Hope Church Prayer Book seeks to promote a worship culture from Monday to Saturday by conveying worship resources from Sundays. Worship is not a thought, but an action; not a concept, but a practice. And the more we practice, the more in shape we get - in the shape of Jesus. So sing out loud or read a responsive prayer before dinner. Each month’s prayer book will now be available on Hope’s website under the resources tab!
Call to Worship
Same God
Different day, same God. Different week, same God. Different failures, same God. Same failures, same God. Like it says in Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
If we really mine God’s sameness – His inability to differ from Himself – there are implications for how we enjoy Him right now in what could be a moment of worship:
● If God doesn’t change, He’s still saying “come to Me” (Mt 11:28-30)
● If God doesn’t change, He’s still sings over you (Zeph 3:17)
● If God doesn’t change, You’re still forgiven (Mk 2:1-11)
● If God doesn’t change, He’s still coming back (1 Thes 4:13-18)
● If God doesn’t change, He still won’t fail (Num 23:19)
● If God doesn’t change, you still can!
Our entire hope – everything we’re about to sing about – rests on
our ability to change and God’s inability to do so!
Confession
Not to Us
King Jesus, Savior of the world. We need a king. We need a savior. We are children before a Father more likely to Google life’s questions than ask You about them. So we’re asking You now as Father for the peace we can’t bring ourselves. And we’re asking You as King to bring the peace we can’t bring each other. We repent of our knee-jerk self reliance, and ask for Your forgiveness. As the Psalmist says, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give glory.” Restore us not for our sake, but for Yours. We sing the confession of Jeremiah the prophet,
Assurance
Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!
Prayer
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.
Creed
God
Article 1 of the EFCA Statement of Faith
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
Benediction
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
