Call to Worship
Hear God call you to worship through His Word
“Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth. Let the peoples praise you, God, let all the peoples praise you.” (Psalm 67:3-5)
Collect for Purity
Prepare your heart for worship
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Adoration
Give praise to God
Receive our praise O God, for you are great. No-one and nothing in heaven or on earth can do the deeds and mighty works that you do. You are God Almighty. We bless your glorious Name. We say, “How great is your goodness.” You are good and you do good. You are good to all you have made. You cause the sun to rise and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Every good and perfect gift comes from you. Yet in a special way you have been good to us by revealing in your Son that you are a gracious and merciful God, and by saving us from the wrath that was coming to us because of our sin. May your goodness pass before us, we pray, so that we might taste and see that you, our Lord, really and truly are good.
Amen.
Reading of the Law
Hear the Law of God
“Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Honour your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:1-2, 12)
Confession of Sins
Confess your sins to God
Holy God: Dust I am, and to dust I shall return. I am like a flower of the field, that appears for a little while and then vanishes. But I confess my tendency to live days, weeks, even months at a time with little thought for my mortality, and little consideration for eternity. Forgive my presumption and self-reliance. Humble me to the dust, that I might be ever-mindful of my frailty, and freshly awed by your eternal, infinite beauty. Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Receive these words of comfort
“Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him.” (Colossians 1:21-22)
The Creed
Confess what you believe about the Christian faith
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Doxology
Give glory to God
To the Great One in Three, Eternal praises be. Hence evermore: His sovereign majesty. May we in glory see, and to eternity love and adore.
Amen.
Prayer of Intercession
Seek God's grace as you make your requests to God
Personal
It is good Lord, that you have put in place authority for different areas of our life. Help us we pray, to give proper respect to them and submit to them. To honour our fathers and mothers by treating them with what they are due. To pray for our government and civil authorities and submit to their laws. To be good workers for our employers. And to make the service our elders do in keeping watch over us a joy and not a burden. Help us not to envy those who have been given authority, and to be content with the lot you have given to us.
Amen.
Church
Lord Jesus, as our good and great shepherd, you lead us to green pastures, beside quiet waters, and along paths of righteousness as we obey your Word. And for a local church this will mean practicing all the one another commands. So, help us as members of this church to love one another, to be at peace with one another, to build one another up in the faith, to be of the same mind toward one another, to use our gifts to serve one another, to be devoted to one another, to admonish one another, to be kind and forgiving to one another, to submit to one another, to accept one another, to be patient with one another, and to care for one another. We pray that as a church we would look after each other well.
Amen.
Elders
We pray that the lives of our pastors and elders would be disciplined and orderly rather than scattered and disorganised. For them to be responsible, completing all their tasks and finishing what they begin. Help them to practice prudence, recognising and applying biblical principles when making decisions, and to display a sanctified common sense.
Amen.
Church Members
We pray for [member/s] that they would become more like Jesus everyday as they grow in their love of God and hatred of sin. Increase their humility, wisdom, compassion, and courage. Help them to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and leading. Give them opportunities to serve your people and open doors to share the gospel. O God, save your people, bless your possession, shepherd them, and carry them forever.
Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Amen.
Catechism
Receive this instruction from the church
May all men make use of the holy scriptures?
All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted to read, hear, and understand the holy scriptures.
Prayer of Illumination
Ask God to give you understanding as you read His Word
Your Word is more desirable than gold - than an abundance of pure gold. It is sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the LORD’s instruction. So Father, we pray, that the Spirit of God, will use the Word of God, to reveal the Son of God, for your glory and our good.
Amen.
Scripture Reading
Read today's passage from The Big Read Bible reading plan and pray in response
Read Acts 7
Benediction
Receive this blessing from the Lord for the day ahead
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen.