Diane Dykgraaf

This prayer of lament for a broken church can be used on World Communion Sunday to acknowledge the disunity even amidst our unity or on other occasions when this prayer is particularly appropriate.  God of grace and glory, build your church.Spirit of wisdom and understanding, calm our chaos.King of peace, grant us your peace.  We lament the disunity in the church today.We lament the distractionfrom the church’s witness. We lament the suffering of those most affected by disagreements.We lament the  brokenness of our church community. Forgive us, Lord, for judging each other.Forgive us for leaning on easy answers.Forgive us for our pride and taking sides.Forgive us for our lack of grace and mercy. We grieve for those who have left the church.We grieve broken friendships and family relationships.We grieve for all who have lost their way in the chaos.We grieve for those who have no hope. God of the Church, hear our cries for reconciliation.Show us your image in the other. Make us burden-lifters for those with heavy hearts.Make your church an oasis in a sea of chaos.  Open our ears to hear your voice through the words of others.Open our eyes to see you in the faces and actions of those around us. Open our hands to serve all who have needs.Move our feet to step toward each other, not away. Shine your light into our confusion.Bring reconciling peace to all. Bring healing to our hearts and the hearts of others. Bring the good news of the gospel to the world.  We pray for each other, even those we disagree with.Remind us that we are your children—we are family, not enemies.Show us your great love and unite us in humility and grace.May our witness be strong so that by our lovethe world will know that You are God.  God of grace and glory, build your church.Spirit of wisdom and understanding, calm our chaos.King of peace, grant us your peace.Amen. —Diane Dykraaf © 2026 ReformedWorship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Lord, Send us to love those we meet on our way. Send us to encourage the lonely and weary. Send us to meet the needs of the hungry, the poor, the weak. Send us to be your life and love to everyone we meet. Lord, send us. Amen.

In preparation for the reading of scripture and the sermon, consider offering this prayer of illumination, asking God to speak. It is offered two different ways: for a single voice or as a responsorial prayer.

As we listen to the news from our communities and around the world, we can find ourselves overwhelmed by all that is wrong with it. This prayer of petition and lament brings some of those circumstances to God.

These resources include a general prayer, a prayer for those dying, a blessing, and a version of Psalm 23 for kids.

If God is for us: we are forgiven, clean, made holy we have life in Jesus we walk in freedom and light we face the future with hope. If God is for us: we can hold our head high we can bring order to the chaos…

A prayer of confession in which we acknowledge our brokenness and need of God. Loving God, you hold all things in your hands…

Creating God,  you gather us in this place to worship you...

A Doxology for GatheringGod of all welcome, we come with our praise. God who invites us, we enter with praise. God of inclusion, we belong so we praise. God whom we worship, we lift up our praise! —Diane Dykgraaf, © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission. A Doxology in Response to Words of PardonForgiving God, we thank you. Hallelujah!Pardoning God, we rejoice in you. Hallelujah! Rescuing God, we need you. Hallelujah!Freeing God, we walk with you. Hallelujah!—Diane Dykgraaf, © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission. A Doxology after the Giving of GiftsAll praise to you, our giving God!                            We give our wealth to you.All praise to you, our providing God!                      We offer our love to you.All praise to you, our living God!                             We live our life for you.All praise to you, our generous God                       We give and grow in you. —Diane Dykgraaf, © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission. Trinitarian Doxology of SendingThe Father goes before you and behind you.         Praise the Lord!The Son walks beside you and surrounds you.      Hallelujah!The Spirit lives within you.                                       Praise the Lord!Go with God.                                                             Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!—Diane Dykgraaf, © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission. 

Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!All insects and birds,cute puppies and cats,the fish in the sea,and yes, even me: Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!All planets and stars,grass, trees, flowers, too,the rivers and streams,and yes, even me: Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!For toys and fun times,the place we call home,the food that we eat,and yes, even me: Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!Come, all who have breath,those near and those far, our old friends and new,and yes, even you! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!—Diane Dykgraaf, alt. Joyce Borger © 2025 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike. Used by permission. Suggestions for Including Motions and Sign LanguageMotions and sign language offer excellent opportunities to use our bodies along with our voices in worship. Encourage the following movements during this litany of praise:Hallelujah! Clap hands once in front of you, then make two circles upward with each hand.Praise the Lord! Clap hands twice as you move your hands upward in front of you. Then form an L with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand and move it from your left shoulder to your right waist. Praise the Lord! Another option is to clap the hands twice in an upward motion and then reach both hands up to heaven in praise. I prefer this option because it opens our bodies to a posture of praise and worship to God and leaves our bodies in an expression of surrender, love, and adoration. If you are using this type of praise and response with children in your worship center or classroom, encourage the children to write their own verses. Ask what they would like to praise God for today, and use their responses to praise God. Some children may like to create a picture or art piece of the praise they would like to express.