Prayer for Sunday, Christmas 1A

Lord, We just finished with Christmas day and now we come to the Sunday after. But we also are about to step into the New Year. Wow it seems like life is moving so fast. We thank you for the birth of your son, the promise of new life he brought for us all. Maybe we didn’t get all the gifts or exactly the gifts we wanted, but we got the best gift of all; your son, your love, your mercy and your grace. Lord as we enter this New Year we pray we take those gifts with us. We are aware as we read the whole Christmas story that all was not easy for the Holy family, just as we face many hardships so did they. There are still many homeless in this world, just as Jesus did not have a home to be born into. Many have become refugees looking for safety, security and food, just as the Holy family became refugees from Herod and danger so long ago. There are countries where tyrants still rule killing their own people, just as it was during the time the Holy family lived under the rule of the Romans. Many today are also crying for their children and refuse to be consoled, because they are no more. It was not a safe world that Jesus came into long ago, and so we pray that Jesus would come once again for those who live difficult lives in hard times. And now Lord as we step into the New Year we recall your gracious deeds and pray that you continue to be merciful to us. We remember your compassion toward us and ask that you keep showing us your care and consideration. We remember your extravagant love for all and pray that you go on lavishly loving us. We never let go of your claiming us as your children and pray that you never let go of us, your children. Amen

Prayer for Advent 2

God of Peace, On this weekend we lost a man who brought peace and healing to a land torn with anger, hatred and killing. We grieve Mandela’s death. We pray that we keep working for peace and healing in our homes, our cities, our countries and our worlds. We pray for the peace your son, the very Prince of Peace brings. We pray for the people in places like the Mideast, Central Africa Republic, Thailand, Afghanistan, Mexico, Peru, Syria, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Egypt, South Africa and Mexico where violence, civil war and unrest remain. We remember the date that drew our country into a terrible war so long ago and pray that we are not drawn into warring again. We pray for the healing and restoration for those who have been touched by disasters. We pray for healing for those affected by illnesses, tragedy or death. We pray for the day there is no more disease, no more tragedies, no more disasters, and no more death. We pray for the day where Your justice rules. We pray for the day of Your great reversal when The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion will feed together, and a little child will lead them. cross posted at revgalblogpals.org

Prayer for Advent 1A

Lord, The world waited anxiously for the Messiah to come so long ago, and he came in the form of a baby, your son Jesus. That baby changed the world and brought salvation to all. Lord, that seems so long ago and now the world awaits anxiously your son’s coming again. Lord, we don’t know when or where or what the signs around us might mean. And we know we are suppose to be ready, but sometimes we grow weary of waiting. We prepare ourselves for the fulfillment of your promise. We wait in hope for your coming. We pray for your peace in this world when You will settle things fairly between nations, and make things right between peoples. We pray for your peace when all will turn their weapons into something useful but not for war. We pray for your peace when no more will nation fight nation and there won’t be war anymore. We pray for the peace you bring within families. We pray for the peace you bring within ourselves. We pray for your peace to come for those who are ill, those who are grieving, Those who are struggling, those who are suffering, and those who have been devastated by disaster. Even so Lord Jesus, Come. Amen cross posted at revgalblogpals

Sunday Prayer

O God, have mercy on us, your children. We pray for our government to end this time of shutdown and stalemate. We pray for the workers who are being affected by this, the persons whose Loss of benefits will put them in jeopardy and the possible outcome of debt default. Lord, keep our eyes focused on you as our hope instead of cynicism. These days make it harder for us to believe, harder for us to put our trust in you. May we be encouragers of others who have become pessimistic and unsure. And Lord may we show gratitude for all you have done for us and will do.

Prayer for World Communion Sunday

God of all peoples everywhere, We celebrate that in you we are one We celebrate that in you we share in the one cup and one bread. We celebrate that in you our differences are beautiful. We celebrate our global community of faith. And yet we are aware that not everyone will have bite of bread to eat. We are aware that there are those who will not have a cup of fresh clean water to drink. We are aware that poverty has brought illnesses, homelessness, orphan hood and other desperate conditions to people’s lives. Wars, killings, and abuse still abound. Sex trafficking, slave trafficking, children trafficking is all around us. We as your body of Christ have the ability to address these issues. We have the resources. We have the heart. And we have the willingness. May we be the church that brings the changes to the world that people may know that you are the God of all peoples. Amen

Prayer for Proper 16C / Ordinary 21C / Pentecost +14

Lord as we come before you today in prayer and worship, We are ever mindful that we have been created by your Lord. You knew us even before we were born. Sometimes we forget that Lord and go about our days thinking of ourselves as just a lump of clay. But according to your word we are much more than a lump of clay. We are your children. We are the ones you have called to speak your word to all people. We are the ones you have called to open the doors for justice in our world. We are the ones you have called to feed the hungry. We are the ones you have called to pour your healing oil on aching and hurting persons. So Lord we pray for your forgiveness of all our sins. We pray for healing of our diseases.. We pray for the redemption of us all. We pray that you crown us with love and mercy. We pray you wrap us in your goodness. We pray you that you renew us. We pray that you make everything right in this world. We pray you put victims back on their feet. We pray for the healing of the brokenhearted. We pray for healing of our broken world. Amen cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Proper 15C / Ordinary 20C / Pentecost +13

God, of all song and dance, You sung your creation into being long ago You sung songs of love to those who would listen. You have kept singing your heart song. Lord today sing your song today to those of us listening to you as we prepare to lead worship and preach your word. Sing your song to those who come to worship, Sing your song to those in their hospital rooms, their homes and nursing homes. Sing your songs to those on the streets looking for work some food and shelter. May your creation hear your song and dance to the tune. May your people hear your song and dance joyously to you. May hearts sing along, May hearts who forgot the song, begin to remember the words and music. May the ones who ears have been deaf to you hear your song and come alive. May your song stir a newness of life in us all. Sing once a gain your song of love …. cross posted at revgalblogpals

prayer for Proper 14C / Ordinary 19C / Pentecost +12

Dear God, This is your little flock, Sometimes we are afraid Sometimes we are afraid, because we still feel like little children in this big world. Sometimes we are afraid because we listen to the media too much about just how bad and wrong things are in this world. We forget to listen to you and put our trust in you. We forget that we have put our heart with you and that our treasure is with you. Remind us, encourage us, empower us. We want to be your little flock in this world that is generous and gives to the poor. We want to stay ready as we await your return. We wait faithfully for you Lord. In the meantime may we hold up in faith those who are in the midst of suffering, crisis, death and dying. May we bring hope to those who feel their circumstances are hopeless. May we show grace and mercy to those who are in need. May we love those who feel unloved. Let it be said of us that we are your church, your little flock, your beloved. Amen

Prayer for P13C / O 18C / P +11

God, Help us as resurrected believers to keep our minds on you. Strengthen us to put away our old ways that keep us focusing on you. Enable us to see with your eyes. Empower us to act as you would act. Dress us in your custom made wardrobe for our lives. Remind us that you love everyone and that all are included in your world including us. (Add your own prayers of the people.) cross posted at revgalblogpals

A Move from God

God sent a move into my life. One I had not planned on. One that has humbled me, uprooted me, and changed me. I was appointed this year to serve in the Cheaha District as Pastor of Eulaton United Methodist Church in Anniston, AL.  I reacted like most people in the bible; I balked, I laughed, I cried, I pleaded, I whined and I complained. And God responded like the God of the bible with loving discipline, patience yet mercy.  I moved. And I decided to follow where God led me, after all I had committed myself to God long time ago and to the Itinerant System of the United Methodist Church. I prayed, prayed some more and I keep on praying.  God is not through with this old gal yet.

I have met some wonderful people here even as I said goodbye to the good people of Trinity in Huntsville.
God has opened some opportunities for ministry just as there were even in Huntsville.
God has provided wonderful fellowship even as there was in Huntsville.
God has provided a good home in a parsonage, although we are selling our house in Huntsville.
What is God up to?
So much more than I can even begin to imagine.

I haven't preached every Sunday in five years.
 I will now be preaching regularly every Sunday.
How do I do that?
I don't do it alone, God is there, the word is there, friends are there and the people are there.

I haven't been the sole Pastor in five years.
I am now.
What was God thinking?
I shared with one of the teams that I had to relearn how to do that and to please be patient with me.
They understood.

I am on and lead every committee.
Haven't done that in five years.
I forgot how to do some of the committees.
Its time to pull out the Discipline again and ask the teams to help me and to lead..

I am trusting God a whole lot to lead me, lead his people, speak to me, speak to his people, inspire me, inspire his people.

Stay tuned to where God is leading.

Prayer for Proper 8C / Ordinary 13C / Pentecost +6

Lord,

We thank you for our freedom that we celebrate today.

We thank you for our forefathers and foremothers
who worked to set us free.
We pray for those who are not yet free
 that they too may one day be at liberty.
We pray for those who have fought to obtain their freedom.

 

But let us not forget that we have an even greater freedom,

 that comes to us through your son Jesus.
Let us not turn to our selfish desires.
But rather let us live in the spirit, walk in the spirit
with lives that show the fruit of the spirit.
May we treat each other with the love, patience, g
goodness, gentleness, and kindness that comes from you.
May we be faithful to you.
May we master self -control.

 

May the spirit lead us in our days.

Lord sometimes our days are like whirlwinds full of activities,
 meetings, and business.
We don’t know whether we are coming or going,
And we need a double portion of Elijah’s and Elisha’s spirit to make it.
Slow us down, focus us, make us to rest in you.
May we find our peace and joy in you.
Thank you again for our freedom. Amen.

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Proper 7C / Ordinary 12C / Pentecost +5

Oh God our Rock and Strong Deliverer,


We often wonder where you are when we go through troubling times.

It often feels like you are not here that you are more far away from us.

We can’t see you, we can’t feel you and we can’t hear you.

Sometimes we think you will speak to us in a loud voice, and sometimes you do.

Sometimes we think you have to make your appearance in some form of huge supernatural event,

And sometimes you do.

Sometimes we think you have to hit us over the head with a two by four since we can be so stubborn,

And you do find a way to get our attention.

And sometimes we forget that you speak to us through the silence and so just for a moment we sit silently waiting for you to speak…..

And as our hearts calm down and our breath becomes deeper and slower

We focus on you and can hear you…..

And as the tension in our body begins to relax as we give it over to you we are calmer

And can hear you in the midst of the silence…..



And we feel closer to you, filled with your love and grace as we breathe in your goodness into our lives

And as we listen to you…..

We feel we are wrapped in your arms and yet free to move about

And we hear you in a new way……

You enable us to then love the unloved, take away the negative labels from people, see them as you see them, love them as you love them……

We are empowered to reach out to those who are the unseen, the wounded, the lonely, the outcasts, just as your son reached out so long ago to those considered unclean….

And we are given a voice to tell others of what you have done for us and what you will do for them.



And Lord we now pray for those in our lives who are sick, homebound, in nursing homes, and rehabs…

We pray for those who are grieving…….

We pray for those who deal with mental illnesses, addictions, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, chronic illnesses…..

We pray for all these and more your son taught us to pray…….

prayer for Proper 6C / Ordinary 11C / Pentecost +4

God of our fathers and of our mothers,

We pray to you today for our fathers; fathers who were present, fathers who were absent, fathers who showed us love, fathers who did not show us love, fathers who taught us well, fathers who didn’t teach at all, fathers who held us in their arms, fathers who abused us, fathers who tried hard to be good fathers, and fathers who didn't try at all. The list goes on of the different kinds of fathers we have all had and we have been ourselves.  Most of all, we are grateful that you are the father of us all, a father who loves, cares, is always present, who forgives us and holds us in your arms. We all need that kind of father.

We pray today for all of us who are like the woman who crashed the Pharisee’s dinner party and anointed you. We break open our alabaster jar of sweet oil as we cry tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of years of pain, and tears of sin poured out on your feet. Accept our offering of love and gratitude for your forgiving us, welcoming us and loving us.

We pray today for all of us who are like Simon the Pharisee, who are caught by religion, eyes of judgment, hearts of stone, and voices of criticism of ourselves and others. We pray father that you would set us free by your forgiveness, love and mercy.

We pray today for all of us who are like the women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. We thank you that we get to be there with you, follow you and give out of our resources especially out of who we are.  We thank you that you have healed, cured us, set us free, forgiven us, welcome us and love us.

Sunday Prayer for Proper 5C / Ordinary 10C / Pentecost +3

Gracious God,

Here we are your children coming before your throne of mercy.

We pray for healing and restoration for those devastated by the tornadoes, wildfires and flooding.

We pray for those that are sick and need your healing touch.

We pray for those who have experienced loss this week, may thy be comforted in their grieving.

We pray for our churches and our communities.

We pray for our leaders that you would endow them wisdom

We pray for countries where war continues may your peace and good will come.

May your kingdom come into our lives and into world.

Sunday prayer for Proper 4C / Ordinary 9C / Pentecost +2

On this holy day we do worship and adore you.

We bring our praises of love to you.

We bring our hopes our dreams our visions of a better world and of a new tomorrow created by.

We bring our faith in you when it seems hard to have faith.

We seek you in the midst of our sorrows, our illnesses, our broken bodies.

We seek you in the midst of mighty winds of destruction, winds of war, winds of gossip and rumors,;

We bring ourselves today as your servants to bring your good news to others.

May your love reign in our hearts.

Easter 5 C Sunday prayer

Oh God who created all things including humans, we praise your name for you faithfulness.

We praise you just as all of the creatures of the earth sing your praise.

We look forward to that day when we live with you in our eternal home.

In the meantime come make your home in us.

Come into our neighborhoods, our work places, our schools.

Come live in us Lord.

We await the day when every tear will be wiped away and there will be no more grieving.

In the meantime Lord, wipe our tears when we do mourn our losses, like those in West Texas after the explosion.

We look for the day when there will be no more sickness, in the meantime when we are ailing bring your healing touch to our lives.

We look for the day when all things will be new,

 in the meantime renew our tired land, our old falling down housing, our broken systems, our empty spaces of worship and our aging bodies.

We await that day Lord, when your justice, your love, your mercy rules and thy kingdom has come.

Amen

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Easter 4C

Lord,

You are our Shepherd,

Jesus said he was the Good Shepherd.

But God if you are the good Shepherd, why?

Why must we be so violent? Is it because we don’t trust you as our good shepherd?

Where are you if you are the good shepherd?

Its not just in Boston or New York that people are killed by bombs

Its everywhere God.

It doesn't much feel like green pastures or still waters.

But we need you to make us lie down in green pastures and to lead us beside the still waters.

We all need green pastures and still waters to sooth our souls.

Lord we walk through some dark valleys now with the violence in the world.

We walk through our own dark valleys of death, illnesses, crisis, hardships, and tough times.

We want to believe and to not fear evil, but God sometimes we do fear.

How can this world feel safe if you can even run in a race or

walk in a run/walk event anymore without worrying if there is a bomb planted at the finish line.

We aren't always sure you are there right beside us.

But Lord we all need you right there beside us, guiding us, protecting us and comforting us.

God, our Shepherd we need you to prepare a feast for all of us,

Especially all who are hungry.

We need you to anoint our heads with your oil.

We need goodness and mercy to follow us all our days instead of the hatred, badness, mistreatment,

Bullying, and harming one another.

We all need to live in the house of the LORD our whole life long for there we find peace, your peace that overcomes that which is mean, violent and hard in this world.

Wait a minute Lord,

 it’s us you need to bring the goodness and mercy,

 peace and reconciliation into this world.

It’s us that you need to work toward justice and nonviolence so that we can have shalom in this world.

It’s us that need to prepare the feast for all and homes for the homeless.

But God, we want to remain safe and secure.

We don’t want to go to help change the world.

We are afraid.

We don’t want to be the ones you called to go into all the world and make disciples.

Lord forgive us, encourage us, equip us, and yes, send us Lord to change our world.

And Lord go with us as the Good Shepherd of the world. Amen

Based on Psalm 23 

Cross posted at revgalblogpals

Interfaith Solidarity Service for Boston

Last night, we attended the Interfaith Solidarity Prayer service in Big Spring Park to show support for the victims of the Boston Marathon.  It was done very well. Here are some pictures of my children at the service.  I have had a hard time wrapping my mind around this.  I was moved by Suzanne Taylor's story, who had crossed the finish line five minutes before the bomb exploded at the marathon. My friend Rabbi Beth Bahar closed the event with a very moving prayer. She reminded those who gathered that taking a sense of peace, hope and courage into the community becomes one way that each person can push against the forces of violence and hatred.

Kara is in the individual photo.

Kate and Kara fed the ducks while we waited for things to begin.

Prayer for Easter 3c

God, our God,

You stay by us day and night and.

You deliver us from life’s messes.

We thank you God.

We thank you that you hear us when we cry out for help.

You love us, you heal our wounds, and you deliver us from our downheartedness.

 

We pray for those who are grieving that the time of their weeping

may not last forever but be turned into days of joy.

We pray for those who are in the midst of a crisis

that you guide them through the crisis and that they find their strength in you.

We pray for those who are sick and ailing that they may find

 peace, rest and restoration in you.

Lord you make yourself known to us in so many ways,

help us to not miss those moments.

And just as you told Peter to feed your sheep you call us to feed your sheep today.

Lord may we be faithful to loving you and feeding your sheep.

 

cross posted at revgalblog pals

Sunday Prayer for Easter 2C

God,

We are your Easter people living in the hope of resurrection.

Yet, we live in a world that is increasingly more difficult to live in

Lord we need hope and we need to share that hope with others.

Lord we prayer for those whose world may still be covered in the darkness of grief

instead of the sunlight, lighten their load of grief.

We pray for those who are ill, in the hospitals, facing surgery, or going through treatments,

Sustain them with your loving care.

We pray for those who live with chronic illnesses, Surround them with your peace and faithfulness.

Lord may we be messengers of Easter hope to those in need by our word and deed.

May we be your Easter people bringing restoration and justice to this hurting world.

Amen

cross posted at revgalblogpals

Sunrise at Bald Rock

I did not grow up observing Lent. I had no idea what it was.

In the little town I lived in as a child I don’t recall seeing foreheads with the marks of the ashen cross. I do remember that Easter was a big deal in my family and church. It was a joyous occasion marked by eggs and chocolate, church and a big Sunday dinner with extended family. It was special because I got new shoes, new dresses, hat and little pocket book. I loved the whole big to do about his resurrection in worship on Easter Sunday.

As I grew up I have always enjoyed Easter because it often meant new life, new hope, and new beginnings with the advent of springtime. Several years ago, I was serving a three church circuit in Randolph County. It was my first year there after moving from serving a good size church in Huntsville. I had left lots of friends, a good ministry, and a growing church to go serve a small rural area with no friends, a dying town, and an older congregation. The winter had been cold dark and cloudy. My best friends were more than two hours away. I was lonely, isolated and somewhat depressed.

It would be my first Easter sermon and Easter sunrise service. The sunrise service was on what was called Bald Rock and since I was the new Pastor in town it was my turn to preach. What would I say? What did God want me to say?

Bald Rock is a beautiful geological formation of a rock outcropping left by the movement of glaciers long ago. On that Easter Sunrise, it was cold, cloudy and drizzly. I thought to myself, some Easter Sunrise, no one is going to come. No one told me that people came home from far away on Easter Sunrise, just for that special service. And so we all who were there sang some songs, prayed and I preached. As I was preaching the sun began to peek in between the clouds, shining on the wet bald rock. It was like the sun rising on the first Easter morning so long ago when Jesus was resurrected.

So for me, Lent prepares me to be ready. God will show up again and not just on Easter morning. And the son will come peeking in between the clouds of my life.

I wrote this several years ago for a Lenton Devotional that Trinity did. This morning it appeared again in our Trending Trinity a weekly email.  It is a cloudy, cold and snowy day today. This was the perfect article to read for such a day as we head into Easter through the dark week of Jesus' sufferings.

Prayer for Lent 2C

Lord,

you are the giver of light,
Come into the dark places of our lives and light our way.
Lord we are afraid,
We feel insecure and fear what lies before us.
Keep us safe, be our strong deliverer, protect us,
So that we are not overcome by these fears.

And Lord we will trust you.

We ask Lord that we get to live in your house
To see how wonderful you are and to spend time talking daily with you.
Lord we need your sanctuary, we need the quiet,
the place we can go to slow down and to take a deep breath.
Lord we all need the peace we can find there with you.
And we thank you for that peace and time we spend with you.

Lord,

Please listen to us when we pray
Hear our cry for those in need of prayer,
those who are downtrodden—lift them up
Those who are ill—bring your healing touch.
Those who have lost a loved one---comfort for their sorrow.
Those who have felt rejected—acceptance and support.
Those who have become homebound, disabled, chronically ill, terminally ill, or
Gone into nursing care—send them your loving presence.
Be gracious to all Lord and answer our prayers.

Lord,

It is often hard to know which way to go in this world,
And so we ask that you teach us your ways.
Light the path well for Lord so we may see our way.
We may stumble and we may fall,
But pick us up, brush off the dirt,
bandage our wounds and send us back on your path.
And encourage us along our way as your believers.
Amen

cross posted at revgalblogpals

based on Psalm 27

Prayer for Lent 1C

Lord,

You are our fortress, our place of safety;
you are our God, and we trust you.”

We seek to live in your presence,

and stay in the shadow of the Almighty

Lord spread your wings over us like a mothering hen,

Protecting her babies.

We have nothing to fear living in your faithfulness.

Though circumstances become tough, illness strike us,

Death comes our way, whatever befalls us we have nothing to fear.

 We know this because you God, are our refuge.
and our sanctuary.

Though temptations come to lure us from small

Ones to big ones, though evil one looks like he is winning the day;

We can trust in you.

No matter what happens in life we can hold on to you Lord,

Because we know you are with us, caring for us, loving us, and delivering us.

Lord, we can call on you anytime and anywhere

And we can believe and trust that you will answer.

You alone are our refuge, our place of safety;
you are our God, and we trust you.

Based on Psalm 91
Cross posted at revgalblogpals

Prayer for Transfiguration Sunday

Lord,


You have put your wonderful hope in us born of the spirit of Jesus.

This hope empowers us to be your servants in this world

bringing light into darkness.

Hope into despair.

Warmth into coldness.

Friendship into loneliness.

Food into hunger.

Care into trouble.

We are out in the open, not hidden away with shame for our beliefs and love of you.

We practically shine brightly with your spirit in us as we bring a healing touch, a shoulder to lean on, an arm around a person who is hurting, a hand to lift someone up, a ride to the grocery story or the Doctor’s office, or ourselves being present.

Lord Jesus let us remember that after you were transfigured and you were blessed by God as his chosen son, you came down off the mountain. You didn’t stay up there, you came down among your people. And the first thing you did was to heal someone. Lord, you are still in our midst. You are still healing. You are still touching lives. And so we pray that you will do so today in our midst.

Lord we pray for those who are overwhelmed with the snow, cold and no electricity in the North East. We pray for those who live in places of drought. We pray for those who live in areas of flooding. And we pray for those who don’t have clean water for drinking.

We pray for the violence in our world to end. We pray for the countries that are torn by civil war. We pray for the children who are taken into slave trade and trafficking. We pray that your light would shine and transform our world.

Amen.