Transformed for evangelism

Prayers

God, who has created us in delight,
Help us to share your joy with others.
God, who travels with us,
Help us to share our journeys of faith.
God, who calls us by name,
Help us to acknowledge your presence in our lives.
God, who welcomes us,
Help us to invite others into your love.  Amen.

Living God,
We praise you
because you have made such a difference to our lives.
We praise you for the joy of knowing we are your people.
We thank you for the love which supports and guides us.
We trust your promise for strength in the challenges which confront us.
Living God,
May we who have known you in our lives
share our stories with others,
so that they may know
your joy, love and hope in their own journeys.
Amen.

Hymn

(Tune: R&S  474)

God, who shares my journey with me,
Draws me pictures in the sand,
Tells me stories, sets me dancing,
Take my spirit in your hand.

Shake me out of dull religion,
Leaving forms and fears behind.
Give me trust to travel freely,
Spirit-searching, unconfined.

When I walk the way in sadness,
When I struggle on through loss,
Keep me searching, hoping, seeing
Life as you do, through the cross.

When my path is bathed in sunshine,
Colours glowing wild and bright,
Weave the threads of joy around me,
In a web of pure delight.

God, I’ll share your journey with you,
Draw you pictures in the sand,
Tell you stories, dancing with you,
Grasping you with heart and hand.

Ideas for hymns and songs

Rejoice and Sing
572 Colours of day
574  Go forth and tell! O Church of God awake
576  God’s spirit is in my heart
558  Will you come and follow me
90  O Lord all the world belongs to you
Common Ground
8 As a fire is meant for burning
50 Here I am, Lord
Songs of Fellowship
921 Men of faith (Shout to the north)
700 Did you feel the mountains tremble?
1790 God in my living
Songs of Fellowship (Youth)
2046 The greatest day in History
1757 Everyone needs compassion
History maker (Delirious/Matt Redman)
2068 Now is the time
1794 God of justice
God in Heaven (Delirious)

Ideas for worship

Listen to the song Footprints in the sand (based on the poem Footprints) sung by Leona Lewis on her album Spirit, and reflect on it in relation to your own journey with God.
Invite everyone in the group to take a piece of ribbon and use it to think about their connection with someone in your daily life.  Suggest they pray for this person, and ask God for help in sharing part of their faith stories with him or her.