thing You will do,

the new world you will create,

the transformation you will make to heart and mind

in order to enact your vision, your desire

for a world unified in and by your presence,

where justice rolls and people and powers committed to death

are disrupted, dislodged, disarmed, and defeated

by your decree, to make way for life unfettered

in the wild wind of your Spirit.

Scripture: Psalm 89:1-18; Isaiah 42:8-9, 43:16-21, 48:1-11, 58:1-14; Amos 5:18-27; Genesis 6:5-8; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Romans 12:1-2

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH  

DAY 9 - FRIDAY

God seeks in holy love to deliver all people from aimlessness and sin.

O Liberating One, we rejoice in your great mercy

and offer thanksgiving to You, daily, for You have cut the cords

of every form of bondage to which we had given control of our lives.

Because of your great love, we are no longer enslaved by sin

and are not fated to wander aimless and lost in barren wastes

of our own choosing.

Because You have sought us and gathered us in

to be your children and friends, our lives have been formed

for daily faithfulness in pursuit of your desire

to unite all things in Jesus, whom we call Christ and Savior.

How we praise You, our Redeemer, our Freedom, our Joy.  Amen.

Scripture: Romans 8:5-17, Ephesians 2:1-10; Isaiah 53:6; John 1:1-13, 15:9-17; Colossians 1:15-20

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 8 - THURSDAY

God seeks in holy love to deliver all people from aimlessness and sin.

So often, Faithful Shepherd,

we are like sheep who have wandered far from your attentive care

and from the companionship of the fold.

Chasing whatever sets our senses tingling, or puts a gleam in our eye,

or makes us feel important, we plunge into trouble

until we are so fully sated and lethargic

that we cannot think clearly or act decisively,

and fall back upon various stimulants

to avoid facing the meaninglessness of our favored pursuits.

In the midst of our dreary cycles of lost focus and waning energy,

in the midst of our carelessness and callous rebelliousness,

You come to us: passionate amid our apathy,

energetic amid our lethargy, decisive amid our aimlessness,

holy amid our sinfulness, to offer forgiveness,

to initiate transformation and renewal in your likeness,

to generate vision for meaningful life

and compassionate ministry in your very presence.

O God, we rejoice in your salvation!

You have done more than we could ask or think.  Amen.

Scripture: Psalm 23, 78:1-8; John 10:1-21; Isaiah 53:6; 1 John 2:15-17

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 7 - WEDNESDAY

God sets before us the ways of life and death.

O Wise Teacher, You have set life and death before us

and called us to choose.

You have given your word of command

that orders our covenant relationship with You

and guides us in loving action

within the covenant community that You have created.

Because of your command,

we need not face each moment of decision

as though we had no guidance.

Because of the presence of your Spirit among us,

we are able to discern the path of faithful love

in situations that are unfamiliar to us.

You enable faithful decision

through your steadfast companionship and your patient instruction.

We choose the path of life, hoping that You will energize our action,

forgive us when we fail, and accept any glory

that arises from the bold choices we make in your presence.  Amen.

Scripture: Joshua 24; Exodus 24:1-17, 24:3-4a; 1 Corinthians 12:10

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 6 - TUESDAY

God creates humankind in the divine image.

You who delight in the creation

You have shaped by your living word,

we rejoice that You have made us in your own image,

rejoice that our lives are tinged with reflections of your glory.

We rejoice that you have breathed your own Spirit

into us to give us life and energize us

for careful and courageous faithfulness.

We praise You for creating us

so that we may perceive and know You

as You reveal yourself to us.

You have appointed us as stewards of your earth,

to nurture and name its abundance and variety

in humble gratitude.

You have created us for each other, so that our bonds of love

are a reflection of the diversity in unity

that You have revealed yourself to be.

We delight in You.  We worship your glorious name.

We rejoice that You have made us for yourself

and give thanks that You have not kept yourself

hidden beyond all human knowing.

We are yours, for You created us.

Let our lives reflect more of your glory.  Amen.

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31, 2:4-8; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 3:7-18;

1 Corinthians 12

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 5 - MONDAY

God calls the worlds into being.

God of the universe, when we examine your creation with care,

we are constantly astonished by the mystery

that resides in your work.

We rejoice in the layers of simplicity and complexity,

the overwhelming variety and the abundance of beauty

that surround our lives.

We praise You for making us intimately connected

and deeply dependent upon this world through which You nurture us.

Though we often fail to see the connections

and forget that we are made of the stuff

of stars and earth, like other creatures around us,

we acknowledge your wisdom in creating us.

We are made of earth, and yet you have breathed your Spirit into us

so that our lives always reflect

this strange mixture of earth and eternity.

How wonderful, how generous You are,

Our God, in your creative work.

We thank you with full hearts and singing lips.  Amen.

Scripture: Psalm 8, 104, 146:5-6; Isaiah 40:27-31; Genesis 2:4-7, 18-20a

Prayer for March 10-16, 2019

Sermon Text: Luke 4:1-13

Christ Jesus, we are thankful that you were tempted in every way, just as we are. We rejoice that You know the depths of our struggles. You know the anguish we often feel. You know the disorientation that can beset us as we endure hardship and deprivation.

We rejoice that You were able to resist the tempter’s commands that You prove your identity as God’s Son. We rejoice that You received the identity declared at your baptism as God’s great gift.

We rejoice that as You fed upon the scriptures and trusted the counsel of the Spirit You grew strong in heart and mind even as You fasted.

We rejoice that God has chosen us as sons and daughters at our baptism. Let us receive that identity as gift and live into it with joy.  

Help us to feast deeply on your word. Help us to hear and heed the counsel of the Spirit. Strengthen us for resistance of the evil one especially during those times when we seem most vulnerable.

We rejoice that You could not be diverted from the path of service and suffering that lay ahead of You. You were not caught up in the temptation to act autonomously and grab glory for yourself. You did not succumb to the demand to make a spectacle of yourself for your own benefit.  

Enable us to follow You in the way of service to God’s reign, and to your human neighbors, that You chose against massive resistance. Help us to recognize that our baptism has prepared us for such ministry and the suffering that often comes with it. Let us walk, talk, and serve, in your way, with gladness and joy. Amen.

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

First Sunday

Read or pray one of the UCC statements of faith at http://www.ucc.org/beliefs_statement-of-faith#DOX, or the statement of faith of your own Christian communion, or one of the historic statements like the Apostles' or Athanasian Creed.

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH 

DAY 4 - SATURDAY

God calls the worlds into being.

O God, creative Spirit, Holy Lover,

we rejoice in You, we glorify your name,

we exult in your great creativity and delight in the Creation

that you have spun out by your imaginative word.

Everywhere we look we are awed by beauty.

Everywhere we turn we are confronted by mystery.

Simplicity, complexity and variety, in united chorus,

hymn your praise morning and night.

By your brooding, mothering Spirit

You have shaped myriad forms from utter chaos.

You have fueled stars and sent light cascading

into this world and other worlds beyond our knowing.

You have created earth and atmosphere

And separated waters to shape diverse lands.

When You spoke, vegetation sprang forth from many soils

and spread over vast and varying terrain,

from tropical rain forest to frozen tundra,

filling great plains with tall grass

and adorning mountain meadows with fields of wildflowers.

When You spoke, waters teemed with creatures,

birds filled the air with color and song,

and animals of every kind multiplied and mutated

and found their places in the world from which you created them.

By your word You called forth human life

and set your image upon us and gave us stewardship of your wonders.

You created Sabbath and established a rhythm for rest,

and declared each stage of your creative work,

“Good!”  “Good!”  “Good!”  Amen.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3, 2:14-25; Psalm 8; Psalm 104; Psalm 24:1-2

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

DAY 3 - FRIDAY

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify.

Living Word, we rejoice that You have come among us

and shared our life.

We rejoice that in You we have observed the glory of God,

know God in truth,

and have seen God’s grace multiplied in our lives.

Through You, we have been drawn into intimacy

with the Eternal One

and have received forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases,

and an abundant life in freedom from every form of bondage.

By your promise, we have received the presence of the Holy Spirit,

who gives us assurance that we are children of God

and who comforts, guides and energizes us

for courageous faithfulness as people of God.

O Christ, we rejoice in You and praise you for making God known

and for reconciling us to God through your faithful obedience

that led to death on a cross.

We rejoice that You are alive forevermore

and follow You with gladness as we give witness to your love.  Amen.

Scripture: John 1:1-18, 8:31-41, 10:10, 16:5-16, 20:1-31; Romans 5:1-2; Galatians 5:1; Acts 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-23; Matthew 28; Luke 24; Revelation 1:9-18

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH (originally written in 2007)

DAY 2 - THURSDAY

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify.

Eternal Spirit, Source of all, we praise your majesty and glory.

We exult in You though You are shrouded in mystery,

and though your ways and your thoughts are beyond full discovery.

We rejoice that You have revealed yourself

through the wonders of your Creation,

by dream, prophet and surprising messenger,

but most fully in Jesus of Nazareth who dwelt in our midst,

shared wholly in our lives and called us friends.

In the history of your people, Israel, and in the life of Jesus,

You have shown yourself as God of compassion and mercy,

God of forgiveness, faithful and tenacious in keeping covenant,

jealous of the devotion of your people,

able to save from the most harrowing trial,

able to transform recalcitrant hearts,

blessing us with the earth’s abundance

and by the nearness of your Spirit.

You are worthy of all our praise, God, our Source and our Hope,

and we give it gladly each day and forever.  Amen.

Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-13; Job 38:1-42:6; Psalm 19:1-4; John 1:14, 15:9-17; Exodus 34:1-7; Exodus 20:5; 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

LENTEN PRAYERS 2019

If you wish to get directly to today's prayer, go to this web site and read The United Church of Christ Statement of Faith in the Form of a Doxology: http://www.ucc.org/beliefs_statement-of-faith#DOX

There are three English and one Spanish version of the UCC Statement of Faith there.

This is the first time since at least 2001 that I am not writing a new set of Lenten prayers. Maybe I will be able to do so again next year.

This set of prayers was the first of three sets that were written in response to the UCC Statement of Faith. I wrote them, in part, to fulfill a project requirement to give me dual standing in the UCC (along with the Free Methodist denomination).

These were written in 2007, so before I went on facebook. A cherished friend (and author) encouraged me to go on facebook in order to post prayers I had written. Using blogger and facebook together was the result.

Some friends saw these prayers in photocopied booklets. You may still find them interesting. If you've encountered my prayers only through facebook, then these will be new to you.

What follows is the original introduction to the Lenten Prayer booklet for 2007.

Peace and Joy as you read!

Dave Antieau

Ash Wednesday

2019

PRAISE AND GLORY: PRAYERS OF PRAISE ENGAGING THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH

     Lenten disciplines typically focus on self-denial, self-examination, confession and repentance.  I have taken a different approach for  this prayer guide by writing prayers of praise in response to the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith.

     Three versions of the UCC Statement of Faith can be found in these pages.  The original version (First Sunday) was approved by the Second General Synod of the United Church of Christ, in 1959.  The second (Second Sunday), is an adaptation written by Robert V. Moss, Jr., in 1976.  Moss, who concluded his term as President of the UCC in that year, updated the language of the statement and made it more inclusive.  The third version (Day 1), is a doxology approved by the Executive Council of the UCC in 1981.  This form turns the statement of faith into a prayer, addressing and blessing God directly.

     Unlike some statements in other Christian denominations, the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith is not considered binding upon all who are members of the UCC.  There is freedom, within the denomination, to express the core of faith in other ways.

     Still, the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith seems like a useful resource for theological reflection and prayer.  It engages the key themes of both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, providing less detail on some points (particularly related to the details of Jesus’ life), but providing fuller expression at others (especially related to the creation and life of the church).

     A strength of the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith, in all versions, is its focus on God’s action.  God calls, creates, seeks, judges, and promises (and more).  This reminds me of Psalm 147, where the God of Israel is described as a God of action.  There, in only twenty verses, we find twenty-six verbs relating to God’s action (twenty-four in present tense and two in past tense).

     For those of you who are United Church of Christ members, I hope these prayers will give you a greater appreciation for the theological heritage of the UCC and that they will refresh your prayer life during the coming days.

     For those of you who are not part of the United Church of Christ, I hope that these prayers will encourage you to look more closely at your own statements of faith than you may have done in a while.  I also hope your prayer lives will be refreshed by these prayers.

     The prayers I have written are reflections of my own personality.  They reflect my personal patterns of thought and language usage.  At the same time, I have written them so that they do not focus on the specific details of my own life.  I hope you will not get bogged down in these prayers, but, if you do, it will be from the language and not from the details of my life.

     I recommend that you read the prayers aloud.  I have read them aloud as I have written them, so most of them have some sense of rhythm that may be missed if you read them silently. 

     As I commonly do, I’ve written these prayers in the first person plural, instead of in the first personal singular (“we” instead of “I”).  I do this because I want to encourage us to see that all of our prayer, even when we pray in the privacy of our homes, is prayer within the context of the life of the church.  I hope that we can think of ourselves as praying together even when we are apart. 

     At the same time, I hope that these prayers will stimulate further prayer on your part.  I hope that they will encourage you to focus on areas of your life where more concentrated prayer is necessary.  In such cases, you will move from the “we” of these prayers to the “I” of your personal situation.

     After the prayer for each day, I have provided a few scripture references that may provide further guidance for your prayer.  The scripture passages do not provide a systematic basis for the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith, but represent those passages that came to mind as I was writing or that otherwise influenced the shape of the prayers.  The order of the biblical references approximates the order in which various themes appear in the prayers.

     Since the prayers have been written in the first person plural, I hope they will be useful for public worship as well as for private devotion.  If you are in a position to use these prayers for public worship, in other congregations, please let me know whether or not they seemed useful for guiding people into worship.

     A final note to members of St. Nicolai United Church of Christ: We will be using some of these prayers in public worship.  Please feel free to give me feedback about whether you found them to be a useful feature of our worship together.