Simple Sunday Service: Prayers and Reading

The following prayers and Bible passage can be read as part of the Simple Service Onsite, or can be used independently for your own personal time of prayer and reflection. God is with you. 

Gathering Prayer

We come from scattered lives to meet with God.

Let us recognize his presence with us.

As God’s people we have gathered:

let us worship him together.

Psalm 67

¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us     

and make his face shine on us – ^b]">[b] 

  ² so that your ways may be known on earth,     

your salvation among all nations.

³ May the peoples praise you, God;     

may all the peoples praise you. 

  ⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy,     

for you rule the peoples with equity     

and guide the nations of the earth. 

  ⁵ May the peoples praise you, God;     

may all the peoples praise you.

⁶ The land yields its harvest;     

God, our God, blesses us. 

  ⁷ May God bless us still,     

so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Declaration of Faith

All   We believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

We believe 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, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

All   Almighty God, our heavenly Father,

we have sinned against you,

through our own fault,

in thought, and word, and deed,

and in what we have left undone.

We are heartily sorry,

and repent of all our sins.

For your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,

forgive us all that is past;

and grant that we may serve you in newness of life

to the glory of your name.

Amen.

May almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading: Matthew 15:21-28

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.’

²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, ‘Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.’

²⁴ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.’

²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. ‘Lord, help me!’ she said.

²⁶ He replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’

²⁷ ‘Yes it is, Lord,’ she said. ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’

²⁸‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Reflection:

The gospel is for everyone. Is there anyone that for whom you believe the gospel is irrelevant or inaccessible? Ask Jesus to help you see others as he sees them

Intercessions

Suggested focus for prayers:

• For those who you long to know the gospel, but for whom you have given up hope.
• For those can identify with the woman’s cry ‘Lord, help me!’
• For those who are rejected or persecuted for following Christ

The Peace

 Blessed are the peacemakers:

they shall be called children of God.

We meet in the name of Christ and share his peace.

The peace of the Lord be always with you

All   and also with you.

The Communion Prayer

The Lord is here.

All   His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

All   We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All   It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation;

in your love you made us for yourself.

When we turned away

you did not reject us,

but came to meet us in your Son.

All   You embraced us as your children

and welcomed us to sit and eat with you.

In Christ you shared our life

that we might live in him and he in us.

All   He opened his arms of love upon the cross

and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin.

On the night he was betrayed,

at supper with his friends

he took bread, and gave you thanks;

he broke it and gave it to them, saying:

Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;

do this in remembrance of me.

All   Father, we do this in remembrance of him:

his body is the bread of life.

At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine,

he gave you thanks, and said:

Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,

which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins;

do this in remembrance of me.

All   Father, we do this in remembrance of him:

his blood is shed for all.

As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory,

send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this wine

may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son.

All   As we eat and drink these holy gifts

make us one in Christ, our risen Lord.

With your whole Church throughout the world

we offer you this sacrifice of praise

and lift our voice to join the eternal song of heaven:

All   Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

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.

Every time we eat this bread

and drink this cup,

All   we proclaim the Lord’s death

until he comes.

Draw near with faith.

Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ

which he gave for you,

and his blood which he shed for you.

Eat and drink

in remembrance that he died for you,

and feed on him in your hearts

by faith with thanksgiving.

Prayer After Communion

All   Almighty God,

we thank you for feeding us

with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Through him we offer you our souls and bodies

to be a living sacrifice.

Send us out in the power of your Spirit

to live and work to your praise and glory.

Amen.

Sending Out

May God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who is the source of all goodness and growth,

pour his blessing upon all things created,

and upon us his children,

that we may use his gifts to his glory and the welfare of all peoples;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among us and remain with us always. Amen.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Common Worship and New Patterns for Worship, material from which is included here, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2002 and published by Church House Publishing.