53C*
A Call to Worship
Pentecost 13C [Ordinary 21C] or [Proper 16C] 2010
Psalm 71: 1-6
O Lord our God, you have been the Refugeand Shelter of countless generations:
Lord, be for us now what you have always been:
our Refuge and Shelter in our time of need.
O Lord our God, you have been the Listening
Ear to your people for countless generations:
Lord, be for us now what you have always been:
our Listening Ear as troubles threaten us.
O Lord our God, you have been the Certain
Hope to countless generations of people:
Lord, be for us now what you have always been:
our Certain Hope; our saving God; and the Holy
One, to whom we offer our worship and praise. Amen.
Prayers of Lament and Petition
Pentecost 13C [Ordinary 21C] or [Proper 16C] 2010
Psalm 71: 1-6
We come to worship you O God, our Rock and Fortress,our Refuge and our trusted Security in the storms of life.
Today, we are filled with a sense of security and confidence,
because, since childhood, we have trusted you with our life.
Gracious God, as we rest safely in the shelter of your protecting
arms, we are strengthened and given the courage to remain
steadfast; despite the dangers and pitfalls which try to trap us.
You have been our joy and strength, in good and bad times.
Loving God, as we grow older, and in the darkness of restless
nights, it is harder to discern your purposes in these dark days
that have come upon us, making us bewildered and fearful;
and we begin to doubt our worthiness of your love and care.
Hope-giving God, help us to trustingly stay within the circle
of your faithful care, and to rest quietly within that confidence
in you which sustains us. Help us to leave the future to you!
God of glory, as the morning light reflects the radiance of your
face; so the darkness of evil, violence and fear flee before the
light of your presence. We are encouraged by your glorious
light to remember that, as in the past you have been our Rock,
so you will always remain our God, our Haven and our Fortress.
Strength-giving and ever-listening God, once again we come to
worship you, to sing your praises, and to rejoice in the blessed
security of your presence, that you generously gift to each of us. Amen.
A Personal Meditation
Pentecost 13C [Ordinary 21C] or [Proper 16C] 2010
Psalm 71: 1-6
O Lord my God, you have been my loving God for as longas I can remember, you have always been a part of my life.
From childhood, I understood that you were my Security,
my Strong Fortress against all my fears – real or imagined!
I knew I could turn to you at any time - to rejoice or to cry.
| Creative pause: | I can turn to you at any time, for any reason. |
However, as I grew older, other influences started to appear,
and other interests inserted their way into my mind and heart.
There were conflicts of loyalties; struggles with commitments;
and anxieties started to appear in the deep recesses of my heart.
| Creative pause: | Now I am older, new influences disturb me. |
My secret enemies were now within me, struggling to gain a
strangle-hold over my shared and communal worship times;
in my personal quiet meditations; and in my times of prayer.
Other times, my enemies are boldly out in front of me, loudly
screaming their headlines and demanding my close attention.
| Creative pause: | Conflicts within and around do destabilise me. |
O my God, be for me now, what you were to both my parents and
my grandparents; what you were and are to countless saints in light;
a Mighty God, a Compassionate Rock, and a Safe Haven of peace.
Rescue me from my conflicts of interest and my conflicts of faith!
Secure me within your stronghold, so that I may pause to draw breath,
and find a balance of quietness before God and my commitments.
| Creative pause: | Finding balance in life and commitments. |
Once I again O God I rest in my Hope, my Strength, and my Security.
With a new freedom in my mind, heart and soul; I can sing and praise
my God with all my being. It is no wonder that God’s peace has
overcome my troubles! It is no wonder that once again, songs
and prayers of freedom and joy are echoing throughout my life!
| Creative pause: | Freedom from fear is a gift to be cherished. |
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:
© 2010 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year C. Used with permission.
jstott@netspace.net.au
Download/view a pdf file of this document here: pentecost13[21]c_2010.pdf