Thank you for welcoming Dave and me into your family this past Sunday as we officially declared Oakmont our home church.  As I write my final Worship Moment for this initial phase of welcome, I want to encourage something that I believe can revolutionize our worship experience together.  This past Sunday, our Call to Worship was a prayer of preparation.  Pastor Eric also mentioned a pre-worship prayer of preparation in his sermon.  What would happen if we all prayed a prayer of preparation on our way to church every Sunday?  Would our worship be more engaged?  Would we find ourselves more attentive and responsive?  Would we be more alert to the needs of others?  Should we try it and find out?  . . . Here is a sample prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, direct my being toward you on this day of worship.  Quiet my heart of all distractions, fill my heart with your Holy Spirit so I can praise you fully, open my heart to receive and respond to your Word, and saturate my heart with the love of Christ toward my brothers and sisters who need me.  Show me how I can serve them well.  In Jesus' name, amen.