Genesis 1:1-2:4a, John 1:1-5, Psalm 148

Sept. 12, 2021
Narrative Lectionary Year 4, Week 1

Genesis 1:1-2:4a
John 1:1-5
Psalm 148

Opening Prayer
Read Psalm 148 
Creator God; the Son who is Word who has spoken all things into existence; and Spirit who hovered over the deep: we do praise you for all that you have done and continue to do and we pray that this time will be honoring to you.  Amen.

Prayer of Preparation 
Our Savior Jesus, King of all this world that your Father created, we come to you now asking your Spirit to be with us as we learn about how you, as the Christ, can return order to the chaos that we have made from your creation.  Amen.

Offertory Prayer
From the first day, O God, you have wanted to make all things good and to put order into this world.  We have made, and we continue to make a mess of it.  But through your Son, Jesus Christ, and through the work of His Holy Church on Earth, we have an opportunity to make things better.  May the gifts we bring to this congregation today begin to set things right, at least in this community, so that more people can know your love and grace and find the goodness that you offer.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Intercessory Prayer
Light of the World, we come before you now, with gratefulness in our hearts for the grace you have shown in reconciling our spirit to your Holy Spirit that is allowed to us by the love of the Father.  After You created this world, establishing order and goodness, we exercised our free will and chose sin, we caused the darkness to return.  However, we trust the Gospel Good News that you can and will return order and goodness to the world.  We ask particularly that this goodness would come to all who we are praying for at this time.  We lift up to you the ones we’ve named and the ones we remember in our hearts.  We lift them up to you as they suffer in sickness, grief, anguish, anxiety, discomfort, and pain.  We lift them up to you as they are caused harm by others.  We lift them up to you if their own misdeeds bring harm upon them.  We lift them up to you even if they have harmed others and need to repent.  We do this with the full confidence that our prayers are heard and answered in your timing and will, praying out loud together as you’ve taught. Our Father… Amen.

Benediction
May the rest of this day be a day of rest from your labors,
In honor and praise of God who also rested from His work.
God is blessing you and sanctifying you because
you are His creation, made in His image and likeness,
And, therefore, He has called you very good.
Through the grace of God
Through the love of Jesus
And through the communion of the Spirit
This goodness will be with you all your days. Amen