Lent 1995: Prayer: Tending the Wellspring

 

            SEEKERS CHURCH

            A Christian Community

            In the Tradition of Church of the Saviour

 

            Lent 1995

 

Prayer: Tending the Wellspring

 

 

REFLECTION

 

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring;

I'll only stop to rake the leaves away

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):

I won't be gone long. — You come too.

 

                                          Robert Frost, The Complete Poems of Robert Frost, pg 1.

 

 

PRELUDE

 

CALL TO WORSHIP 

 

            I will bless God at all times:

              God's praise shall continually be in my mouth.

            My soul makes its boast in God;

              let those who are afflicted hear and be glad.

            O magnify God with me,

              and let us exalt God's name together!

                                                                                                                          Psalm 34:1-3

 

INVOCATION

 

HYMN

 

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

 

CHILDREN LEAVE FOR CLASSES

 

SILENCE

 

LITANY 

 

Leader:As a doe longs for running streams

  So longs my soul for you, my God.

 

Voice 1:My soul thirsts for God, the God of life:

  When shall I go to see the face of God?

 

Voice 2:I have no food but tears, day and night;

  And all day long people say to me, where is your God?

 

Unison:God says:

Whoever clings to me in love, I will deliver:

  I will protect the one who knows my name.

When that one calls to me, I will answer;

  I will be present in trouble,

  I will rescue and honor whoever calls.

With long life I will satisfy them,

  and show forth my salvation.

                                                                                             Psalm 42:1-3; Psalm 91:14-16

 

 

SILENCE

 

TRISAGION

 

PRAYERS

 

CONFESSION 

 

Leader:Have mercy on me, O God,

  according to your steadfast love;

  according to your abundant mercy

  blot out my transgressions.

 

Voice 1:You desire truth in the inward being;

  therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

 

Voice 2:Fill me with joy and gladness;

  the bones you have crushed will dance.

 

Voice 1:Create in me a clean heart, O God,

  and put a new and right spirit in me.

 

Voice 2:Cast me not away from your presence,

  and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

 

Unison:Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

  and uphold me with a willing spirit.

                                                                                                                                Psalm 51

 

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

 

BLESSING  (Leader)

Because you have made God your refuge,

  the most high your habitation,

  no evil shall befall you,

  no scourge come near your tent.

For God will give the angels charge of you

  to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

  lest you dash your foot against a stone.

                                                                                                                        Psalm 91:9-12

 

CONTINUING PRAYERS

 

 

HYMN

 

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

 

OFFERING

OFFERTORY MUSIC

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

 

SHARED REFLECTIONS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

HYMN

 

BENEDICTION  (Leader)

Restore our fortunes, O God,

  like a dry riverbed in the desert,

  which swells to life in the Spring.

Those who go forth weeping,

  bearing the seed for sowing,

  shall come home with shouts of joy,

  bringing their sheaves of grain.

            Amen.

                                                                                                                        Psalm 126:4-6