For all the Church Family
Notes
Type of service
¶ A non-eucharistic service designed for use when all ages are present throughout;
¶ Fully worked out sample, suitable for local reproduction;
¶ Designed to be suitable for regular use and for a variety of contexts.
This service follows the same structure as the Morning Praise sample service, but makes different choices of texts and uses headings of a different style.
Opening Prayer
If it is desired to make connections between this service and services of Holy Communion, the opening prayer printed here could be replaced by the Prayer of Preparation from Common Worship Order One.
Praise
The rubrics have been phrased to allow a hymn or songs either to replace or to follow the ‘Blessed is the Lord …’ responses.
Readings
No responses have been printed after the readings. This would not necessarily mean that they could not be used.
Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer is used in this service to sum up the prayers of intercession.
The ‘Lord in your mercy hear our prayer’ response, and the concluding ‘Merciful Father, accept these prayers …’ have been included as options to facilitate connections being made between this service and celebrations of Holy Communion. If these forms are not used in communion services, other choices could be made.
Dismissal
The use of ‘Go in peace …’ is designed to connect with Holy Communion services. Other options could be used instead.
If it is desired to give a blessing, the section, ‘Let us bless the Lord …’ should be omitted.
For all the Church Family
We say together the words printed in bold.
Gathering to worship God
Greeting
Let us worship God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All Amen.
The Lord be with you
All and also with you.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
All We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Words of welcome and introduction may follow.
Opening Prayer
All Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray.
Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Hymns or songs may be sung.
Silence is kept and the Collect, the prayer of the day, is said.
Saying sorry to God
Confession
God our Father,
we come to you in sorrow for our sins.
For turning away from you,
and ignoring your will for our lives;
Father, forgive us:
All save us and help us.
For behaving just as we wish,
without thinking of you;
Father, forgive us:
All save us and help us.
and think and say;
Father, forgive us:
All save us and help us.
For letting ourselves be drawn away from you
by temptations in the world about us;
Father, forgive us:
All save us and help us.
For living as if we were ashamed to belong to your Son;
Father, forgive us:
All save us and help us.
The minister declares God’s forgiveness.
Praise
These words may be said
Blessed is the Lord
All for he has heard the voice of our prayer;
therefore shall our hearts dance for joy
All and in our song we will praise our God.
A hymn or song(s) may be sung.
Hearing and responding to the Word of God
Reading(s)
A psalm, hymn or songs may be sung between readings or before or after the Response.
Response
This may include a sermon or talk, discussion, and activities for different age groups. It continues with the Affirmation of Faith and the Prayers.
Affirmation of Faith
Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life,
the one for whom we exist?
All We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature,
died for us and rose again?
All We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to the people of God
and makes Christ known in the world?
All We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
All This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
The prayers may include one of these responses
Lord, in your mercy
All hear our prayer.
(or)
Lord, hear your people
All and answer our prayers.
The prayers may end with
Merciful Father,
All accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
All 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.
Going out to serve God
A hymn or song(s) may be sung.
This prayer may be said
Let us bless the Lord:
All thanks be to God.
Blessing, honour and glory be yours,
here and everywhere,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
All In the name of Christ. Amen.
A service from New Patterns for Worship. Compilation copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2002.
New Patterns for Worship, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2002 and published by Church House Publishing.