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Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
July 27, 2022
Union-Congregational Church

Prelude:                                                        

Welcome and Announcements                             
     
*Sharing the Peace of Christ
*=Please rise if it’s comfortable for you to do so.

Poem: Ask, Seek, Knock by Steve Garnaas-Holmes

*Call to Worship                                
Leader: God of love, we ask you to teach us to pray.
All: You show us your grace, and our wonder is our prayer to you.
 

Leader: Christ, your love gives us joy.
All: Let our gratitude be prayer to you.
 

Leader: Holy Spirit, you fill us with your power.
All: Let our lives be our prayer to you. And let this, our worship, bring you praise.

*Opening Prayer (unison)                       
God of open doors, we give You thanks with our whole hearts for the chance to be together today. Though we could have been elsewhere, we are glad we are here. Though we could have been with others, we are glad to be with these people. Though we would have been with You, or You with us, no matter what, we are glad to meet You in this place. Your name is holy O God; we call it together: Gracious God, risen Christ, Holy Spirit, we are here at Your doorstep. Amen.

*OPENING HYMN: #478 Sweet Hour of Prayer

Children’s Time

Prayer for Transformation and New Life
God of abundant grace, we confess that we at times are not always forgiving as we have been forgiven. We are not always merciful as we have been shown mercy.  We are not always loving as we are so deeply loved. Help us. Change our hearts and minds, that they may beat with the rhythm of your heart. Amen.

Words of Grace
One: Friends, take heart. The search for a deeper faith is always ongoing. We are all on the way. No one has arrived. Each day is a new opportunity to start again.
All: By the grace of God, we are forgiven. Amen.                    
                            
Scripture Readings                           
Psalm 138
I give thanks to you with all my heart, Lord. I sing your praise before all other gods. I bow toward your holy temple and thank your name for your loyal love and faithfulness because you have made your name and word greater than everything else. On the day I cried out, you answered me. You encouraged me with inner strength. Let all the earth’s rulers give thanks to you, Lord, when they hear what you say.

Let them sing about the Lord’s ways because the Lord’s glory is so great! Even though the Lord is high, he can still see the lowly, but God keeps his distance from the arrogant. Whenever I am in deep trouble, you make me live again; you send your power against my enemies’ wrath; you save me with your strong hand.
The Lord will do all this for my sake. Your faithful love lasts forever, Lord! Don’t let go of what your hands have made.

Luke 11:1-13
11 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, may your name be revered as holy. May your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything out of friendship, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 “So, I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for a fish, would give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asked for an egg, would give a scorpion? 13 If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
After finishing the reading, please say, “Here end the readings for today. May God bless us as we learn from these holy words. Amen.”

Song for Reflection: “Teach Us What It Means to Pray” by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

Message: What’s the Point of Prayer? 
We Offer Our Gifts
                        
*Doxology

Prayer of Dedication (unison) 
Gracious God, we offer our gifts, our prayers, and our lives to Your service. Help us use them to work together with You, until Your will is done. Amen.  

Prayers of the People and Pastoral Prayer

Lord’s Prayer 
(Please use any translation that connects you most deeply to the spirit of prayer.) 
Our Creator, 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

*CLOSING HYMN: #462 Renew Your Church

*Benediction

Postlude                                               

Call to Worship by Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes https://unfoldinglight.net/2022/05/19/ot-17-seventh-sunday-after-pentecost/

Opening Prayer, and Benediction adapted by Pastor Jacob from Connections Worship Companion, Year C Volume 2, (pp. 92, 94, 95), ©2021 Westminster John Knox Press.