45C*
A Call to Worship
Pentecost 5C [Ordinary 13C] or [Proper 8C] 2010
Psalm 77: 1-2, 11-20

O Lord our God, we come today seeking your presence,
asking that you listen carefully to our heartfelt prayers.
We lift up our hands and voices in prayer, seeking your
blessings and guidance as we travel on life’s pilgrimage.

O God, we give thanks for the blessings of good memories.
We praise God for the way we can learn from past blessings;
for the memories of God’s saving mercy when, like a tender
Shepherd, God led us into safety and peace into God’s presence.

Our God is a great and holy God! Wondrous are God’s ways!
We see God’s powers over the elements and the world each day!
We come today to worship our God, powerful and yet tender,
strong and yet gentle! We sing praises to God’s holy name. Amen.

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Prayers of Lament and Petition
Pentecost 5C [Ordinary 13C] or [Proper 8C] 2010
Psalm 77: 1-2, 11-20

O Lord, you are the God of our forebears, and God of this our
generation. We have called to you - with hands raised, entreating
you to hear our prayers, as we are in desperate need of your help.
We hold nothing back from you, because Lord, we are in deep, trouble!

We know you are the God of all places; but we have searched for
you all night - with no response from you. Where are you, dear God?
Without you, O God, we are lost, our souls are bereft of joy and peace.

O God, we remember with sincere gratitude, the way blessed our
forebears, freeing them from being captive to evil and wickedness.
You rescued them from their troubles so many times; and we have
inspiring memories of you guiding them through their many struggles.

O Lord, we could meditate all day long on your saving actions, and on
the mighty deeds you accomplished for your people. You controlled all
the physical actions of the earth, the waters and the skies to bring your
people to freedom. We celebrate in amazement the powers of our God!

O Lord our God, you have always blessed your people, taking them by
the hand and leading them in new paths, just as a tender shepherd leads
his flock to safer pastures. We meditate on the holy ways of our God!
Never has there been a god like the God whom we worship and serve!

We come to you now, our God – hear our prayers. Be a Shepherd to us
today, we pray, to walk beside us and to guide us into your holy presence. Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
Pentecost 5C [Ordinary 13C] or [Proper 8C] 2010
Psalm 77: 1-2, 11-20

O God, are you listening to me? I have called you and called you!
Holy God, where are you? I need you so much. In my deep distress,
I have pleaded with you to listen. I have raised my hands up to the
heavens in supplication! Where are you my God – are you nearby?



Without your near and loving presence in my life - there is no joy!
Nothing soothes me or brings me the peace and comfort you bring.
There are times when it seems you are so near me, O my God,
and other times, you seem to be so far away, so distant and silent.
Yet, there is no god, no leader, no-one who is anything like my God!



My memories of saving actions of my forebears give me encouragement—
and the way you delivered them from trouble time after time. You used
your miraculous powers to release them from sticky situations; usually
brought on them by their failure to obey your commands; or their failure
to act when maybe they could have been helping and saving themselves.



O Lord my God, in the past you have used unimaginable ways to bring
freedom and release for your people; rescuing them, and leading them
into new paths – just like a shepherd taking his flock to safer pastures.
I look to you now, my God, to lead me safely back to your comfort and joy.
Lead back to your loving and holy presence, O God, where I am secure.

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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: pentecost5[13]c_2010.pdf

© 2010 Joan Stott - " The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year C