How do I write words of welcome?

As an expression of the church's hospitality, the words of welcome make explicit the welcome to the physical or online time of worship.A variety of things can be included in these words of welcome, including:

• Welcome to members and guests worshiping in the sanctuary and/or online
• Specific information about the worship service or materials for the worship service
• Any instructions on logistics for during or after the service

Words of welcome are part of the opening sequence in a worship service. The pieces of this opening sequence can include:

• Opening Prayer
• Words of Welcome
• Call to Worship
• God's Greeting

How do I write an opening prayer?

As part of the opening sequence of a worship service, (see also Call to Worship, God's Greeting, Passing of the Peace, and Words of Welcome), the opening prayer can be a part of the corporate worship service, part of the preparation of the leadership team, and/or a private prayer by a worshiper in the congregation.

These prayers can take on many forms, sometimes all in one prayer:

• Prayer of adoration
• Prayer of invocation
• Prayers for God's leading
• Prayers for a calming of the heart
• Prayers for God to use participants' gifts for his glory
• Prayers of centering

Sometimes these prayers are scripted, but often they are spontaneous.

Opening prayers in the Bible

• Psalm 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable"
• Psalm 43:3–5, "O send out your light and your truth"
• Psalm 51:15–17, "O Lord, open my lips"
• Psalm 90, "Lord, you have been our dwelling-place in all generations"
• Ephesians 3:16–21, may we be strengthened through the Spirit and may Christ dwell in your hearts
• Philippians 2:5–11, pray to be like Christ, who humbled himself in obedience

What is God's greeting?

God's greeting is part of the opening sequence in a worship service. The pieces of this opening sequence can include:

• Opening Prayer
• Words of Welcome
• Call to Worship
• God's Greeting

God's greeting, because it is God's words, frequently comes directly from the Bible. The pastor speaks the words of God over the congregation and the congregation receives them in the greeting. Some pastors raise their hands during the greeting and some congregational members bow their heads and/or open their hands as a gesture of receiving the word of greeting from God.

Where can I find God's greeting in the Bible?

• Isaiah 40:10–11, God will feed his flock like a shepherd
• Isaiah 41:9–10, God says, "Do not fear, for I am with you"
• Isaiah 42:6–8, "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness"
• Isaiah 43:1–3, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you"
• Isaiah 49:15–16, God will not forget us
• Isaiah 54:7–8, God says, "With everlasting love I will have compassion on you"
• Zephaniah 3:17, the Lord , your God, is in your midst
• 2 Corinthians 13:13, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
• Galatians 1:3–5, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"
• Philippians 1:2, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"
• 2 Timothy 1:2, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord"
• 2 Peter 1:2, "May grace and peace be yours in abundance"
• 2 John 3, grace, mercy, and peace will be with us
• Jude 1:1b –2, "May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance"
• Revelation 1:4b –5, "Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come"

What are the different types of prayer?

There are many different types of prayer that are appropraite for different circumstances and concerns.

• Prayer for opening or closing a worship service
• Prayer of praise or thanksgiving
• Prayer of confession
• Prayer for illumination
• Prayer of intercession
• Prayers of the People
• The Lord's Prayer
• Offering prayers
• Baptismal prayers
• Prayers for celebrating the Lord's Supper

How do I write a prayer for worship?

In corporate worship, prayer too is corporate. Consider ways to invite the congregation to participate actively in the prayer:

• Use phrases like "we offer . . ." or "we join our hearts . . ." or "let us bring our concerns and thanksgivings"
• Use a corporate spoken response throughout the prayer, such as "Lord, hear our prayer"
• Use a sung refrain throughout the prayer

Who hears our prayers?

In the heavenly realms prayer is heard (or overheard) by more than one listener. For one thing, God is triune. Strong trinitarians may conclude that three listen, not just one. But then there's also the heavenly council, the ranks of angels and archangels. Perhaps they hear prayer. For all we know, so do the saints and martyrs. We surely don't know they don't. The point is that we likely pray into a whole cloud of witnesses.

Paul says that not only mere humans intercede. So what if a homeless Christian under a bridge prays to God? He doesn't have a prayer chain from his church to lobby God. The two other guys under the bridge are too out of it to intercede. But what if Christ, our mediator, intercedes for him? What if the Holy Spirit groans over him? What if angels and saints and martyrs light heaven up with their intercessions for him? "Lord—and anybody else who may be listening—hear my prayer."

Prayer calls for reverence before a holy God. Christians are aware that it is God to whom they pray. God is high—in fact, most high. God dwells in realms of glory. God is terrifying in purity, and the sworn foe of all evil. The Bible tells us that God's holiness in the temple was sometimes so intense that the priests had to back up. God was too hot for them that day. Once upon a time people loved God, but they also feared God because God is not domestic, not predictable, not safe at all.

Finally, prayer is opportunity for fellowship with a loving God. We have a God who listens, who loves, who yearns for the best in us. We may pour ourselves out to God, knowing that at the end we will get ourselves back—stronger, cleaner, and more deeply loved than ever.

How do I write a prayer for students and teachers going back to school?

Corporate prayer may provide a good opportunity to acknowledge community events and seasons in worship. For instance, you could offer aprayerof intercession or commission for students and teachers going back to school, as in these examples from our search results:

• "Hear the word of the Lord. I knew you before I gave you life. I chose you before you were born. I send you now to school. Be my people there. Share my love with everyone you meet there. Stand up for my ways in classrooms, in locker rooms, on playgrounds, in lunchrooms, and on the bus." (from Jeremiah 1:4-10) Carolyn C. Brown from Worshiping with Children
• "O Lord, you who have called and equipped the teachers in our community, we pray for them today. Watch over them, provide for them, guide them, sustain them. May you be their sun and shield, so that they might do the work that you have entrusted to them. Amen." W. David O. Taylor

• More worship ideas for "back to school" from Zeteosearch.org

Where is prayer in the Bible?

• 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, . . ."
• Psalm 145:18, the Lord is near to all who call on him
• Jeremiah 29:12, "When you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you"
• Matthew 5:44, pray for those who persecute you
• Matthew 6:9–13, the Lord's Prayer
• Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it will be given to you"
• Matthew 7:11, your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask him
• Matthew 26:39, Jesus prays in the garden
• Mark 11:24, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it
• Luke 23:34, Jesus prays, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing"
• Romans 8:26, we do not know how to pray as we ought
• Romans 8:34, Jesus intercedes for us
• Romans 12:12, rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer
• Ephesians 6:18, pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication
• Philippians 4:6, do not worry about anything
• Colossians 3:15–17, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, rejoice always; pray without ceasing
• 1 Timothy 2:1–4, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone
• James 5:13, "Are any among you suffering? They should pray."
• James 5:16, prayer is powerful and effective
• 1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, God will forgive
• 1 John 5:14–15, God hears us