Welcome and Prayer of Welcome
Welcome. For the next few moments, let us set aside the things that occupy our minds.
There is nothing we need to prove to God.
We do not need to have the right words.
We simply come as we are.
Psalm 67 begins with a simple prayer:
“May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us.”
So let us begin by asking God to meet us where we are.
Prayer of Welcome
Loving God,
we come into your presence just as we are.
Some of us come with thankful hearts.
Some come carrying worries.
Some are tired.
Some are hopeful.
Some are uncertain about what lies ahead.
But you know each of us completely.
You know our joys and our disappointments,
our hopes and our fears,
the things we share with others
and the things we keep hidden within ourselves.
Thank you that we do not have to hide from you.
Be with us now.
Slow our thoughts.
Quiet our minds.
Open our hearts.
May this be a time when we become aware of your presence
and allow you to speak to us.
Amen.
Hymn 1
The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want
Invite people to sing reflectively, remembering that this is their personal prayer and response to God.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
Psalm 67 reminds us that God’s blessing is not simply something we receive and keep for ourselves.
God blesses us so that his ways may be known and his love may reach others.
Let us honestly bring our lives before God.
Prayer
God of grace,
I come before you now without pretending.
You know the person I am
and the person I would like to be.
You know the times when I have been generous
and the times when I have held back.
You know when I have spoken words of encouragement
and when my words have caused hurt.
You know when I have reached out
and when I have turned away.
Forgive me for the opportunities I have missed.
Forgive me for the times when fear has been stronger than faith.
Forgive me when I have allowed resentment,
pride or disappointment
to take root in my heart.
Forgive me for the times I have wanted your blessing
without being willing to become a blessing to someone else.
Help me to let go of what I need to let go of.
Help me to forgive where forgiveness is needed.
Help me to receive your forgiveness
and begin again.
A few moments of silence
Lord, may your face shine upon me.
May your grace renew me.
May your peace fill me.
Amen.
Psalm 67
Read Psalm 67:1–7 slowly.
After the reading, pause.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—[b]
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Then say:
“May God be gracious to us and bless us.”
Take a moment to think about that personally.
Where do I need God’s blessing today?
Not someone else’s blessing.
Not the blessing of the whole church.
Where do I need God to meet me?
Perhaps in my family.
Perhaps in my work.
Perhaps in a relationship.
Perhaps in a decision I need to make.
Perhaps in something I am carrying silently.
Perhaps simply in my relationship with God.
Then:
Lord, receive the things I have brought before you.
Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Psalm 67 speaks of God’s blessing.
Let us now deliberately remember the blessings already present in our lives.
Prayer
Gracious God,
Thank you for the gift of life.
Thank you for the people who have loved me,
supported me and encouraged me.
Thank you for the people who have made a difference in my life,
perhaps without ever knowing how much they meant to me.
Thank you for home.
Thank you for friendship.
Thank you for laughter.
Thank you for memories.
Thank you for those ordinary moments
which can so easily be overlooked.
Thank you for the beauty of creation.
Thank you for music, for words, for silence,
for friendship and companionship.
Thank you for your church
and for the many ways people serve you.
Thank you for Jesus,
for his compassion,
his welcome,
his forgiveness
and his love.
Thank you that when I have struggled to find you,
you have never stopped looking for me.
For every blessing I can name,
and for every blessing I have forgotten to notice,
thank you.
Silence
Now, in the quietness, invite people to name silently three things they are personally thankful for.
Amen.
Psalm 133
Read Psalm 133, or verses 1 and 3.
“How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!”
Reflection:
Unity begins personally.
It begins with the way I speak.
The way I listen.
The way I forgive.
The assumptions I make about others.
The grudges I hold.
The willingness I have to understand someone whose experience is different from mine.
Ask yourself:
Is there someone I need to forgive?
Is there someone I need to encourage?
Is there someone I have judged too quickly?
Is there someone I need to reach out to?
Intercessions
Let us bring before God the people and situations that are on our hearts.
You may wish to name people silently as each prayer is offered.
For those we love
Lord, we pray for those closest to us.
For those who bring us joy.
For those who are struggling.
For relationships which are strong
and relationships which are difficult.
Bring healing where there is hurt
and understanding where there is disagreement.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who are lonely
We remember those who feel forgotten.
Those who live alone.
Those who have lost someone they love.
Those who feel that nobody understands them.
Give them companionship, comfort and hope.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who are struggling
We pray for those facing illness, uncertainty, financial worries, family difficulties or difficult decisions.
Give them strength for today
and hope for tomorrow.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For our community
We pray for Bellshill, Mossend and the surrounding communities.
For those who serve others.
For schools, workplaces, community groups and organisations.
May our communities become places where people feel valued, safe and welcomed.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Prayer for BCPC
We pray now particularly for Bellshill Central Parish Church.
Prayer
God of blessing,
Thank you for Bellshill Central Parish Church.
Thank you for everyone who worships, serves, gives, prays and shares in its life.
Bless those who lead.
Bless those who serve quietly behind the scenes.
Bless our worship.
Bless our Young Church and our work with children and young people.
Bless our community connections.
Bless every person who comes through our doors.
Help us to become increasingly a church which welcomes, listens and serves.
Give us courage to look forward in faith.
Give us imagination to see new possibilities.
Give us patience when things are difficult.
Give us generosity when we are asked to serve.
And above all, keep Jesus at the heart of everything we do.
May the blessing we receive from you
become a blessing we share with others.
Amen.
Hymn 2
Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve You
Invite everyone to consider the words personally:
“How can I become a blessing to someone else?”
Personal Dedication and Response
Psalm 67 says:
“May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will revere him.”
God’s blessing is never meant to stop with us.
So let us offer ourselves to God.
Prayer
Lord,
Take what I have.
Take who I am.
Take my gifts, my time and my experience.
Use my words to encourage.
Use my hands to serve.
Use my presence to comfort.
Use my life to bring hope.
Where there is division,
help me to bring peace.
Where there is loneliness,
help me to bring friendship.
Where there is fear,
help me to bring courage.
Where there is despair,
help me to bring hope.
And wherever I go this week,
help me to remember:
I am blessed by you
so that I might become a blessing to others.
Amen.
Hymn 3
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
This can serve as the final response before the blessing.
Blessing
Go from this time of prayer knowing that you are loved by God.
May you know God’s blessing in the ordinary moments of your life.
May his face shine upon you when you are joyful
and when you are struggling.
May he give you courage when the way ahead is uncertain.
May he give you patience with others
and compassion for yourself.
And may the God who calls us to live together in unity
make you an instrument of his peace,
his hope and his love.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.
Amen.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 