61A*
A Call to Worship
Pentecost 18A [Ordinary 29A] or [Proper 24A] 2011
Psalm 99
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord our God and King!Glorious and powerful is the God of all creation!
In reverent awe, we gather to worship our God.
The Lord our God is King and the Just Judge
of all things for all eternity, all people and all places.
In reverent awe, we gather to praise our God.
The Lord our God is King and the Forgiving God!
‘Fairness’ and ‘Justice’ are the names of our God.
In reverent awe, we gather to worship God, within
the light of God’s holiness, justice, mercy and love. Amen.
Prayers of Thankfulness and Trust
Pentecost 18A [Ordinary 29A] or [Proper 24A] 2011
Psalm 99
Trustworthy God, we come to praise and give thanks toyour Holy Name, you who are King forever and evermore.
The Lord our God and King reigns supreme over all things—
all creation; all peoples, all places, all times, all expectations;
and all hopes that have ever been conceived. Awesome is
our God, and worthy to be honoured and praised; and worthy
to be trusted with all creation; all peoples; all places; all times,
all expectations; and all hopes that have ever been dreamed.
Holy God, you have established this universe, balancing all
the various parts of it in their beauty, majesty and glorious hope.
Holy is the Lord our God, who has established laws and rules
to enable creation to continue on in balance and harmony; and
who established laws for a life of harmonious communal living
for all your people. Justice, honesty, equity and fairness are all
attributes of our God, and we as God’s people are urged to follow
the holy ways of God, also in justice, honesty, equity and fairness
each to the other, and amongst all peoples. We praise and thank
you for these glorious gifts from our Holy, Righteous and Just King.
O Lord our God and King, we offer our worship, our praise, and
our thankful hearts and minds to you, to cleanse, to renew, and
to nurture, so that we your people may grow to be a holy people.
In times past, God has led God’s people through many adventures
in faith, providing them with leaders who followed in God’s ways,
and who worshipped God with all their beings. Help us in these
our own adventures of faith, so that we too will be faithful people,
honouring and worshipping God all our days. Worthy of all praise,
worship and glory is our God, Creator, Redeemer and Saving King. Amen.
A Personal Meditation
Pentecost 18A [Ordinary 29A] or [Proper 24A] 2011
Psalm 99
How does one describe experiences of wonder, awe, holiness,glory, or even worship? They are feelings and emotions rather
than words; yet they are something so basic, that other people’s
experiences often resonate with them, and they nod in agreement,
acknowledging another person’s similar experience. My own
experiences of holiness have come in the most unlikely of places,
times and occasions, but that makes them no less significant.
Awe and wonder may be more common experiences; as perhaps
is worship also; but glory, is a word that is difficult to describe—
perhaps it as difficult to describe as is the God of the universe!
Creative pause: | Experiences of holiness in unlikely places and times. |
As I explore the words associated with the holiness of God, all I
can honestly do is accept that God is the Holy One, the Lord, the
King and Ruler of all things, who created the heavens and the earth,
and everything in them; and to whom people of all generations have
offered their praise, their worship, their adoration and their loyalty.
Creative pause: | Acknowledging and accepting that God is the Holy One. |
God has ruled and will rule forever as King and Ruler of the universe,
and all that is within it; and this kingly rule of holiness is one that
requires an acceptance of our personal dependency on the love
and care of God, who shows mercy and compassion. People in all
times and places have trusted in the God of justice, the God of
mercy and love; and the God of their ancestors; and that trust has
never been abused, and on seeking forgiveness of God, they have
been forgiven and blessed – and I join in with that community of
people as I rejoice and give thanks that I am indeed a child of God.
Creative pause: | Trusting in the Holy One - who never abuses that trust. |
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:
© 2011 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Used with permission.
jstott@netspace.net.au
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