Opening Prayers for the Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C (May 11 2025)
These opening prayers for Sunday worship take their inspiration from the Scripture readings of the Revised Common Lectionary. Worship leaders are welcome to use them for worship, but if you print or display any part of them, please credit the author. Comments welcome. The following prayers are for based on the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
Call to Worship
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne
and to the Lamb!”
Revelation 7.9
Let us worship God.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
Let us pray.
God our good shepherd,
as we come to worship you
we acknowledge your presence with us.
Yet you, creator God,
have been with us all the days of our lives.
You are the source of all our blessings.
You give us all that we need
for your power, and love, and care
always surround us.
Even if we have walked
through death’s dark vale,
you have been with us,
your rod and staff
have guided and comforted us.
And now we to come to your house;
you welcome and bless us
and your love for us overflows
and you invite us to dwell with you forever.
God our good shepherd,
you alone are worthy of our praise and worship.
21 April 2013 alt
Restore our souls
God of grace;
for we have failed too often
to be true disciples of Jesus.
We have followed the voice of others
in our journey through life
and failed to find the green pastures you promise your people.
Forgive us our sins
and for the sake of Christ,
the Lamb who died for our sins.
silence
Christ the Good Shepherd
will lead us to the springs of the water of life
where God will wipe the tears from our eyes.
Know that in Christ you are forgiven.
Collect
Lord Jesus Christ
like a caring shepherd you call us
to follow your voice.
Grant that we would truly know you and follow you
by obeying your command of love in all things.
And so may we be counted among your people
so that we may know eternal life in you.
Doxology
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving
and honour and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.
Revelation 7.12
Featured image: Shepherd in Făgăraș Mountains, Romania. Wikipedia commons
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