Prayer for December 31, 2017-January 6, 2018 

Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-40

That we may we trust You fully and be fully available to You

God of Grace, enable us to practice the glad obedience of Mary and Joseph. Help us to be fully available to You for your purpose of reconciling all things in heaven and earth.

We rejoice in your many words of promise to us. We cherish them and trust in your ability to bring them to pass. Enable us to endure, in hope, even when the fulfillment of your word seems to be delayed.

By your Spirit, give us wisdom, like Simeon and Anna, to discern your presence, even when you come among us in surprising ways and through people who seem like unlikely candidates for such a role. 

When we have seen your Consolation and Salvation face to face, energize us to tell the good news to all who await your presence in hope and to those who are unaware of the hope You create. Amen.

Prayer for December 24-30, 2017 

Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-55

That we may respond to You with the willingness of Mary

God of new wonders, You are continuously announcing new creation, new salvation, and new futures for your people.

We are unnerved by your presence and by your word. We barely know how to respond, and cannot hide our fears.

You tell us (over and over) not to be afraid. You tell us that You are graciously inclined toward us. You calm our fears. You make promises for new life that only You can create.

You assure us that Jesus, who comes among us as your Child, your Agent of salvation and newness, will reign forever. You point to wonders that are taking place, now, in order to assure us that You can do what You promise. 

Enable us to respond with the willingness of Mary. May your word be fulfilled in and through us. Let us bear your presence into the world around us. Amen.

Prayer for December 17-23, 2017 

Sermon Text: Psalm 126

Let our lives reflect our gratitude and convince others that You are at work among us

God of restoration, so often it seems that our quest for autonomy and our pursuit of our own agenda makes us exiles. We find ourselves exiled from You, exiled from our true selves, from the people who have most consistently nurtured us, and from the places where we have felt most at home and most whole.

While we are lost in chaos of our own making, You are at work, often in unseen ways, to enable our return, to bring forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, wholeness and peace.

Others are seldom able to see all that You have done for us, but we declare: “God has done great things for us!” You have done great things over and over, and we will praise You again and again.  

Continue your work of restoration among us. Let our lives reflect our gratitude and convince others that You really are at work among us, so that their praise may echo our own, to your endless glory. Amen.

Prayer for December 10-16, 2017 

Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:1-11

That we may rejoice in your restoration and nearness

Holy Shepherd, we rebel against You in so many ways. We act in arrogance. We choose our own paths. We pursue what is merely vapor.

We wreak havoc on our lives, bringing chaos, ugliness and sterility in place of order, beauty and fruitfulness. Sometimes, in the midst of our self-destructive choices, we wonder, “Why has God abandoned us?”

Then You speak, and in place of the judgment we have experienced, we hear a word of comfort. We hear a word of compassion and restoration. We hear that in spite of our brief and fragile lives, You endure, your word endures, and your love for us endures.

We hear that You are near, and our hearts rejoice. We welcome your acts of justice. We welcome your wise guidance. We celebrate as You gather us and hold us close to your heart.  

Do not let us wander away from You again. Do not let us bring chaos upon ourselves. Keep us close! We are comforted by your presence. Amen.     

Prayer for December 3-9, 2017 

Sermon Text: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

That your radiance will remind us that we are yours

God of Glory, we rejoice that You have made your face shine upon us in the face of Christ Jesus our Savior, Teacher and Friend. Through Jesus you have carried us like a gentle shepherd and governed us like a wise and compassionate monarch.

We rejoice that You have not abandoned us to the mess that we tend to make of our lives. You have not allowed our enemies to mock us excessively. You have not forced us to eat and drink only the tears of bitter grief. You have not refused our prayers in prolonged anger.

We need You! We need your Word and your Presence far more than we usually care to admit. We need the radiance of your face to remind us that we are yours and to enable our prayers and our praise.  

Shine upon us that we may be saved! Shine around us that we may know the truth! Shine through us that the world may know You in your glory! Amen.

Prayer for November 26-December 2, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 25:31-46

That we may be agents of your work of feeding, healing, welcoming and befriending

Christ Jesus, help us to see your face in the faces of those around us, but particularly in the faces of those who are most vulnerable in their hunger and thirst, loneliness and exclusion, nakedness, homelessness, sickness and imprisonment.

Enable us to offer care and friendship to those we encounter in their need, weakness, isolation and shame. Enable us to release the resources that You have entrusted to us so that others may experience a greater measure of the abundance, liberation, healing, welcome and friendship that are features of your reign of peace and justice and our salvation.

When we are tempted to turn away from those in need, help us to remember the kind and generous ways that You answered the burning needs of those who came to You, called to You, or reached for You amid the press of bodies and the clamor of voices. 

Let us be agents of your continuing work of feeding, healing, welcoming and befriending many people. May we be full participants in your reign of justice and peace. Amen.

Prayer for November 19-25, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 25:14-30

That we may be faithful stewards who share Christ’s joy when he returns

Trusting God, You have entrusted so much to us: this creation of complexity, beauty and abundance; talents and spiritual gifts; intimate relationships; material wealth; and time and energy.

Enable us to be wise stewards of all your resources and to nurture faithfulness and fruitfulness in everything around us.

When we are fearful and want to protect the resources You have entrusted to us by hiding them, overcome our anxiety and fear by your tender, encouraging love.

When it seems to us that You are far, far away, and unlikely to return in a meaningful time frame, and we become greedy and hoard your resources as though they were our own, send us a prophetic word that reminds us that “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” 

Help us to live in such a way that we may share Christ’s joy in the day of Christ’s return. We would be your “good and faithful servants.” Amen.      

Prayer for November 12-18, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 25:1-13

That we may be fully prepared to welcome Jesus and enable others to prepare for his presence

God of mystery, enable us to welcome the presence of Christ in every moment and every place. Enable us to prepare ourselves so that Christ’s presence does not take us by surprise.

Let us live in such intimacy with Christ Jesus that we know him with a good measure of his full knowledge of us.

We cannot stay alert every minute, but help us to order our lives in such a way that they reflect total commitment to and readiness for Jesus.  

Enable us to help others to prepare for Christ’s presence, to celebrate his arrival with great joy, and to participate in his wedding feast as beloved friends. Amen.

Prayer for October 29-November 4, 2017 

Sermon Texts: Exodus 34:1-12; Mt. 22:34-46

That we may be humble before your wisdom and wonders

Teach us humility, God of wonders. Penetrate our arrogance and overcome our jadedness so that we may react in awe at the many “awesome deeds” that You continue to do among us. Enable us to respond to your saving acts and daily provision with abundant joy.  

Teach us humility, God of wisdom. Overcome our doubts, our failure to listen and our refusal to believe the instruction of Jesus. Enable us to respond to your guidance with quick and glad obedience. Amen.

Prayer for November 5-11, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 23:1-12

That our lives may be aligned with Jesus’ instruction and example

God of wisdom, enable us to receive the instruction of Jesus with humility then align both our words and actions with Jesus’s instruction and example. Enable us to follow Jesus, the Greatest among us, in loving service to our sisters and brothers in faith.

Forgive us when there is a large rift between our religious talk and our public behavior. Forgive us when much of our religious practice is done in order to draw the attention and gain the approval of others. Forgive us when we shy away from important opportunities for service and try to shove them off on others. 

Humble us, if You must, Wise God, until we are able to walk before You, and our companions in faith, with humility. Amen.

Prayer for October 22-28, 2017 

Sermon Texts: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

That we may emulate good examples of faithfulness

God of all people, we rejoice that our lives have been sustained by the prayers of faithful leaders and co-laborers in Christ. Prod us to be continually in prayer for one another. Let our Spirit-guided  prayers be catalysts for lives that abound in faithful, loving labor.  May our hope in Jesus Christ inspire and energize tenacious endurance in our pursuit of your justice and peace.

We rejoice that You have chosen us as your own, and we pray that our lives may give evidence that your Spirit is working among us with power. May we consistently act on our convictions and may we be convicted of our idolatry, greed, and apathy when we do not do so. 

Enable us to follow the examples of Jesus, his apostles, and other faithful ones in the history of the church, so that our lives witness to the One whom You raised from death, Jesus Christ our Sovereign. Amen.

Prayer for October 15-21, 2017 

Sermon Text: Philippians 4:1-9

That wise practices will enable us to stand firm in faith

God of peace, enable us to stand firm in faith by helping us to develop wise practices that attune our hearts and minds to your presence and to your desire for us.

Help us to pursue peace with one another and not allow our relationships to become fractured by our stubbornness or fester with bitterness.

Enable us to rejoice constantly and to act gently toward all whom we encounter. Overcome our anxiety by reminding us of your constant presence and generous gifts. Enable us to approach You, thankfully, in every situation and let your incomprehensible peace flood our lives and guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  

Help us to focus our thoughts on all of the excellent and praiseworthy things that You have created, accomplished and provided for us. Let us practice the best that Jesus and his apostles have modeled for faithful living. Amen.

Prayer for October 8-14, 2017

Sermon Text: Exodus 20:1-20

That we may love You with pure devotion as we love our neighbors in kind and just ways

We rejoice in You, God our Liberator! We rejoice in You who give new life and new hope! We praise You from the depths of our being! We celebrate your presence among us! We declare that You alone are our God!

We rejoice that You have called us, as your people, to live life in alternative ways to the religion of manipulation and the relationships of exploitation and violence that are so prevalent among us.

Enable us to love, serve and honor You with pure devotion. Forgive us when we try to manipulate You for our own objectives. May we seek, constantly, to do your will to enhance your reign throughout your creation. 

Enable us to love and serve our neighbors in kind and just ways. Forgive us when we exploit them for personal advantage and gain. May we constantly give high priority to their needs so that together we may thrive and be fruitful in your presence. Amen.

Prayer for October 1-7, 2017 

Sermon Text: Exodus 17:1-7

That we may journey in your presence with greater patience and trust

Unlike Israel, God, it does not require a life-threatening situation for us to quarrel and complain.    Like Israel, we are quick to doubt your presence, even when You have provided abundantly for us. 

How quickly we forget the wondrous ways that You have acted on our behalf.  How quickly we abandon hope. How quickly we become angry and violent. How frequently we seek signs that You are with us and active on our behalf.

We are so impatient and we have such a strong sense of entitlement that we cannot wait to see what You intend to do to meet our daily and deeper needs.

In spite of our impatience, our lack of trust, our whining and quarreling, You act with generosity. You demonstrate your presence. You release resources of which we are unaware.  

Enable us to go on from here with greater patience and trust. No one else can provide like You. We know it, even in the midst of our complaints. Amen.

Prayer for September 24-30, 2017

Sermon Text: Exodus 16:2-15

That we will respond to your provision with thanksgiving and trust

Attentive God, in spite of the many works of salvation that You have accomplished on our behalf and the many ways that You have provided for our basic needs, we are still inclined to grumble, still inclined to think that You have not done enough for us – at least not lately.

We distrust the leaders who have spoken your word to us and who have led us into your presence. So, by inference, we distrust You.

We remember and yearn for past days that we imagine were much better than the days in which we are living now. We imagine that times of bondage and harsh limits were days of bounty and freedom.

In spite of our grumbling, our lack of trust, our wistful look over our shoulders, You act for our good. You provide the resources that we need as your generous gifts. You provide the spiritual leadership without which we can go nowhere. You show us your unmatched glory. 

The daily bread You have provided from heaven is enough! We thank You today, and each day. Amen.

Prayer for September 17-23, 2017

Sermon Text: Exodus 14:19-31

That we may be agents of the liberating mercy we have received from You

Liberating God, we rejoice that You are always at work among us. We rejoice that You hear the cry of the oppressed and that You act to counter the powerful forces that control and diminish them and fill their lives with hardship and misery.

You give hope. You topple unjust powers. You act for liberation. You create new structures that generate equity. You replace cries of agony with hymns of praise.

We rejoice that You also hear the cries of those who are bound by addiction and sin, those who do not know how to extricate themselves from habits that they find burdensome and limiting.

In your mercy, You offer forgiveness. By your Spirit, you bring transformation that liberates for faithfulness, compassion, and delight. 

Enable us to live into the life of freedom and fruitfulness that You have created for us. At the same time, enable us to be agents of your liberation for those who suffer injustice and those who are clutched in the talons of sin and addiction. May we walk beside them, suffer with them, and lead them into your Presence. Amen.

Prayer for September 10-16, 2017

Sermon Text: Exodus 12:1-14

That we may live courageously, energetically, and fully into your story

God of glory, we worship and rejoice in You! We rejoice in the wonderful works of salvation and restoration that You have done on behalf of Israel and for followers of Jesus.

We remember the Exodus and the crucifixion of Jesus, especially, as powerful acts of compassion, that generated new life and new hope as You liberated your chosen people from bondage to exploitative powers and ensnaring sins.

Whenever our lives begin to disintegrate and collapse due to our addictions, sins, and acts of injustice, do your work of renewal among us. Let the communion we share together remind us of the judgment and freedom of Passover, as well as Jesus’s generous act of laying down his life for his friends so that they might enjoy abundant life in your presence. 

Enable us to live courageously, energetically, and fully into the lively story that You have enacted for your people. May our faith in You grow deeper each day as we assume the roles and complete the tasks to which You have called us. Amen.

Prayer for September 3-9, 2017

Sermon Text: Romans 12:9-21

That your Spirit will guide us into a pure love expressed through many acts of kindness

God of Glory, as you transform our minds and give us many gifts for service, may your Spirit guide us into a pure love, that is expressed through many acts of kindness as it builds joyful harmony among us.

Demolish our pride and conceit. Teach us how to honor each other above ourselves. Enable us to enter deeply into the mourning and rejoicing of our sisters and brothers.

Open our hearts for generous hospitality. Fill us with spiritual passion. Enable us to cling to truth as we abhor and turn from evil.

Divert us from returning evil for evil, from fantasies of revenge and hatred toward our enemies. Enable us to bless and feed them and to leave revenge or restoration to You. 

We hope in You. We trust in You in times of prosperity and in the midst of affliction and suffering. May everything we do give evidence that You are doing something new among us. Amen.

Prayer for August 27-September 2, 2017 

Sermon Text: Romans 12:1-8

That we may give all that we are to You

God of all life, we adore You. We want to give ourselves completely to You in true worship. We want minds that are transformed and conformed to the mind of Christ. We want to do your will.

But our lives are so enmeshed in the ways of the world that we cannot perceive ourselves clearly, cannot extricate ourselves from practices that put us in competition with our brothers, sisters and neighbors, and cannot undo our idolatry of wealth.

Because we are so fully enmeshed in the “pattern of the world,” we do not know how to love, serve and honor each other as fully and consistently as You call us to. 

Work within our minds and in our relationships. Complete the transformation that we have been unable to complete on our own. Enable us to give all that we are to You and to our many neighbors in joyful love and service. Move us into the unity that You desire for your people and for which You have already given us many gifts. Amen.

August 20-26, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 45:1-15

That we may keep trusting You when we suffer in ways that seem meaningless

God of Grace, it is seldom clear to us that the rejection, alienation, abuse, abandonment, pain, and other troubles that we face have been providential gifts that place us in position to do good for others.

Most of us have neither the foresight nor the hindsight of Joseph. Although we trust in You, many of the things we endure never come to have a clear meaning for us.

We suffer. We trust in You. We endure. We go on with our “whys?” unanswered. 

We know that we are able to endure only because You give us a measure of endurance and courage that we could not simply muster on our own. We believe that You are working for our good in every situation. Enable us to keep trusting You even when the meaning of the things we must endure escapes us. Amen.

NOTE: We had a guest speaker who went a different direction. This prayer was not used in our Sunday worship (but most likely will be in our Tuesday prayer meeting).

Prayer for August 13-19, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 37:1-36

That we may dream and enact your dreams for your people   

Giver of dreams, we rejoice that You occasionally allow us to see more than we can see with our eyes. You give dreams that hint at the way that our future may unfold. You give us glimpses of mysteries that can be embraced, but not easily told. You pull back a corner of the veil that hides your astonishing glory.

Sometimes, those of us who receive dreams act in arrogant ways. Some tremble in terror while others speak too much or build shrines to mark the places of your visitation.

Enable us to be dreamers of the dreams that You have for your people. Then enable us to live into those dreams by humble, but courageous action that is full of faith.  

We know that the dreams You give may unfold in wholly unexpected ways, but we accept such dreams as guidance and wisdom that exceed and eventually expand our understanding. Amen.

Prayer for August 6-12, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 32:22-31

That our wrestling in darkness will heal our fears and enable more complete trust in You

God of all, be our peace!

When we wrestle in the darkness--wrestle our fears, ourselves, or You--bring us to our true selves.

Wound us, if You must, to heal us. Demolish our fears. Transform our deceitful ways. Teach us trust.

Enable us to see your glory even in the ambiguous struggle through which we clutch at something we cannot name and are held by a strength that we cannot escape.

Help us not to give up hope in the midst of struggle. Help us to persevere until we are able to name our relationship with You in a new way, even as You name us as your own. 

Enable us to move forward, then, confident of your enduring promises and your unfailing Presence. Amen. 

Prayer for July 30-August 5, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 29:1-28

That we may receive your gifts with open hands and thankful hearts

God, our Guide, through the scriptures we see that You are concerned with every dimension of the lives of your covenant partners, and that You are constantly leading and shaping lives for fruitfulness and fidelity, even when your people have acted in deceitful or fearful ways.

We have acted in deceitful and fearful ways far too often. But You have led us to places of new life and new hope in spite of our actions. You have led us to places where love wells up from the depths of our being; where our deceitful ways meet their match and turn our faces to You in trust; where energetic work challenges us and generates resources that sustain us. 

Teach us not to manipulate others for our advantage, but to wait upon You so that we may receive your many gifts with open hands and thankful hearts. We trust in your guidance and provision!  Amen. 

Prayer for July 23-29, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 28:10-27

That visions of your glory will move us to humble worship, trust, and fidelity

God, many of us are skilled at making our own lives difficult. We deceive and defraud those who are closest to us. We take flight from the truth and from the danger we have created by our deceit.

Somehow, our lies, our fears and fraud thrust us into the mystery of your presence. You meet us where we had not expected to find You, and we are both stunned and terrified as You reveal your glory to us.

We expect to be chastised, but You reiterate the covenant promises that You have made to generations of our ancestors in faith.

You promise unconditional blessing. But we want to bargain. We offer our fidelity and worship only when You fulfill the promises that You have already made to us. 

God of all, may we be humbled by our visions of your glory, so that we give You all the worship, trust, and fidelity that You are due. Amen. 

Prayer for July 16-22, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 13:1-23

That we may be deeply rooted In You and abound in fruitfulness

Jesus, keep teaching us. Let your Spirit move within us to expand our knowledge and give us fresh understanding of your word. Enable us to be those who look, and do see, who listen, and do hear and comprehend your instruction.

But move us beyond seeing and hearing.  Heal any callouses that toughen our hearts and prevent your word of truth from penetrating our lives. Disentangle us from our many worries and our idolatrous dependence upon wealth that keep us looking everywhere, but to You, for satisfaction. Protect us from every threatening spirit that would snatch life away from us.

Till our lives so that we may be rooted deeply in You and abound in fruitfulness that brings glory to You. Shape our character so that the depth of our being is congruent with your presence and identity. Shape our action so that your compassion flows from us as freely as water from a clear spring. Let our communal practices of worship, witness and justice prepare many people to open themselves to your word and your presence.  

We know that only what we receive from You will generate the fruitfulness that You desire for us. We open our hearts, gladly, to receive. Amen.

Prayer for July 9-15, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 24:34-67

That we may trust You when our faith is robust and when it falls flat

God, our Guide, sometimes we have great difficulty seeing the places where You are at work in our lives. Our trust diminishes. We falter along the way.

At other times, everything seems to fall into place with such ease, that our confidence in You is boosted, we follow without hesitation and tell about your provision for us in great detail and with abundant delight.

We trust You! We trust in your faithfulness and presence when our faith is robust and when it falls flat.

We trust You! We go where You send us and follow where You lead, even when the road seems rough, the mission difficult, and our resources inadequate.  

You have been faithful to your covenant with your people! You have answered our prayers! You have blessed our faithful efforts with many successes! You have given us fresh reasons to hope and trust in You. Amen.

Prayer for July 2-8, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 10:40-42

That we may give hospitality with compassion and receive it with humility

God our Provider, enable us to be quick and generous in our offer of hospitality to those who follow Jesus. Enable us to see Jesus in them. And enable us to see You in Jesus.

But help us to welcome others too, to expand our hospitality so that all who come to us are welcomed among us. Enable us to be like You who send rain on the evil and the good, the just and the unjust.

As disciples of Jesus, enable us to accept with humility and gratitude the hospitality that is offered to us in various places. May we be bearers of your peace to all of those who welcome us. May we be a blessing to those who bless us. May we also be a blessing to those who do not bless us, but curse and insult and reject us because of our trust in You.

Enable us to act without calculating what our reward might be. Help us to offer generous hospitality as a practice of true compassion. Help us to not to be overly concerned about how others perceive our actions, but let our deepest desire be to bring honor and glory to You through our acts of hospitality. 

You have provided for us in so many ways. Enable us to provide for your people with the gifts that You have given us. Amen.

Prayer for June 25-July 1, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 10:24-39

That we may find our life and identity in You    

Christ Jesus, we want to be your followers, but we have many fears. We do not want to leave behind our quiet lives. We do not want to risk our wealth. We do not want to face insult, injury and death in order to follow You. We want it easy. We want it smooth. We want to be liked and honored.

By calling us to follow You, you call us to put everything at risk: ease, security, wealth, health, honor, family, friendship, even life itself. We need more courage than we presently have in order to follow in your way. Please grant us such courage.

Help us not to fear those who might oppose us, abuse us, undermine and diminish us, or harm us in significant ways.

Help us to do nothing that denies our identity in You. Help us to honor You in every dimension of our lives. Help us to give our lives fully to You for your mission in the world. Enable us to follow you in bold fidelity even when our faith in You sets us at odds with or puts us in danger from the people to whom we are closest. 

Let us find our life in You! Amen. 

Prayer for June 18-24, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7

That we may laugh with joy, thanksgiving and praise when You fulfill your promises

God of promise, sometimes it is so difficult to believe your word. We want to believe. We want to hold onto the least shred of hope. But when we consider your promise and consider who we are, with all of our weakness and frailty, it seems unlikely that You can fulfill your best promises for us.

And sometimes we laugh. We laugh from anxiety and doubt. We laugh because we are unable to believe You even though your word of promise addresses our deepest desire. We are embarrassed by our laughter, and want to deny it, but it erupts from us, unbidden, and we do not know what else to do.

In spite of our lack of faith. In spite of our laughter in the face of your promise, You do fulfill your promises for us. You surprise us by your action. You alter our lives in amazing ways. And You move us from the laughter of doubt to laughter that overflows with joy, thanksgiving and praise. 

Bringer of laughter, we rejoice in You! Amen. 

Prayer for June 11-17, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 1:1-2:4a

That we may be wise and sensitive stewards of your good creation

God of all creation, we rejoice that by your brooding Spirit, and your effective Word, You have given form and beauty to your own loving impulse. You have tamed chaos without struggle. You have given light. You have generated life in myriad forms. You have invested your creation with generativity and fruitfulness.

We echo your assessment and share your delight that your created universe is “very good!”

We rejoice that You have created us in your own image to reflect your glory. We rejoice that You have given us a grand role as coworkers in the care and nurture of this world. Enable us to be wise and sensitive stewards!

We rejoice, too, that You rested from the work of creation. Enable us to rest! Enable us to recognize that You sustain all things, even when we lay aside the work You have given us. 

In work and rest, let our lives be a hymn of praise to You! Amen.

Prayer for June 4-10, 2017 

Sermon Text: Acts 2:1-21

That we may overcome every barrier to communication

God of surprise and delight, unleash your energizing, liberating Spirit among us. Free our mouths for bold speech that declares your goodness and salvation. Free our hands and feet to go wherever You send us. Let our lives blaze with holy purpose

By your Spirit, let us speak truth with deep compassion. Let our speech overcome every obstacle to communication. May those who hear us hear your breath and your speech flowing through us.

We rejoice that the outpouring of your Spirit has broken down many barriers. We rejoice that You have shown no favoritism, but have given your generous gift without regard to race, gender, age or economic status.  

Enable us to act as one people, fully united by the action of your Spirit. Let many be drawn to You as we declare your greatness and live in close communion with one another. Amen.

Prayer for May 28-June 3, 2017

Sermon Text: Acts 1:6-14

That our waiting and our action will be grounded in hearts full of love.

God our Creator and Redeemer, we are often more concerned about figuring out the time of Jesus’ return than we are about carrying out the mission that Jesus has given us. We want to know about Jesus’ return, in large measure, because we want to escape the world that You created and love. We want to escape the world that Jesus died for instead of continuing the work of reconciliation for which he risked and gave everything.

Enable us to carry out our role as disciples, courageously and tenaciously. Fill us with your Spirit so that we may do the challenging work of witness and justice, without growing discouraged and defeated. Teach us! Inspire us! Energize us! Unleash us to bring your healing, your liberation, your peace, your justice, your love and joy into every place You lead us. 

Help us not to be naïve about our own abilities and energy. Help us to base all of our efforts to bring healing and restoration upon thoughtful, communal prayer. Help us to recognize the times of waiting and the times of concerted action. Enable us to do both with hearts full of love. Amen.

Prayer for May 21-27, 2017

Sermon Text: John 14:15-21

That love for You will show through all of our action

Christ Jesus, dwell within us by your Spirit! Fill us with life that is vital and free. Align our lives so fully with the truth, as we have seen it in You, that we are able to love You with obedience that flows naturally from the heart of our being.

We rejoice that You have chosen us as your people! We rejoice that You have enabled us to respond to your approach by welcoming You into our lives. We rejoice that You do not abandon us! We rejoice that our lives have become enfolded into the generous and loving unity that You share with God the Father and Creator of us all.

We have seen your presence and action in our lives. We rejoice in anticipation of the day when rumors of your return will end and we will see You face to face. 

We love You more than we can say! May that love show through all of our action. Amen

Prayer for May 14-20, 2017

Sermon Text: Acts 7:55-60

That we may witness, in truth and love, to what You have done

God of wisdom, help us to study and know the history of your people so that we know where we stand in the long succession of faith, so we may instruct each other, and so we can follow the courageous example of others who have gone before us.

By your Spirit, enable us to perceive Jesus’ identity as your Chosen and Righteous One. Let us see his glory that is derived from your own and let us respond with appropriate awe and worship.

Enable us to speak boldly about the great work of redemption that You have done in Israel, for the world, through Exodus and through Jesus. Enable us to keep witnessing, in truth and love, to what You have done, even when we face great resistance. 

Help us to entrust our entire being to You. Help us to seek forgiveness even for those who do us terrible harm. Enable us to follow Jesus wherever your Spirit leads us. Amen.

Prayer for May 7-13, 2017

Sermon Text: Acts 2:42-47

That your love and power may flow through us

Bind us together, dear God, in the new life that your Spirit gives and energizes.

Enable us to immerse ourselves fully in the instruction of the apostles as we find it in the scriptures. Enable us to read, preach and learn with an understanding that You are reconciling all things together in Christ. Help us not to read in self-serving ways.

Enable us to share our lives in courageous ways. Do not let us be too focused on our individuality, but help us see our lives in the context of a community of faith whose spiritual and economic life stand in bold contrast to the usual standards of the world.

Bring us to the table to break bread, joyfully, with diverse people. Let our fellowship overflow with glad praise.

As we share life together, let your power flow through us to bring healing and liberation to many around us. Let your love flow through us to draw many close to You and your forgiveness. Let many be awed by what You can do.  

Enable us to be deeply committed to each other as we are wholly committed to You. Amen.

Prayer for April 30-May 6, 2017 

Sermon Text: Luke 24:13-35

That we may be energized to witness that You are alive

We were walking the road in defeat when You came and walked with us.

Our faces were downcast when You spoke to us and we told You about the events that had broken our hearts.  

We were confused by, and slow to believe rumors of life when You rebuked our foolishness. 

We were silent as You explained what we needed to know about the One in whom we hoped.

We implored You to stay when it seemed You would travel on without us.

Our eyes were opened, in recognition, as You took, gave thanks, broke true bread, and gave it to us to eat. 

In your absence, we realized that our hearts had been blazing in your presence. We had recognized You without recognizing You. 

Suddenly, we are energized. Suddenly, we have good news to share. Suddenly, the time for rest is over. We cannot wait to say that we recognized You, fully alive, lit with glory, when You broke bread. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

Prayer for April 23-29, 2017 

Sermon Text: John 20:19-31

That our doubt may be transformed into doxology    

Jesus! Enable us to be your resurrection people! Let every dimension of our lives be made complete in You. Fill us with your energizing and liberating Spirit. Prepare us to be people of forgiveness, but give us discernment of those circumstances when forgiveness should be withheld.

Some days we are full of doubt! We doubt your resurrection. We doubt that God’s resurrecting power could work through our lives. Help us to bring our doubts to You as an act of supplication, a plea for understanding. Forgive us when we use doubt as an act of resistance to the newness that You are constantly bringing into the world.

As You reveal yourself to us in the tumble and turmoil of our days, transform our doubt to doxology. Deepen our trust.  

You are our Sovereign God! We exult in You! Amen.

Good Friday, April 14, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 26:14-27:66

That new hope will form within us even in our bleakest moments

O Christ, how you suffered! How You gave yourself without restraint! We are saddened and humbled because of all that You endured for your people in obedience to the will of God and in service of God’s reign of peace and justice.

Sold and betrayed by one friend, denied by another, failed and abandoned by many; how did You endure?

Arrested like a criminal, lied about, summarily condemned, accused of blasphemy; sentenced to death, flogged, mocked, crucified, insulted during your most vulnerable, painful moments; how did You endure?

Crying out as One abandoned by God; how did you endure?

One loud, last cry and you gave up your spirit, surrendered to the darkness of the moment. But in that moment … a veil was torn, deepest truth exposed. In that moment, a confession was made. Already, in the darkest hour, a new hope was being formed. 

That hope has grown within us, even in the darkness. Even now, even in grief, we hope in You. Amen.