Posted 162 days ago

Liturgy: Celebrating Life Together

By Christine Sine

Let us gather with God’s faithful followers from every tribe and nation, With people of every language and culture to worship the God revealed in Jesus Christ.

We gather as members of God’s eternal family to share life together with our brothers and sisters from around the world.
Let us remember that sharing life with brothers and sisters in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, Australia and the many islands of our planet means entering into their joys and sorrows.
God you offer us wholeness, not alone but as part of your redeemed community from every tribe and nation and culture
You ask us to love each other and to be more concerned for the needs of others than for our own. Yet often we focus on our own needs, greedily holding to ourselves what you intend us to share
God renew our hearts and our minds so that we may in word and deed be your witnesses throughout this world

(Silence)

God who created us is with us
And with our brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation
Christ who saved us is with us
And with our brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation
The Holy Spirit who brings us unity is with us
And with our brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation

Psalm 67
Isaiah 2: 1-4
Eph 4: 1-6, 11-16
Matt 28: 18-20

Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

God we want to share life together,
Enable us to break down the barriers dividing us from our brothers and sisters around the world
Lord have mercy,
God we want to share life together
Move us beyond our prejudices to rejoice in our diversity so that we may live in unity and peace with those who are different from us
Lord have mercy,
God we want to share life together
Open our minds to appreciate our differences so that we may come to mutual understanding and care for those who suffer and are in need
Lord have mercy,
Where there is war, may we bring glimpses of peace
And share life with all who are torn apart by violence, oppression and dissension
Christ have mercy,
Where there is despair, may we bring the promise of hope
And share life with all who live in poverty, sickness and injustice
Christ have mercy,
Where there is hate may we be instruments of God’s love
And share life with all who are divided by race, culture, disabilities or gender
Christ have mercy,
God we want to be your image bearers
Unite us in that great community of sisters and brothers from every nations that is Christ’s body
Lord, have mercy
God we want to be your image bearers
Bind us together with the love, peace, mutual concern and cultural diversity that represent you
Lord have mercy,
God may we be your image bearers
One family living and serving together under the lordship of Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Lord, have mercy

God be in our heads and in our understanding,
God be in our eyes and in our looking
God be in our mouths and in our speaking
God be in our hearts and in our thinking
God be in our end and in our departing

O Lord our God,
Listen to us in this place
Accept also the prayers of our sisters and brothers in Africa, Asia, Australia, America and Europe.
We are all one in prayer
So may we, as one, rightly carry out your commission to witness and to share life together.
In the church and around the world
Accept all our prayers graciously,
Those in our words, and those in strange languages.
They are offered in Jesus’ name.

Amen

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