Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Prayers for the 4th Week After Pentecost

The watchword for the week: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:22

O come let us worship and lift our hearts high
and adore our God, our Creator.
For you indeed are God,
and we are your people,
crafted by the skill of your hands.

Psalm 30

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved."
7 By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
8 To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication:
9 "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!"
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Let us Confess our Sins:

Gracious God, we are thankful that your love is steadfast towards us. Your love is unwavering, unconditional, and given freely and abundantly. We acknowledge that our love for you has wavered and become lukewarm. We confess that at times we have been unfaithful servants seeking after worldly acceptance, self gratification, and material gain. We often deceive ourselves into thinking that we can live without you, and act in ways which prove that we think your eyes are turned and your ears are closed to us. Lead us into lives worthy of our calling in Christ, with humility and patience, bearing one another in love, and eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We pray for this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thanks be to God, who has loved us from the beginning, and who promises that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and will purify us from all unrighteousness.
Our Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from the earth. In that day we will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. Let us rejoice in his salvation.”

Take time now to read today's Daily Text, and then pray for the needs of those close to you, and the needs of those around the world. When you are finished continue as follows:


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 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 for ever. Amen.


You send us to bring good news to the oppressed,
and to bind the wounds of those broken in heart,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of prisons to those who are bound,
to announce the year of your grace,
to comfort all who mourn,
to give them a garland of consolation,
instead of the ashes of mourning,
the oil of gladness and healing,
and the rolling tears that wash away sorrow.
So may we be called oaks of righteousness,
trees that you plant to shade and sustain.
As the earth puts forth its blossom,
and as seeds in the garden spring up,
so you make justice flower,
and bear its fruit of peace among the peoples.


Lord of the dance, in whom we live and move and exult for joy, guide our steps through the complexity of our lives.
Keep us mindful of your steadfast love for us, 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.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Prayers for the 4th Week in Pentecost

The watchword for the week: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Let the whole earth be joyful in you, O God,
We greet you with gladness,
and celebrate your presence with a song.
For we know that you are creating us,
you are alive in us and we belong to you.
We enter your gates, a motley procession,
But we enter with heartfelt thanksgiving and joy.
For you are gracious and your embrace is compassionate,
faithful through all generations.


Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32
1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress;
29 he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.


Let us Confess our Sins:
O God, we thank you for sending the gift of your steadfast love to us each day even though we do not always claim it. Move us, by your Spirit, to accept your love, and share it freely with those who need it. Forgive us when:
· We are slow to seek reconciliation with others,
· When we cling to the feeling of having been wronged,
· When we fail to work for the redemption of people whom we do not like,
· When we fail to extend to others the same compassion you freely give to us.
Break in on our selfishness, and astonish us anew, O God! Our prayer is that you will claim us again and strengthen us to respond to the needs of those who are hurting. Amen.


We are enabled to be kind to one another, to be tenderhearted, to forgive one another, and to be forgiven, because Jesus feeds us with his life. A life given to save us from sin. Hear, then, the good news: those who are in Christ are a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come. Thanks be 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 time now to pray for your needs, the needs within your congregation, your community, and the world. When you are finished with your prayer, proceed as follows:

Let us now pray together:

Creator of us all, we praise your name because you have lovingly made each one of us. May your intended purpose be made real here on earth, even as it is already done in heaven. Feed us today with those things that we truly need, and may we share our abundance with others. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have done wrong to us. In times of temptation, may we know of your live giving strength, and keep us from all evil. Gracious God, this is your kingdom, and we acknowledge your power and glory, both now and forever more. AMEN.


Jesus makes my heart rejoice,
I’m his sheep and know his voice,
He’s a shepherd kind and gracious,
And his pastures are delicious,
Constant love to me he shows,
Yea my very name he knows.
(Hymn 662 v.1)

And now may the love of God, the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Be with us now and forever. Amen.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Prayers in Celebration of the Trinity

The watchword for the Week: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:3

Let the whole earth be joyful in you, O God,
We greet you with gladness,
and celebrate your presence with us,
For we know that you are creating us,
you are alive in us and we belong to you.
You are weaving us into a marvelous tapestry,
a people of diverse threads and colors.
We enter your gates, a motley procession,
with heartfelt thanksgiving and joy.
We dance with delight and bless one another,
in the Spirit of your love, intimate and just.
For you are gracious and your embrace is compassionate,
faithful through all generations.

Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!


Let us Confess our Sins:

Gracious God, your majesty is seen throughout the world.
But often we are too busy to notice.
Gracious God, your beauty is seen in the vast diversity of races, and clans, and tribes,
But often we allow differences of color, culture, and class, to divide us rather than give us a better picture of your creative power.
Gracious God, you call us to share your glory with all people.
But often we become too concerned with our own needs and wants, and forget the pain of others. Forgive us creator God, redeem us loving Savior, renew us empowering Spirit.
(Silent Reflection)
We are enabled to be kind to one another, to be tenderhearted, to forgive one another, and to be forgiven, because Jesus feeds us with his life. A life given to save us from sin. Hear, then, the good news: those who are in Christ are a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come. Thanks be to God! Amen!

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.

Take time now to read the Daily Texts, reflect on them, and then after reading the prayer for the day, continue to pray for your needs, the needs of your congregation, friends, and family, and then for the needs of the world. After that, continue as follows:

Let us pray together:

Creator of us all, we praise your name because you have lovingly made each one of us. May your intended purpose be made real here on earth, even as it is already done in heaven. Feed us today with those things that we truly need, and may we share our abundance with others. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have done wrong to us. In times of temptation, may we know of your life giving strength, and keep us from all evil. Gracious God, this is your kingdom, and we acknowledge your power and glory, both now and forever more. AMEN.


Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God almighty.
We offer ourselves to you again this day.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God almighty,
Create in us a clean heart.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God almighty,
Bring us back to you and to your will.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God almighty,
Empower us for ministry in all that we do and say.


And now may the love of God, the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Be with us now and forever. Amen.