Monday, July 28, 2008

Daily Prayers for the
11th Week of Pentecost


We read the watchword for the week together: God, turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your custom toward those who love your name.
Psalm 119:132

Gracious God, we adore your saving name.
We give thanks that grace is at the center of your way.
This day is your gift to us.
May we use it to make your grace present in our part of the world.



Psalm 119:129-136

129 Your decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 With open mouth I pant, because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your custom toward those who love your name.
133 Keep my steps steady according to your promise, and never let iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from human oppression, that I may keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears because your law is not kept.



Loving God, knowing that your custom towards us is grace, we confess our sins to you:

We confess that we have failed to perceive your glory as it is revealed in creation. We have taken the gifts of this world for granted and have not stopped to marvel at what you have provided for us. Forgive us for rushing through life with reckless abandon. Forgive us for trampling upon other persons, places, and things, and for not understanding how dependent we are upon one another and the earth itself.

Help us, Creator God, to share the resources of this world as good and faithful stewards. Show us how to tend the land, water, and air and to prevent their pollution and destruction. Teach us the discipline of conserving and of replacing what we have used. Deliver us from exploitation. Keep us from idolizing money and material possessions. And make us compassionate in our concern for the needs of others. Amen.
(From the Moravian Book of Worship, Liturgy for Thanksgiving, page 163)

The Lord your Redeemer says: Now your guilt is gone and your sins are forgiven. Let us give praise to God.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


Reading of the Daily Texts (Take your time and read the Daily Texts slowly. Don't rush...read them several times. Take some time to simply reflect on what God is saying to you today.)

Prayers of the Community of Faith: If you are sharing this prayer in a community, share a time of intersession here. If you are praying in solitude, lift up to God those things that are bringing concern to your spirit, as well as those things that are bringing you joy.)

O Lord, hear us now as we, brothers and sisters in Christ, pray together.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.



We as children of God seek to follow in the ways of God.
We acknowledge that God’s way is grace.
We confess that we often find it hard to extend grace to all people in our lives.
Loving God, we ask that your Holy Spirit guide the words of our mouths and actions of our lives so that they might be more closely aligned with your love and grace.
Our world needs God’s presence, and God asks, “Whom shall I send? Who will be my messenger?
And like Isaiah, we respond: “I will go. Send Me.”
Go in peace, and serve the Lord. Amen.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Prayers for the
10th Week of Pentecost


We read the watchword for the week together:
Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Isaiah 44:6

This is the day that the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
We offer thanks to God for creating us, redeeming us, and sustaining us in our daily lives.
We offer thanks to God for being our beginning, our destination, and an ever present companion on the path that we travel.


Psalm 86:11-17
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 O God, the insolent rise up against me; a band of ruffians seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant; save the child of your serving girl.
17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Knowing that God is ready to hear us, let us confess our sins:

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned in many ways, times, and places. We have too often forgotten your place in our lives. We have allowed the clamoring distractions of our world to claim our hearts, our lives, and our money. We spend far too much time wrapped up with things that promise us only short-term entertainment, rather than a life-time of meaning. We often labor so that we might be able to buy more rather than serve you. We confess that we find it hard to live simply so that we can simply focus on you who should be the first and last priority in our lives. Empower us to toss out the many gods that call for our time, money, and attention.


Hear and know that the Lord is good. God forgives those who are contrite in heart. Live in peace for God’s steadfast love endures forever. Give praise to God!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


Reading of the Daily Texts

Read today's Daily Text here(If you are sharing this prayer in a group, this is a time to continue in intercessory prayer. If you are praying this in solitude, lift up to God those things that are on your heart or take time to contemplate the Daily Text readings for today by pondering what part of your life the texts are speaking to. You might want to journal some of the thoughts that come to you during this time. When you are ready you can proceed with the prayers that follow.)
Let us confess our faith in the One who truly loves us:

I believe in the one true God, the Father of humanity,
who creates and sustains the universe in wisdom and power,
who calls us into being and into relationship with God by grace, whose nature is love.

I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
who lived that we might see God,
who died that we might be reconciled to God,
who rose that we might experience the life of God,
who freely accepts and welcomes all who come to him, not on the basis of their merit, but on the basis of his unconditional love.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
who is God present with us now,
who shows us our need for God,
who assures us of God’s love in all circumstances
who lives the life and love of Jesus Christ through us.

In this faith I will seek to live in harmony with God, with people everywhere, and with all of creation. Amen.

(From the Moravian Book of Worship, the Liturgy for Creation, page 29. Used by permission from the Moravian Interprovincial Board of Communication.)

On this day may we seek to lay aside those things which keep us from seeing God present with us in our lives.

Through the hours of this day and night may we, O God, fix our eyes only on you.

Keep us from being distracted by the pervasive selfishness of our culture.

Help us to use the hours of this day and the gifts with which you have blessed us to serve others in your name.

Give us hearts of compassion and reconciliation by which we can bring others to know of your love.

May the words that we speak, the thoughts of our hearts, and the actions of our lives be pleasing to you, O Lord.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen.

You may freely use these prayers publicly as you feel led, I only ask that you acknowledge me as the author, let me know that you are using them, and that you use them as they are. I don't want to take either the credit or the blame for any adaptation that you might make. I do hope that you find the prayers helpful to your fellowship with God. Thanks!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Mid-Day Prayers for the
9th Week of Pentecost


We read the watchword for the week together: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

How wonderful it is to give praise to God.
How blessed it is to give thanks to the one who created this world and given us our place in it.
Hear and know that the Lord is good.
God’s mercy passes from one generation to the next and we are thankful for its presence with us now.


Psalm 65:1-13

1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed,
2 O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come.
3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions.
4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
6 By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might.
7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.
8 Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.
9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.



Knowing that God is ready to hear us let us confess our sins:

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned in many ways, times, and places. We have mishandled this good earth entrusted to our care, and we have misused our personal gifts, hurting both ourselves and others. Forgive our false pride which hides our negligence, and forgive our careless acts which destroy your handiwork. In your mercy correct our faults and restore us to responsible, compassionate living.
(from the Moravian Book of Worship, Liturgy for Stewardship, page 155. Used by permission of the Interprovincial Board of Communication.)


Hear and know that the Lord is good. God forgives those who are contrite in heart. Live in peace, for God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


Read today's Daily Text here(If you are sharing this prayer in a group, this is a time to continue in intercessory prayer. If you are praying this in solitude, lift up to God those things that are on your heart or take time to contemplate the Daily Text readings for today by pondering what part of your life the texts are speaking to. You might want to journal some of the thoughts that come to you during this time. When you are ready you can proceed with the prayers that follow.)

O Lord, hear us now as we, brothers and sisters in Christ, pray together.

Our father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses as we have forgiven those who trespass against us.Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.



Through the hours of this day and night may we, O God, fix our eyes only on you.

Keep us from being distracted by the pervasive selfishness of our culture.

Since we have been set free from condemnation by our loving savior, let us also live a life free of the condemnation of others.

Instead, loving God, give us hearts of compassion and reconciliation by which we can bring others to know of your love.

May the words that we speak, the thoughts of our hearts, and the actions of our lives be pleasing to you, O Lord.

May we serve this day in the name of the one who has created us, redeemed us, and sustained us. AMEN.

You may freely use these prayers publicly as you feel led, I only ask that you acknowledge me as the author, let me know that you are using them, and that you use them as they are. I don't want to take either the credit or the blame for any adaptation that you might make. I do hope that you find the prayers helpful to your fellowship with God. Thanks!


Monday, July 7, 2008

Prayers for the
Eighth Week of Pentecost
In Commemoration of John Hus
Born July 6, 1369 and Martyred on July 6, 1415*

We read the watchword for the week together: The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Psalm 145:8
Gracious God, we seek only to give you praise
to lift our hearts to you so that we may learn of your never-ending love.
We are a distracted people.
Too often we follow the whims of our fantasies and the ways of our culture.
Call us back to you
so that we may know you more clearly and walk in the light of your path.

Psalm 145:8-14

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.

Let us confess our Sins:

God of all people, we know your love to be steadfast, gracious, and merciful. We know you to be one who is slow to anger, whose compassion is given to all of humanity, and one who is faithful in all your words and deeds. As we look at our lives and the failed attempts to be anything like you are, we confess that sometimes we want to give up. You are too wonderful for us and we don’t deserve your graciousness. We thank you that your love for each of us is based not on our ability to perfectly reflect your ways but rather on your steadfast love. Hear our confession, know our hearts, and bring us home to you.

Hear the gracious words of our Savior, “I do not condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” Give praise to God!


Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


Read today's Daily Text here(If you are sharing this prayer in a group, this is a time to continue in intercessory prayer. If you are praying this in solitude, lift up to God those things that are on your heart or take time to contemplate the Daily Text readings for today by pondering what part of your life the texts are speaking to. You might want to journal some of the thoughts that come to you during this time. When you are ready you can proceed with the prayers that follow.)

We pray as Jesus taught his disciples to pray:

Our Father in heaven, praise be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

This week we give thankful remembrance for a servant of Christ whose dedication to serving the Church was also steadfast.
We give thanks for the life, ministry, and sacrifice of John Hus.
We marvel at the tenacity of his faith and his willingness to remain steadfast in his convictions even to the point of death.
We are humbled by his compassion for the common people he served in the city of Prague and the Bethlehem Chapel.
He wanted those souls to be nourished by a living relationship with the Savior rather than the formality of church ritual.
To do this we are thankful that he brought the Word of God to the people in a language that they could understand, and by fully including them at the Lord’s table.
Empowering God, fill us with the zeal of John Hus to see the lives of those in our world transformed by a living relationship with you.
May we be part of the Church that brings people the good news of Jesus Christ in a manner that they can understand, and by fully welcoming all who come to the table.
May the words that we speak, the thoughts of our hearts, and the actions of our lives be pleasing to you, O Lord. May we serve this day in the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the one who Sustains us. AMEN.


*John Hus was a Roman Catholic priest who sought to reform the Church that he served. Most notably he wanted to read and proclaim the word of God in the Czech language that his parishioners could understand and respond to. He wanted to include all people in partaking both the bread and the cup during the celebration of Holy Communion. It was common in those days that the common people were only given the bread. He also wanted to end the practice of people needing to pay money to the Church for the forgiveness of sins. For his attempts at reformation his was condemned to death by the Church at the Council of Constance on July 6, 1415. It was his followers that later formed the Moravian Church in 1457. For more information about John Hus and the history of the Moravian Church please go to http://www.moravian.org/history/ .

You may freely use these prayers publicly as you feel led, I only ask that you acknowledge me as the author, let me know that you are using them, and that you use them as they are. I don't want to take either the credit or the blame for any adaptation that you might make. I do hope that you find the prayers helpful to your fellowship with God. Thanks!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Prayers for the
Seventh Week of Pentecost

We read the watchword for the week together: Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance. Psalm 89:15

Unto you, O God, we lift our praise.

Your ways are marvelous, and we seek to walk in your path.

This day gives us the chance to honor you,

To share with others your never ending love.

Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18


1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
3 You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David:
4 "I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.' "
15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance;

16 they exult in your name all day long, and extol your righteousness.
17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.


Let us confess our Sins:

We, in our human frailty, have a hard time understanding your steadfast love O God. We confess that too often our love comes with strings attached, and is based on what can be gained from sharing it. We, in our human frailty, have a hard time understanding how you can honor your covenants forever. We confess that too often we break the promises we have made to you, and to those that we love. Gracious God, forgive our lack of understanding, forgive our shortsightedness, and forgive our unfaithfulness. Guide us to walk in your ways, to sing your praise, and to share your love freely.
(Pause for silent reflection on the confession of sin. Ponder the words that seem to catch you as you pray today. When you are ready you may continue with the prayer.)

We give thanks that God’s love for each of us is not based on our faithfulness but rather on God’s steadfast love. Know that your sins are forgiven, go therefore and walk in the light of the Lord, and give praise:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


Read today's Daily Text here

(If you are sharing this prayer in a group, this is a time to continue in intercessory prayer. If you are praying this in solitude, lift up to God those things that are on your heart or take time to contemplate the Daily Text readings for today by pondering what part of your life the texts are speaking to. You might want to journal some of the thoughts that come to you during this time. When you are ready you can proceed with the prayers that follows.)

O Lord, hear us now as we brothers and sisters in Christ pray together.

Creator of all humanity, we call you Holy, and seek to worship you all the days of our lives. We pray that the ways of your heavenly kingdom may be made real in the world that surrounds us. May the bread that we need for today be made available for us and all who are hungry; and may you forgive us, just as we are able to forgive those who have sinned against us. In the time of moral testing, may we listen first for your voice calling to us, instead of the call of the world; take from us the self-centeredness of our society. This world, and all that is in it, always has been and always will be yours, help us to lose ourselves to you and your kingdom. Help us to find who we truly are as we walk in your light. Amen.

Romans 6:12-14, 17-18, 23b (TEV)

12Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self.
13 Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.
14 Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace.
17 But thanks be to God! For though at one time you were slaves to sin,
you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received.
18 You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness.
23 God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Keep us mindful of your steadfast love for us, O God, and ways in which we can make that love come alive in the hearts of those that we love, serve, and come in contact with this very day. AMEN.
You may freely use these prayers publicly as you feel led, I only ask that you acknowledge me as the author, let me know that you are using them, and that you use them as they are. I don't want to take either the credit or the blame for any adaptation that you might make. I do hope that you find the prayers helpful to your fellowship with God. Thanks!