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.
Resources by Diane Dykgraaf
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.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!God, you are Giver of sunshine and rain. Praise the Lord!God, you are Healer of all of our pain. Hallelujah!God, you’re Provider and come to our aid. Praise the Lord!God, you are Lover of all you have made. Hallelujah!Praise God, all creatures here below!Let the big moose and the loud lions say: Praise the Lord!Let minnows with small mice sing out today: Hallelujah!Let infants and old ones loudly proclaim: Praise the Lord!Let all of us sing, rejoice and exclaim: Hallelujah! Praise God above, ye heavenly host!Planets and galaxies, comets and stars, Praise the Lord!The bright sun, the sunset, the moon afar, Hallelujah!The universe and the vast outer space, Praise the Lord!With angels and saints they sing of your grace. Hallelujah!Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!Praise Father for giving his perfect Son. Praise the Lord!Praise Jesus the Christ, our victorious one. Hallelujah!Praise Spirit, who dwells in all who believe. Praise the Lord!Praise triune God who is one and yet three. Hallelujah! Amen.For all that is given that we receive: Praise the Lord!For all that is promised, all we believe: Hallelujah! For all of God’s creatures fashioned with love: Praise the Lord! We shout from below and shout from above: Hallelujah! All Voices: Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Amen!—Diane Dykgraaf, alt. Joyce Borger, © 2025 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike. Used by permission.Ideas for Leading “A Chorus of Praise”This doxology is adapted from the traditional hymn text “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.” Ken, LUYH 965, GtG 606, SSS 696 The italicized lines from the original hymn text could be sung by choir a cappella using the OLD HUNDREDTH tune; the choir could hum the last chord of the phrase with staggered breathing while the readers read the words in plain text and the congregation responds antiphonally with the bolded words of acclamation. At the very end, the congregation, choir, and readers could proclaim together the final “Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Amen!”An alternative for involving children or English language learners is to have them speak either the song text (italic) or the refrains (bold), both of which are easily memorized. The other parts could be assigned to readers or to the congregation.
