A Simple and Silent Worship Service
Last night we hosted our small group over at our house. I was in charge of planning for the evening so I pieced together a worship/prayer/contemplative time that included bits and pieces of prayers from a Celtic prayer book I have, the Book of Common Prayer, Quaker queries and silence, and scripture reading.
Because I enjoy worship that does not have to include music and focuses on silence and contemplation I was excited to have a little down time for the evening. Postmodern spirituality is often eclectic and pulls from many traditions and experiences in order to find richness and peace. Believing that God’s Spirit has worked through all these traditions, prayers, queries and verses we are able to participate with the past and the present Spirit of God.
I decided to post the service up here for anyone to use, change and/or incorporate into their own community meeting or individual time.
Prayer Service for Small Group1. Light Candles Celtic Prayers
We light a light
In the name of the God who creates life,
In the name of the saviour who loves life
In the name of the spirit who is the fire of life
2. BCP 112
O Gracious Light3. A time of silence and centering
Matthew 5:13 Salt of the world
BYM Queries #3
Do you try to set aside times of quiet for openness to the Holy Spirit? All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness of the divine and to find the inward source of our strength. Seek to know an inward stillness, even amid the activities of daily life. Do you encourage in yourself and in others a habit of dependence on God’s guidance for each day? Hold yourself and others in the Light, knowing that all are cherished by God.”
Here’s the website: https://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/
Matthew 5:14-16 Light of the World4. Group Prayers:
in the silence of our hearts or in the spoken words
let us give thanks for the gift of this day
and pray for the life of the world5. Prayer for justice
Lover of the poor,
Defender of the needy
Sanctuary of the rejected
For those who suffer injustice today
For mean and women who cannot provide food for their families
And for whole communities who fear today and have no hope for tomorrow,
We offer the longings of our hearts in prayer
We seek for them, o God, the gifts that are dear to us
Food for the table
Drink for the soul
Shelter in the night
And open arms to welcome us
Matthew 5:13
Matthew 5:14-16
the blessings of heaven
the blessings of earth
the blessings of sea and of sky
on those we love this day
and on every human family
the gifts of heaven,
the gifts of earth,
the gifts of sea and of sky.
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