Prayers of the People

Prayers of the People are the climax of the third part in the Reformed liturgy.

Reformed liturgy
1. We come into God’s presence to ready ourselves to hear the proclamation of God’s word through reminders of God’s grace and responses of praise,
Confession of sin and reassurances of God’s mercy

2. We hear God’s Word in the scripture, song and sermon.

3. We respond to God’s Word through our songs, affirmations of faith/invitations to action, offering, and, most especially prayer.

4. We Go Forth into God’s World with encouragement provided by song
and charge, confident of God’s blessing upon us.

Prayers of the People include three distinct, but interrelated movements.

The first, and most important, is thanksgiving. Grateful thanksgiving is the summit of Christian worship and the shape of Christian life. The beginning of this prayer is the moment in corporate worship when your blessings are lifted up, acknowledged as being of God and praised. It is an opportunity for you to pray for the congregation, to tell them the things you are thankful for and remind them of the things that we as a congregation are thankful for.

The second is intercession. Prayers for Others – World, nation, church, community, and all who are in need – follows the thanksgiving to God. Please do not compare but consider those less fortunate – prayers for peace in times of war, healing of the sick, comfort for the dying, friendship for the lonely, food for the hungry, freedom for the oppressed --- focusing on Others.

The third is petition. We are frail human beings in need of God’s grace and presence in our lives, the power of the Holy Spirit in our being, God’s forgiveness of us, the energy of Jesus Christ in our mission in the world, or God’s refuge and strength. This is the time to lift up before God our most poignant and real human needs.

The concluding movement of the Prayers of the People leads into --
“ The Prayer our Lord taught us to pray together – Our Father”

The Prayers of the People, as indicated above, should be no more than five minutes long. As a guide, five minutes fills two double-spaced, type-written pages.

Please remember to go forward and stand in front of the Communion Table facing the congregation. Remember to speak slowly and in a firm voice.

Start with
“ Lift up your hearts” -- the congregation will respond
“ We lift them up to the Lord”

Remember to end with
Now, as,” The Prayer our Lord taught us to pray together --- Our........."