37B*
A Call to Worship
Ascension Day Year B 2012
Psalms 47 and 93

Come all God’s people! Let us gather to praise our Mighty God!
With joy we celebrate and give thanks for God’s faithfulness.

Come all God’s people! Let us gather to sing to our Glorious God!
With joy, and with all creation, we celebrate the powers of our King.

Come all God’s people! Let us gather to worship and honour God!
With joy we celebrate the wonderful deeds of our God and King,
and in reverent awe, we bow in worship and praise of our God. Amen.

---

Prayers of Praise and Trust
Ascension Day Year B 2012
Psalms 47 and 93

This day we gather together in worship and praise, to give thanks
for the wonders of our God, and to respond to our God in ways
that show our real appreciation; through our singing; our prayers
and thoughts; our concerns for others; and for the challenges of the
in the world waiting around us as we give witness to our Holy God.

Trustworthy God, in reverent awe we come together to praise and
thank you for the way you rule all creation; yet yours is a rule of
love and not of domination over our weak humanity, and the fragile
vulnerability of all creation. Throughout the countless numbers of
people who have lived and died, and the endless generations of
people who have inhabited this earth, the holy rule of our God has
always been a rule of love and commitment towards all humanity.

The sovereign grace of our God towards creation has always been
that of a generous and patient Lover, whose only desire is that our
Great Creator is honoured, worshipped and given the praise that
is due. The renewing and sustaining power of our God is seen every
day in creation, and through the stories of lives lived in obedient
trust to our Royal and Holy God. The fulfilment of all God’s plans
have now been accomplished, and our God and King reigns supreme.
For this blessing we praise and give thanks to our Triumphant God. Amen.

---

A Personal Meditation
Ascension Day Year B 2012
Psalms 47 and 93

I love the imagery of these Psalms that depict God in royal robes
of majesty, strength and power; and yet superimposed over these
images of authority and majesty, are the garments of grace and
endless love for all creation, including all humanity. The reign of
God over all God’s subjects is one of benevolence and goodwill,
of compassion and care for all the people and creations of this world.



The royal throne of our Holy God and King has as its foundations love,
mercy, forgiveness, compassion and righteousness, and God’s reign is
timeless and unchanging! As I consider my reactions to the wonders of
these images, I marvel that God is concerned and committed to every
individual member of the human race - even me – committed to our best
interests and the welfare of our eternal souls and our spiritual health.



As a loyal subject of my Glorious God, I join with countless multitudes
of people; all descriptions of creatures; the variety of geological formations;
and every aspect of the environment, that have sought to honour and
worship our Creating God. What an image that suggests of continuous
worship and praise to our God by all creation in all its wide diversity!

---

Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and Meditations are from
‘The New Revised Standard Version’ Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

*The additional weekly numbering is from the Revised COCU Indexing Scheme
COCU = ('Consultation on Church Union'); as it offers an easy sequential numbering
for the Revised Common Lectionary for the Church Calendar.

If any part of these Prayers and/or Meditations is used in shared worship, please provide
the following acknowledgement:
© 2012 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year B. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: ascensiondayb_2012.pdf

© 2012 Joan Stott - " The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year B