ES Liturgy 4 October 2020

Welcome

Psalm 118:24 ESV

24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Friends, we have come here to take part in the worship of God; to confess our sins to Him and to ask for His forgiveness; to thank Him for making us and protecting us; to praise Him for His love and mercy; to hear from His holy Word, and to pray for our needs and the needs of others.  But, first, let us confess our sins and say together:

Almighty God, heavenly Father, we confess that we have sinned against You, in our thoughts, words, and deeds and in what we have left undone.  Lord have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and help us that we may serve You better and please You more through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Minister :  Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, does not wish the death of a sinner, but that he should turn from sin and trust in Christ.  God’s word declares that He forgives the sins of all who truly repent and believe the Gospel.  God gave His Son Jesus Christ to die that we could be forgiven and have everlasting life through Him.  Let us therefore worship God saying :

Everyone : Lord, we worship You for Your wonderful plan of Salvation and Your great love that while we were lost sinners Christ died for us to give us life.

Minister : Glory be to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Everyone : As it was in the beginning, so now and for ever.  Amen.

Psalm 95 ESV

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. 10 For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” 11 Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

Apostles’ Creed

Everyone: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

and 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, He died and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;

from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit;

Christ’s holy universal church;

the fellowship of Christians;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.  Amen.

Prayer for our land

Almighty, everlasting God, bless our land, its rulers and people.  Grant that all of us may live in obedience to Your Word and follow after truth, righteousness and justice.  Lord, give peace in our time, to the glory of Your holy Name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for our church

Heavenly Father, you have called us to be living members of Christ’s holy church.  Bless the fellowship of the Church of England in Southern Africa, its bishops, other ministers and those in responsible positions.  Grant to all who belong to it sure faith in Your holy word and lives obedient to it.  May we always serve You and each other in prayer and love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayer for all in need

Almighty, merciful Father, You have told us not to think of ourselves only, but to remember the needs of others.  We pray for all in want or need, for the sick in body or mind, for the poor and lonely, for those in distress and despair and for all who have strayed from Your way. Merciful Lord, deliver them, strengthen and restore their faith, bless and help them through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The grace

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all ever more.  Amen.