Prayers 1 31 99
Call to Worship
Jesus taught: Blessed are the poor in spirit.
He said that the realm of God is theirs.
The meek will inherit the earth.
The merciful will obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart and the peacemakers;
They are God’s children and will see God.
Invocation
Let the skyscrapers and the golden mountains hear our voices raised in prayer and praise, wise and holy God. We gather in this sacred corner of Waverly Place and Sacramento Street to honor and adore you. We come humbly, claiming the cross of Jesus Christ as our sign. We give thanks that you lift up the weak and lowly, defy the world’s foolishness, and invite us to share in life at its fullest as disciples of Jesus. Amen.
Prayer of God’s People
Dear Gracious and Loving God, as individuals, we can feel lonely and apart from the fellowship of your Christian community. Gather all of our distinct and unique lives together in this place as we are drawn to your love and tender mercies. Remind us that we are never alone from you and from one another because of the Lordship of Jesus Christ who has made us one.
Holy God, help us to consider our call in life’s journey. We are tempted to see it in places of power, but not many of us are powerful. We dreamt about being connected with high society, but not many of us are of noble birth. We fantasized being high and mighty, but few of us are from households of strength. O wise God, our Savior, deliver us from following the measure of success defined by society and help us to turn to Christ, who is true wisdom, strength, and redemption.
From your strength and healing powers, we ask that you make your love known to Deanna Wong and Virginia Toy today. Guide them and cradle them in your caring arms as they slowly return to health and well-being. We also pray for
Dear God of ages past, the God of this very moment, and the God of eons to come, we thank you for the courage that this church has to recommit themselves to vital and relevant ministries in Chinatown, throughout San Francisco, and to the hundreds of places around the world. We thank you for making miracles happen when we had reservations. We pray that you will remain pleased with us as we boldly proclaimed the Good News of Jesus through our lives in words and in deeds.
We pray all these words and silent prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together.…
Offertory
What can we do to send the message of the cross to those who think it is foolishness? How will the gospel be proclaimed to people who are lost, both within and far beyond this church? One way is through the sharing of resources God has given us—our time, talent, and treasure. Let us give with joy.
Offertory Prayer
Loving God, receive these gifts and offerings as our commitments in becoming “fools for Christ.” May we follow the cross of Jesus as our sign of Christian discipleship. Amen.
Benediction
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May God look upon you with love and give you peace. Amen.