Greeting (based on 2nd Reading)
We have come to worship God
through Jesus Christ,
the only mediator between God and the human race.
May the peace of God be with you.
Introduction and Litany of Praise
We have been entrusted by the Lord with many gifts and talents.
One day we will render to him an account of our stewardship.
Can we say now that we are trustworthy stewards? (Pause)
Lord Jesus, we are part of a world that tramples on the needy
and often “ruin the poor of the land”:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you have warned us
that someday we will have to render a full account of our stewardship:
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you have called us to be good stewards,
but we have let money and possessions become our masters:
Lord, have mercy.
Free us from our sin, Lord,
make us better stewards of the earth’s goods,
and lead us to the fullness of life. AMEN.
Opening Prayer
A
You have called us, O God,
to love and serve you as the one only God.
Make us wise and resourceful,
children of the light who continue your work in this world
with untiring concern for justice and the integrity of creation.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.
B
Not by what we say, God of justice,
but by how we treat one another
do you judge if our worship is acceptable,
and our service pleasing in your sight.
Let the sincerity of our worship
be matched by the depth of our commitment to justice.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
P St. Paul asks us to lift up our hands in prayer…. to make supplications and intercessions for everyone especially for those who are in high positions. Let our response be:
CM Lord, make us your faithful servants.
Please repeat:
- May those in authority –
the leaders of Church and State,
parents and educators –
prove to be good stewards,
attentive to the needs of those under their care. We pray: - In the face of the widening gap between the rich and poor in our society may our economic leaders help create a social agenda that will alleviate the plight of those that have no work. We pray:
- May the human dignity of each one be respected,
and may we all work harder to stop the exploitation of the poor
and the oppression of the weak. We pray: - As children of light,
may we be as resourceful and dedicated in our pursuit of goodness
as the children of darkness are in the pursuit of evil. We pray:
[The Presider may add a Petition that is local / relevant]
P God our Father,
make us be aware of your many gifts to us.
Help us to be thankful and to share willingly what we have received. This we ask through Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Prayer over the Gifts
God of justice,
you call us into your service.
May these gifts which we now present to you
be a sign of our readiness to work for a better world
where all peoples can share in the bounty of your creation.
All this we ask through Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer
A
‘God desires everyone to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth.’
So with Jesus we now pray:
B
With hearts set on God’s kingdom
and hands open to serve our neighbor,
let us pray as Jesus taught us:
Deliver us Lord
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
and extend your peace throughout the world.
Let it be a peace based upon justice.
‘Let no one trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor of the land’.
But may we all work together
for the full coming among us
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Prayer for Peace
Lord, Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:
‘Whoever is faithful in a very little
is faithful also in much.’
Look not on our infidelities in the past
but on the faith of your Church,
and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom,
where you live for ever and ever.
Sign of Peace
Christ Jesus gave himself to redeem everyone,
and made our peace with God.
Let us offer each other a sign of that peace.
Invitation to Communion
Behold Jesus,
the Lamb of God who sacrificed himself as a ransom for all.
Blessed are we who are invited to the supper of the Lamb.
Prayer after Communion
Creator God,
grant that the sacrament we have shared
may instill in us a strong desire to be good stewards of the earth,
so that none of your poor will go needy,
none of your children will be oppressed.
May you alone be our master
and may we give you glory in serving one another.
Grant this through Christ, the Lord. AMEN.
Blessing
May the Father keep you safely in his care.
AMEN
May the Son guide you always on the right path.
AMEN.
May the Spirit free your mind and heart to do God’s will.
AMEN.
And may….
Dismissal
Our celebration is ended.
Go and be responsible stewards of the Lord.
Contemporary Liturgy 