Liturgy and Prayers for Worship
As I prepare sermons, I attempt to begin a few weeks in advance. When I start, I currently use the liturgical texts (Revised Common Lectionary) printed double spaced. I mark them up extensively writing comments, summaries, questions, observations, etc… I, then, spend time developing the liturgy and choosing music for that service. Generally, the liturgy ties very closely to the passages for the service consistent with the Reformed Tradition.
For most services, I write the Call to Worship, Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Pardon, and Prayer of Dedication. The Call to Worship is usually a portion of the Psalm of the day modified for a leader/congregation responsive format. The Call to Confession and Prayer of Confession typically draw an area from one or more of the texts where we often sin or miss the mark. The Assurance of Pardon typically draws out God’s grace. The Prayer of Thanksgiving offers our thanks to God and dedicates our offerings for God’s work. Developing this liturgy has proven very helpful in continuing my study and reflection on the passages I might consider for the sermon.
I’m happy to make those available for others to use. I currently have about two years worth of services to format and post, so it will take some time to get everything up on this website. I offer a few weeks below. Dates preceding these dates will probably be posted on the Resources page without an accompanying blog post.
