Opening Words For Worship Service

• Opening Prayers Sunday Worship
• Words To Open Worship
• Prayer Of Invocation For Worship Service
• Opening Statements For Church Services

An invocation is a prayer for opening a church service or meeting with. This type of prayer usually includes two elements:-1. There is usually an awareness of the majesty and greatness of the living God in this type of prayer, and 2. There will be request in the prayer for God's presence and blessing on the meeting.

Advent
Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
(PSALM 24:7)

A voice cries out:
'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'
(ISAIAH 40:3)

1. Why not end a worship service with a story of the power and grace of our God who is so worthy of worship? Lead the church to pray by name for friends, family members, co-workers, and fellow students who need Jesus. God meets us in worship, and He expects us to lead others to worship Him as well.
2. You asked, and WorshipWeb responded! Many of our users requested a separate section of words to open a service. What you'll find here reflects an understanding that the power of worship is in setting tone, and the worship leader's (or leaders') ability to hold the space for all that's possible.
3. Opening prayers for worship services. Heavenly Father, we humbly come before you as a Christian family through the name of our Lord Jesus, thanking you for allowing us to congregate here today, thank you for your love and care, we honor you for this worship hour that we have come together to learn and obtain your mercies from the throne of.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord.

Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day,
and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst.
(ZECHARIAH 2:10–11b )

You know what time it is,
how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep.

For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers;
the night is far gone, the day is near.

Let us then lay aside the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light.
(ROMANS 13:11–12)

See also:

See! The ruler of earth shall come,
the Lord who will take from us the heavy burden of our exile
(TRADITIONAL MONASTIC LITURGY)

Praise be to God!
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
who has visited and redeemed the people.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
(THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

Tell the timid to take heart.
The Lord our God will come!
(TRADITIONAL MONASTIC LITURGY)

We wait for the word of the Lord as we wait for the rains
and our God shall come down upon us like gentle dew.
(TRADITIONAL MONASTIC LITURGY)

The hills and the mountains will be singing praise to God.
Every tree in the forest will be clapping its hands.
The Lord will come and rule for ever. Alleluia.
(TRADITIONAL MONASTIC LITURGY)

Opening Prayers

See Advent (UMH 201) and O Antiphons (UMH 211). The antiphons (short phrases based on scripture may be used over several Sundays, with each one being read before its corresponding hymn stanza is sung.

Merciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation.
Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, U.S.A., 20TH CENT., ALT.)

O God, you so loved the world as to give your only begotten Son,
that whosoever believes in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
Grant to us the precious gift of faith,
that we may know that the Son of God is come,
and may have power to overcome the world
and gain a blessed immortality;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

Christmas Eve, Day or Season

Do not be afraid;
for see—I am bringing you good news of a great joy for all the people:
to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is the Messiah, the Lord. (LUKE 2:10)

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory. (JOHN 1:1, 14 a)

The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all. (TITUS 2:11)

See also:

Christ is born; give him glory!
Christ has come down from heaven; receive him!
Christ is now on earth; exalt him!

O you earth, sing to the Lord!
O you nations, praise him in joy, for he has been glorified!
(TRADITIONAL BYZANTINE CHRISTMAS PRAYER, ALT.)

Opening Prayers

O almighty God, by the birth of your holy child Jesus
you gave us a great light to dawn on our darkness.
Grant that in his light we may see light.
Bestow upon us that most excellent Christmas gift of love to all people,
so that the likeness of your Son may be formed in us,
and that we may have the ever brightening hope of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
(THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

Sundays after the Epiphany

The Lord has declared victory,
and has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
(PSALM 98:2)

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

(ISAIAH 60:1)
See UMBOW Hymn 216 for musical setting.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
(JOHN 1:14)

For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,'
who has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.
(2 CORINTHIANS 4:6)

So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near;
for through him all of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.
(EPHESIANS 2:17–18, ALT.)

During Lent

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
(ISAIAH 1:18, ALT.)

Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord,
that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.
(ISAIAH 2:5, 3c )

In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
(ISAIAH 30:15 b–c)

Rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
(JOEL 2:13)

Since, then, we have a great high priest
who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are,
yet without sin.

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(HEBREWS 4:14–16)

See also:

O Savior of the world,
who by your cross and precious blood has redeemed us,
save us and help us.
(SARUM LITURGY, ENGLAND, 13TH CENT., ALT.)

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor requite us according to our iniquities.

What shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
(THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965)

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!
God has blessed us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
(THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

During Easter Season

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise the Lord in the heights!
Let them praise the name of the Lord, whose name alone is exalted,
whose glory is above earth and heaven.
(PSALM 148:1, 13, UMH)

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people,
and will have compassion on his suffering ones.
(ISAIAH 49:13)

Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people.
(ISAIAH 52:9 a–b)

Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.'
(JOHN 11:25)

In fact Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have died.
(1 CORINTHIANS 15:20)

For this perishable body must put on imperishability,
and this mortal body must put on immortality.
When this perishable body puts on imperishability,
and this mortal body puts on immortality,
then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'

'Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?'
(1 CORINTHIANS 15:53–55)

Since then we have a great high priest
who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,
let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(HEBREWS 4:14 a, 16)

Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.
(PSALM 96:7 b; REVELATION 5:13b)

See also:

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, following our exalted Head;
made like him, like him we rise;
ours the cross, the grave, the skies!
(CHARLES WESLEY, ENGLAND, 18TH CENT.)

For Judah's Lion bursts his chains,
crushing the serpent's head;
and cries aloud through death's domains
to wake the imprisoned dead.
(LATIN HYMN, 11TH CENT.)

By your cross you destroyed the curse of the tree.
By your burial you slayed the dominion of death.
By your rising, you enlightened the human race.
O benefactor, Christ our God, glory to you.

Glory to the Father, who has woven garments of glory for the resurrection.
Worship to the Son, who was clothed in them at his rising.
Thanksgiving to the Spirit, who keeps them for all the saints.
(SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH)

Opening Prayer
Almighty God, through your only Son you overcame death
and opened to us the gate of everlasting life.
Grant that we who celebrate our Lord's resurrection,
by the renewing of your Spirit,
arise from the death of sin to the life of righteousness;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(GELASIAN SACRAMENTARY, 5TH CENT., ALT.)

Sunday after the Ascension

O God, the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.
Do not leave us comfortless,
but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us,
and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
(THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, U.S.A., 1979, p. 226)

Day of Pentecost
And in the last days it shall come to pass, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh
and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy,
your old shall dream dreams, and your young shall see visions.
When the Day of Pentecost had come,
they were all gathered together in one place.
And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind,
and it filled the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
distributed and resting on each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

Trinity Sunday (Sunday after Pentecost)

No one has ever seen God;
if we love one another,
God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. (1 JOHN 4:12)

Season after Pentecost or General Occasions

Greetings

Trust in the Lord and do good.
May the Lord give strength to the people!

O taste and see that the Lord is good!
God is our refuge and strength. (THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

The hour is coming, and now is,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for such the Father seeks to worship him.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name! (THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

In the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to God's holy name!

I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and God's greatness is unsearchable. (THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

May those who love your salvation say continually, 'Great is the Lord!'
Yea, our heart is glad in God, because we trust in God's holy name.

Let us make a joyful noise to God with songs of praise!
We praise you, O God;
we acknowledge you to be the Lord. (THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

May the warm winds of heaven blow softly on our house.
May the Great Spirit bless all who enter here.
(TRADITIONAL CHEROKEE NATION PRAYER)

See also UMBOW Hymn 198 and Hymn 200.

Opening Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
you created us for yourself,
so that our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.
Grant to us such piety of heart and strength of purpose
that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing your will,
and no weakness from doing it.
In your light may we see life clearly
and in your service find perfect freedom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

O God, our Guide and Guardian,
you have led us apart from the busy world into the quiet of your house.
Grant us grace to worship you in Spirit and in truth,
to the comfort of our souls
and the upbuilding of every good purpose and holy desire.
Enable us to do more perfectly the work to which you have called us,
that we may not fear the coming of night,
when we shall resign into your hands
the tasks which you have committed to us.
So may we worship you not with our lips at this hour,
but in word and deed all the days of our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. (THE BOOK OF WORSHIP 1965, ALT.)

We believe, O Lord,
that you have not abandoned us to the dim light of our own reason
to conduct us to happiness,
but that you have revealed in Holy Scriptures
whatever is necessary for us to believe and practice.
How noble and excellent are the precepts,
how sublime and enlightening the truth,
how persuasive and strong the motives,
how powerful the assistance of your holy religion.
Our delight shall be in your statutes,
and we will not forget your Word. Amen.
(RICHARD ALLEN, AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL BISHOP, U.S.A., 19TH CENT., ALT.)

O Lord our God,
you are always more ready to bestow your good gifts on us
than we are to seek them,
and are willing to give more than we desire or deserve.
Help us so to seek that we may truly find,
so to ask that we may joyfully receive,
so to knock that the door of your mercy may be opened to us;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
(THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, 20TH CENT., ALT.)

Copyright: Items listed from Book of Worship 1965 are Copyright © 1964, 1965 Board of Publications of The Methodist Church, Inc., Renewal © 1992 UMPH. Quotations from scripture, unless otherwise indicated, are adapted from The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989 by Division of Christian Education of the national Council of Churches of Christ in the USA and used by permission.

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Opening Voluntary

Welcome and Theme

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, whose forgiveness is sure and whose steadfast love endures forever.

Amen.

Together let us honestly and humbly confess

that we have not lived as God desires.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Loving and forgiving God,

we confess that we are held captive by sin.

In spite of our best efforts, we have gone astray. We have not welcomed the stranger;

we have not loved our neighbor;

we have not been Christ to one another.

Restore us, O God.

Wake us up and turn us from our sin.

Renew us each day in the light of Christ. Amen.

People of God, hear this glad news:

by God's endless grace

your sins are forgiven, and you are free—

free from all that holds you back

and free to live in the peaceable realm of God.

May you be strengthened in God's love,

☩ comforted by Christ's peace,

and accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Opening Hymn –

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you

Canticle of Praise

Glory to God, glory to God,

Glory to God in the highest;

Glory to God, glory to God,

And peace to God's people on earth.

Lord, God heavenly king,

Almighty God and Father,

We worship you, we give you thanks,

We praise you for your glory.

Glory to God, glory to God,

Glory to God in the highest;

Glory to God, glory to God,

And peace to God's people on earth.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

You take away the sin of the world:

Have mercy on us;

You are seated at the right hand of the Father:

Receive our prayer.

Glory to God, glory to God,

Glory to God in the highest;

Glory to God, glory to God,

And peace to God's people on earth.

For you alone are the Holy One,

You alone are the Lord,

You alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,

In the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Glory to God, glory to God,

Glory to God in the highest;

Glory to God, glory to God,

And peace to God's people on earth.

Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Word

First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

¹Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
²Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her
that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

³A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
⁵Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'

⁶A voice says, 'Cry out!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?'
All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.
⁷The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
⁸The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.
⁹Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah,
'Here is your God!'
¹⁰See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
¹¹He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Please stand

Gospel Acclamation

Halle, halle, hallelujah!

Halle, halle, hallelujah!

Halle, halle, hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The holy gospel according to Matthew

Glory to you, O Lord.

Mark 1: 1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
²As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
³the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,' '
⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, 'The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'

Sermon – John the Baptist

Hymn of the Day –

Prayers

Faithful God, you teach us to wait for you with faithfulness and patience. Sustain and support us in our doubts and questions. Nurture our faith as we discern and enact your mission. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Loving God, you set the stars in the sky and breathe life into the earth. Renew the face of creation where it is in need of your healing touch. Mend the wounds of environmental damage and restore balance to ecosystems so that all creation can declare your praise. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Steadfast God, you never tire of seeking justice. Where people suffer from discrimination, judgment, and injustice, speak words of truth and comfort. We pray especially for the millions infected with COVID – 19. Lead us toward a world where faithfulness will sprout underfoot and righteousness rain down from above. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Leading God, you ask us to make uneven ground smooth. Make even the disparities between your people. Sustain and support people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Accompany disability advocates who work for a world accessible to all. Teach us to celebrate the great diversity in our midst. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Tender God, you know sorrow and joy alike. We pray for those in our families and congregation who are not joyful in this holiday season. Comfort those who grieve, be a companion to all who are lonely, tend those who are sick or struggling with depression, and gather all people in your healing embrace. Geri,Becky, Lynda, Barbara, Brendan, Rebecca, and Alec. Hear us, O God.

Frank sinatra flac lovers. Your mercy is great.

Eternal God, we give thanks for the saints who have prepared your way in the wilderness and taught us to continue their faithful work (especially Nicholas of Myra). Make their generous lives an example for all. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

Draw near to us, O God, and receive our prayers for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

MEAL

Please stand

Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and ever living God. You comforted your people with the promise of the Redeemer, through whom you will also make all things new in the day when he comes again to judge the world in righteousness. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy Lord. God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.

Words of Institution

The Lord's Prayer – (sung)

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, and the power, and the glory are yours,

Opening Prayers Sunday Worship

Now and forever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Please be seated

Communion – proceed up to the table eat and drink away from the table and dispose of your cup.

Communion Song –

Prayer after Communion

Gracious and abundant God,

you have done great things for us, and we rejoice.

In this bread and cup you give us life forever.

In your boundless mercy, strengthen us

and open our hearts to the world's needs,

for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Words To Open Worship

Amen.

Blessing –

The Creator of the stars bless your Advent waiting,

the long-expected Savior fill you with love,

Prayer Of Invocation For Worship Service

the unexpected Spirit guide your journey,

☩ now and forever.

Amen.

Closing Hymn –

Dismissal

Go in peace. Prepare the way of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Opening Statements For Church Services

Closing Voluntary