Based on our Mission Statement
“We seek to look forward in faith, to worship God and to serve him in the community. To offer hope of a better future and to encourage people of all ages to know and love Jesus as Lord and Saviour.”
Gathering and Welcome
God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow,we gather as your people,called together by your love,held by your grace,and guided by your Spirit.
We come with gratitude for all that has been,with honesty about where we are now,and with hope for where you are leading us.
Let us still our hearts and prepare to worship God.
We come to worship, to pray, and to listen.Open our hearts, O God.
Opening Prayer
Faithful God,you have called us to be your church in this place and time.As we gather, lift our eyes beyond the familiar,and help us to look forward in faith.
Renew our vision, strengthen our trust,and deepen our love for you and for one another.May everything we offer in this time of prayerbring glory to your name.
Amen.
Prayer of Praise and Worship
We worship you, living God,creator of all that is seen and unseen.
You are worthy of our praisewhen the way is clearand when the path ahead feels uncertain.
We praise you for your faithfulness,for your mercy that never runs dry,and for your love revealed in Jesus Christ.
You call us to worship not only with our words,but with our lives.
Receive our praise, O God,and shape us into a people who honour youin all we do.
Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God,as we look forward in faith,we confess that at times we cling to fear instead of trust.
We confess that we can be slow to serve,hesitant to change,and cautious when you call us to step out in faith.
Forgive us, Lord,when we place comfort before calling,and caution before compassion.
Forgive us when we miss opportunitiesto serve our community,to speak words of hope,or to reflect your love.
Restore us by your grace,renew us by your Spirit,and lead us in the way of Christ.
(Silence is kept)
Assurance of God’s Grace
Hear the good news:God’s love is stronger than our failures,and God’s mercy is new every morning.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, restored, and renewed.
Thanks be to God.Amen.
Prayer for Worship and Service
Lord God,you call us to worship you with heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Help us to be a worshipping churchwhose praise flows naturally into service.
May our worship inspire our living,and our prayers lead us into action.
Guide us to serve you in our community—with generosity, humility, and joy.
Show us where we are needed,and give us courage to respond.
Amen
Prayer for Our Community and the World
God of compassion,we pray for our community and all who live within it.
For those who feel forgotten or overlooked,for those facing hardship, loneliness, or uncertainty—
Bring hope, healing, and peace.
Use us as signs of your love—in acts of kindness,words of encouragement,and a willingness to walk alongside others.
Make us a church that serves with open handsand open hearts.
Prayer for All Ages
Loving God,you call people of every age to know you and follow you.
We pray for children and young people,that they may grow in faith, confidence, and hope.
Surround them with love, guidance, and encouragement.
We pray for adults and families,amid the pressures and responsibilities of life.
Grant wisdom, patience, and strength.
We pray for older members of our church family,for their faith, their stories, and their witness.
May they know they are valued, needed, and loved.
Prayer of Commitment
God of the future,you invite us to step forward in faith.
We commit ourselves again to your mission—to worship you,to serve our community,and to share the hope we have in Christ.
Send us out as your people,rooted in faith,filled with hope,and guided by love.
The Lord’s 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 sinsas 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.
Closing Blessing
Go now, looking forward in faith.Worship God with joy,serve Christ with compassion,and share the Spirit’s hope with the world.
And may the blessing of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—be with you now and always.
Amen.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 