God of Elijah, we have seen the wind of evil blow and know that you were not in that wind.God of Elijah, we have felt the earthquake of despair and know that you were not in that earthquake.God of Elijah, we have known the fire of our passions and know that you were not in that fire.

God of Elijah, as we worship you today, speak to us in the quiet voice of assurance that we may sense the blowing of your Holy Spirit that calls us from evil to good. Speak to us in the quietness of our prayers that we might know the unshakable foundation of our faith. Speak to us in the stillness of our meditation that we might be filled with the fire of your Holy Spirit that calls us from lust to life as you sanctify us in holiness. Amen (I Kings 19:9-13)

Gather us together in praise of you, Almighty God. Gather us to the safety of your love as a hen gathers her brood. Cause this time of worship to be a time of surrender to your eternal will, unending salvation and eternal promise. Bring our singing into harmony with the choirs of angels. Bring our prayers into conformity with your will for us. Make our giving a joy. Multiply your Word in us. And, when we go from this place keep us gathered in the safety of your Kingdom. Amen

Baptize us anew and afresh with your Holy Spirit as we worship you this day, Creator God. Call us to the upper room of your love. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us so that the flame of your truth might rest upon us. Make us of one mind and in accord with the apostolic faith. Teach us to sing in the tongues of people and angels Immerse us in your Living Word that we might go forth in ministry and obedience to celebrate and share the good news of salvation. Amen

God of the Harvest, sow in our worship seeds of truth that our time together blossom and flower in praise that is acceptable to you. Cultivate in us joy and hope that we might lift our hearts to you as the wheat stretches to the warmth of the sun. Pour out on us the early and later rains that we might take root in your Word and become fruitful. Allow us to die that new and eternal life spring forth to your honor and glory. Amen

Peace of Jerusalem, speak that peace into our congregation as we enter into worship of you. Allow the Prince of Peace to banish all that would diminish our devotion to you and lessen our acknowledgment of the Lordship of Jesus who is the Christ in our midst. Bring to us the peace that surpasses our understanding and comprehension that we might receive a new revelation of you as we lift our hearts in praise today. Peace of God flow over us, from the youngest to the oldest here gathered, that we might find our rest in the assurance of your salvation. Amen

From the arid dryness of the deserted places of the world, we come O God. We thirst for you. Nothing else will satisfy our need to be refreshed. Satisfy us with living waters drawn from the depth of your Word. Make our time of worship a time of renewal as your Holy Spirit fills us to overflowing. Cause the deserts of our lives to bloom in praise and flower in hope that we might live in you eternally. Amen

Sound of Rushing Wind, fill this place that we might hear the whisper of angels wings. Make us sense your presence among us, Holy Spirit of the Living God. Ignite our hearts with flames of passion for your Living Word. Speak to us and through us that in accord with each other we find ourselves in one mind in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Then, and only then, will our worship of you be transformed through your grace that our meditation be acceptable in your sight. Amen

As the unborn child of Elizabeth leaped with joy to acknowledge the presence of his Savior, so cause our hearts to leap with joy as we sense your presence, Holy Jesus. In our worship prepare in us the way of the Lord. Level the mountains of doubt and fill the valleys of despair that would keep us from celebrating the presence of the Living Christ among us. Cause us to proclaim with John the Baptizer, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Amen

Lion of the Tribe of Judah, break the fetters that keep us from worshipping you in Spirit and Truth. Free us from sin that chains us to our past. Free us from fear that chains us within the prison of doubt. Free us from the chains us death that create in us dread of the future. Roar in our hearts that hearing your voice we might know the power of your love. Liberate us as we praise you. Unshackle us from habit and lust as we worship you. O Lion of Judah, free us so that we might know you as King and obediently serve you with joy. Amen

O God without beginning or ending encircle us in your salvation. O God who was and is and ever shall be, lift us into your timeless presence. You, O God are the Ancient of Days but are also as young as these moments when we humbly acknowledge you. Immortal Spirit, accept our praise. Make us aware that this short time when we gather in worship is but a sampling of the eternity to which you welcome us. Amen

On the altar, O God, are lighted candles. They remind us that you are the Light of the World.

Your Word , O God, stands open on the altar. It reminds us of the Living Word who calls and commands us to obedience.

The cross on the altar reminds us of your love for us, O God.

It is on the altar that we will place our gifts and offerings to you, O Living God.

As we worship you, illumine our hearts that way may see the way you set before us. Make us hear the Word that we might know your will. Focus our gathering on your cross that we might understand the purity of your sacrifice of love. And remind us in our giving that our tithes and offerings are but tokens of our response to you. Grant that we be living altars dedicated eternally to you. Amen

You are One, O God, but we know you in the mystery of the Trinity. We worship you. Open the eyes of our understanding that our worship of you be perfected through Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Create in us new hearts. Redeem each moment of our lives. Sustain us each moment that nurtured by you, our praise might reach beyond our understanding to your perfect truth. Amen

Abraham trusted you and you accounted it to him as righteousness. We come to worship you, O God of Abraham. We come trusting that your Word, that where two or three gather in your Name that you are in their midst. We trust your righteousness because you save us by faith. We trust your love because you save us through the cross. We are your people, O God. Sanctify us through your truth. Justify us through your grace. Amen

Holy, holy, holy. So the angels proclaim you. Holy, holy, holy. So those who gather round your throne acknowledge you. Holy, holy, holy. So we who worship you in this time and place proclaim you because you are perfect sacrificial love. Holy, holy, holy. So we who come to praise you acknowledge you because you are Lord. Perfect our worship that we might be ushered into your throne-room to celebrate your lordship. Amen

In the beginning as the Word. O God, you are the beginning and source of all that is, seen and unseen. Make us to see the Word Made Flesh as we worship you this day. Grant us a vision of the Light that became the Light of your salvation. Reveal to us the love that can not be seen with human eye that our praise may be perfected in the hope that you have made known through Jesus who we acknowledge as the Christ. Amen