35B*
A Call to Worship
Easter 5B 2012
Psalm 22: 25-31

Praise-worthy God, with joy we come together,
to celebrate and praise you for your abiding love.
We join with people of every nation in worship
and praise of our Glorious and Universal God.

We give thanks for the generous and compassionate
heart of our God, who cares for the least amongst us.
Generation after generations of people have known,
worshipped, and thanked our just and holy the God.

In praise and thanksgiving we celebrate our Royal King,
whose rule is love, who commands us to be loving too.
In sincerity and in truth, we offer to our praise, and all
that we are to our Timeless, Generous and Caring God. Amen.

Prayers of Thankfulness
Easter 5B 2012
Psalm 22: 25-31

We gather in your Holy Presence, O God, with hearts
filled with joy and thankfulness, because of your great
goodness and mercy; your generous ways fill us with
awe and praise, because through these gracious actions
of mercy, we are privileged to glimpse something of the
heart and being of our God, and yet we will never fully
know this God, whose holy ways are totally unknowable.

Generation after generation of people have learned about
their God, through their experiences of the ever-present
grace of God, as it changed and enriched their lives; and
generations yet unborn will also make this startling and
amazing discovery, that their God is always to be praised
and thanked for the infinite love and care showered upon
them - simply because they are God’s own children, and
that God’s heart overflows with love and mercy for them.

We give thanks to our God, because God lifts our vision
above ourselves to a wider understanding of God’s love
for all people. In the presence of others, who also make
this same startling discovery, we learn more about our
God by realising that we are not the centre of the universe—
and that God’s love and mercy is poured out to destitute
people from all lands, and in every circumstance of life.
We ask forgiveness for our limited understandings, and
we seek your blessing on us as we try to learn more
about other people and their needs. Ever-generous God,
we give thanks for your goodness in our past and in our
present life and circumstances – how gracious is our God! Amen.

A Personal Meditation
Easter 5B 2012
Psalm 22: 25-31

Whether I am in community worship, or in the private thoughts
and imaginings of my heart and mind as I reflect on being a
child of God amongst countless other children of God, I lift
up my mind, my soul and spirit in thanks and praise to my God!
In that same strange mixture of isolation and togetherness,
I renew my vows and commitments to my God, as I seek to
love and serve my God in ways that not only meet my need,
but also the needs of my brothers and sisters throughout my
small circle of life and influence; and in any way I am able—
in the wider circle of God’s worldwide family of faith and love.

Creative pause: Worshipping God in community and isolation.


In times past, it was my very real privilege and joy to be a visible
and active part of a wider world community of faith - but those
days a long past, and whilst I am so grateful for all those rich
experiences, I am very content to be in ‘my small corner’ again,
quietly learning about being God’s child in a new and limited
life of worship, witness and service. Now, in the ever-changing
patterns of life and living, my prayer is that I will never lose sight
of the world-wide needs of my brothers and sisters, or of their
active contributions in a world-wide community of God’s people.

Creative pause: Responding to the ever-changing patterns of life.


I am so grateful for my Christian forebears, and the heritage they
have passed on to future generations of faithful servants of God;
and I pray that I may also leave my contribution to that ongoing
story of faithful living, and of nurturing young people, as they too
make their choices in life, and the ways in which they will serve
God and humanity within their developing lives. However, all I
can do these days is to pray, to give as I can, and be open to God
in my life, and then respond to any new challenges from God.

Creative pause: Being open to new challenges from God.


Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and Meditations are from
‘The New Revised Standard Version’ Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 *The additional weekly numbering is from the Revised COCU Indexing Scheme
COCU = ('Consultation on Church Union'); as it offers an easy sequential numbering
for the Revised Common Lectionary for the Church Calendar.

If any part of these Prayers and/or Meditations is used in shared worship, please provide
the following acknowledgement:
© 2012 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year B. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

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