Prayer for December 16-22, 2018 

Sermon Text: Luke 3:7-18

That we may produce good fruit for your just reign

God of just judgment, we await with anticipation the day when your reign will fill earth as fully as it now fills heaven. Some days we have little hope because our eyes are filled with images of violence and deceit. Some days we have little hope because we realize the depths of our own deceitfulness and greed. Infuse us with new hope for the future You are creating in your faithfulness.

Melt our resistance to your word. Rebuke us when we point to our heritage as a substitute for living in faithful, fruitful ways. 

Enable us to hear your ongoing call to repentance. Let your Spirit fill us and ignite change among us that will prepare the way so that others may live freely, fruitfully, and full of joy in your peaceful reign. Amen.

Prayer for December 9-15, 2018 

Sermon Text: Luke 3:1-6

That we may hear your voice of promise and be that word for others

God of Exodus, we worship You! We rejoice that You led your people out of bondage in Egypt and Babylon. We rejoice that You led other oppressed peoples home or created new homes for them.

We rejoice that You liberated slaves from bondage in our own country and in many places around the world. We rejoice that You have led many on long walks, through desolate spaces, to places of freedom and fruitfulness.

Keep doing your work of liberation! Keep sending prophets to prepare the way for homecoming and freedom. Let all who now live in servitude be released for new life.

And let us, God of mercy, move with trust through the wildernesses that we have created by our greed, addictions, fear and hatred. Release us from all that keeps us from being your faithful people. Lead us to our true selves: selves made for worship, stewardship, compassion, and companionship. 

Enable us to hear the voice of promise for ourselves. Let us be the voice of promise for others. Amen.

Prayer for December 2-8, 2018 

Sermon Text: Luke 12:25-36

Tune our hearts to treasure what You value most

Generous Provider, we worry so much—some of us incessantly—but we neither enrich nor lengthen our lives by doing so. Help us to set aside our many worries!

Enable us to trust You more completely. Give us accurate understanding of our true needs. Help us to receive your many gifts with gratitude.

Enable us to receive your reign with gladness and thanksgiving. Tune our hearts and minds so that we treasure the things that You value most, that You desire and make secure for us.

Train us to set aside all worry about food, drink, clothing, and everything else we worry about, in order to seek the consummation of your reign among us by acts of faithful witness, service and compassion—including providing for those who lack food, drink, clothing and other necessities. 

Help us to live in constant readiness to welcome your presence among us. Amen.

Prayer for November 25-December 1 2018 

Sermon Text: John 18:28-40

That we may be true and truthful followers

Jesus - You were among us as one who spoke and embodied truth. You instructed in ways that demonstrated that truth is not limited to propositional statements and direct claims, but is often symbolic, parabolic, playful, elusive, even paradoxical.

You also showed that truth is a quality of relationships of solidarity and compassion that bring healing, liberation, forgiveness, restoration, and energy for new life.

Truth, as embodied and spoken, throughout your ministry, was often resisted, especially by those who seemed most religious or righteous, those whose lives were most settled and secure. We are saddened that it is no different among us today.

Some days we are as cynical as Pilate. Other days we subtly resist allowing truth to permeate our relationships with others because it is much easier to argue about propositional and credal statements or political agendas—to cling to the high ground we believe we hold as we contend with others--than it is to embody truth in our responses to one another. 

Truthful One, let us come to You. Enable us to be true and truthful followers. Amen.

Prayer for November 18-24, 2018 

Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 1:1-20

That the blessings we receive will overflow to others

Listening God, how readily You hear the cries of those who pour out their hearts to You. You heed voices filled with grief and anguish. You recognize the echoes of shattered dreams. And you draw near!

You draw near in words of priestly blessing. You draw near in the loving touch of a friend, child, or spouse. You draw near in the hidden moments of our daily lives in order to do wonders for which we no longer hoped.

You remove the sadness from our faces. You straighten our posture. You enable us to move forward, in trust, even before there is any sign that You are answering our prayers.

Giver of hope, we rejoice in the ways You surprise us by your generosity. We rejoice in the myriad ways that You bless us. We rejoice that You enable us to worship You by dedicating what You give us to your service.      

Enable us to let the blessings You give overflow to bless many other lives. Amen.

Prayer for November 11-17, 2018 

Sermon Texts: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Psalm 127; 1 Kings 17:7-16; Mark 12:38-44

That we may be your partners is sustaining the vulnerable

God of wonders, we rejoice that You care for the most vulnerable among us in ways that sometimes surpass our imagination. You provide abundance where resources are thin. You sustain life when death looms. You answer trust with your own amazing fidelity.

You sustain those who are displaced, oppressed and vulnerable. You bring hope to fruition. You enable generosity even where resources seem inadequate.

You undermine our ostentatious and self-serving actions by prophetic examples of self-giving trust, obedience and generosity.

Forgive us for our selfishness. Forgive us when we seek honor from others by acting in ways that only appear generous and faithful.  

Enable us to be partners, with You, in sustaining the vulnerable and bringing your presence, your resources, your fidelity, your healing, liberation and peace into their lives. As we act in trust, make us vulnerable enough to perceive and receive the gifts that You enable them to share. Amen.

Prayer for November 4-10, 2018 

Sermon Text: Ruth 1:1-22

That we may be welcoming companions of exiles and immigrants

God of all creatures, so many people are forced to leave their homes and migrate to other places because of famine, poverty, tragic loss, illness, persecution and war. A few, like Ruth, make difficult journeys as an act of commitment and love for other people. Though it is not always evident to us, and though some never find a permanent place to settle and call home, You travel with them.

We remember Israel in bondage and freedom. We remember that You intervened to end their slavery. We remember that You journeyed with them as they traveled home to a land that none of them had ever seen. We remember that You were companion, provider and protector. You made new life possible.

Enable us to walk in companionship and solidarity with those who have become exiles and immigrants, who wander and suffer and often find their way obstructed by those of us who have settled lives and abundant resources, but who allow fear to control our responses.  

Enable us to act as agents of your compassion, advocacy, and protection. Enable us to work for the healing of all nations so that fewer people will be displaced by unsettling events. Open our hearts wide for welcome. Amen.

Prayer for October 28-November 3, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 10:46-52

That we may follow You in the way

Jesus, we rejoice in your ability to give sight to the blind. We rejoice in your readiness to be interrupted and your willingness to listen to the urgent calls of those who seek your healing touch. We rejoice in your ability to hear faith in the voices of those we are tempted to silence or push to the side. We rejoice that You welcome the newly healed to follow in your way. 

Forgive us when we create an obstacle course for those who are seeking You. Forgive us when we forget that You are ready and able to act on behalf of those who are most vulnerable, those who cry with greatest urgency because they have nowhere else to turn.

Open our eyes so we may see You more clearly and pursue your mission with renewed intensity. Amen.

Prayer for October 21-27, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 10:35-45

That we may abandon entitlements to serve others

Jesus, we may not have the audacity to ask for the most important positions of power beside You, but it is not uncommon for us to believe that we deserve favored status, special attention, and extra leniency from You. Many of us are so accustomed to our entitlements that we expect You to maintain our status as those entitled to larger portions and easier access to the abundance You have created for all people.

Our competition with one another about who is most entitled to roles of power and authority, or who should have least restricted access to resources, creates resentment and anger that undermines our ability to live together as your One people.  

Forgive us for our selfishness and our lust for power. Forgive us for driving a wedge between us and our sisters and brothers. Alter our thinking and transfer our energy from seeking our own advantage to serving others in ways that enable them to experience the fullness and fruitfulness of life that You intend for all people. We would follow your example in this, but we need much help. Amen.

Prayer for October 14-20, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 10:17-31

That we may relinquish everything that keeps us from following You without reserve

Jesus, we want eternal life by and in your presence. But we want everything else that we can get too.

We are so accustomed to excessive options that we are inclined to think that we can have as much as we want, or as much as we can afford, and then stuff you in the sack of our lives with everything else.

We are so deceived and enslaved by our wealth that we do not perceive the ways that this idolatry nullifies much of the good that we attempt to do. We fail to see how wealth commands our time, attention, energy—in fact, our devotion.

Let those who are not deceived by wealth remain free of its control. Let those of us who are already deceived and controlled find liberation in your powerful word that can break every chain.  

Enable us to celebrate the great riches that You have dispersed among your children without feeling compelled to possess an excess for ourselves. Enable us to relinquish everything that keeps us from following You with our whole being. Amen.

Prayer for October 7-13, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 10:2-16

That we may gladly welcome others into your presence

God, sometimes we imagine that our deepest relationships, like marriage, are valuable only as long as they are convenient for us. We want our way in all things, and we are ready to abandon those who are not helping us get what we want. We are unable, or unwilling, to practice fidelity when that becomes challenging to us. We harden our hearts toward your desire for us as we harden ourselves toward those who have given themselves to us without reserve. We even try to marshal your word in defense of disposable relationships.

You urge and hold us to faithful practices. You compel us to keep our hearts open to those who are already part of our lives, and then open them wider to embrace those who come near in vulnerability and need and strangeness. 

Let our hearts be open to children and to others who seem to trust You implicitly and without calculation. Let us follow them in glad reception of your presence and reign among us. Amen.

Prayer for September 30-October 6, 2018 

Sermon Text: Esther 7:1-10, 9:20-22

That we may be at your disposal for your saving purpose

God of mercy, we rejoice that You frequently raise up people of courage to intervene for your people when they are in jeopardy. We rejoice that You provide wise guides who enable your chosen agents to recognize crisis, understand the kind of courage and action that are needed, and then respond faithfully.

You have saved your people in so many circumstances, responding in surprising ways and through diverse people who put their lives at your disposal, and great risk, in order to serve others.

Enable us to put ourselves at your disposal for your purposes. Help us to see that now is the time for many kinds of faithful action. Give us courage to risk ourselves for You and your people.  

When You act in saving ways, open our hearts to celebrate with great joy, never forgetting all that You have done for us. We rejoice in You! Amen.

Prayer for September 23-29, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 9:30-37

That we may give up competition for hospitality

Jesus, even though we seldom argue, publicly, about which of us is greatest, which of us deserves to be closest to You and share your power, we are frequently comparing ourselves to each other, assessing our brothers and sisters in ways that make us look better to ourselves, and vying for preeminence within the community of believers.

You show us an alternative way by becoming Servant of All. You give yourself completely to and for us. You walk the way of obedience and service in spite of knowing that great suffering lies ahead.

You make no grand claims for yourself.* You do not compare yourself with those around You. Instead, You act with tenderness and hospitality, embracing those who are commonly weak and overlooked. 

You invite us to do the same. And you assure us that in welcoming those who are weak, we welcome You and the One who sent You. Close our hearts and minds toward competition with one another. Open them for a broad practice of hospitality. Amen.

* In the context of Mark, most significant, direct claims for Jesus are not made by him.

Prayer for September 16-22, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 8:27-38

That dedicated action will match our words of acclamation

Jesus, we want to see You for who you really are! We want to respond to You as You deserve! But our vision is easily distorted by our experiences and by cultural influences that exert a powerful shaping force upon us.

We want You to guarantee power, success and victory for our nation. We want you to guarantee our security and freedom.

We also want You to guarantee that we, as individuals and as a congregation, will be wealthy, wise, independent and secure. We want lives of guaranteed health and freedom from suffering.

You come, not as our national or personal conquering hero, but as Suffering Servant. You come and walk among us the path that leads to rejection and death.   

And You have the audacity to call us to follow You in this difficult way. You call us to give our whole selves for You, without reserve, and find our most true selves and our most full life by doing so.

Enable us to see You clearly. Enable us to acclaim You as God’s Chosen One and match our words of acclamation with dedicated action that is aligned with your identity and your call upon our lives. Amen.

Prayer for September 9-15, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 7:24-37

Transform our minds as we respond to strangers

God of all creatures, open our ears so that we may hear the urgent, persistent calls of strangers in need. Open our eyes so that we may perceive their humanity with all of their tenacity and cleverness. Instruct our tongues so we may speak words of blessing and hope. Open our hearts so we may respond with neighborly compassion. Expand our vision so we may comprehend that the scope of your concern exceeds our expectations and that your mission extends to all people, including some whom we are inclined to spurn.  

Bring us face-to-face with those whom we do not know and often fear. Transform our minds through such encounters. Bring healing and reconciliation in and through us. We praise You for what You are able to do among us as we remain open to your guidance. Amen.

Prayer for September 2-8, 2018

Sermon Text: (James 1:17-27

That we may remember who You have called us to be

Father of heavenly lights, we rejoice in the many wondrous gifts You have given to us. We rejoice in your word that birthed us as living signs of your ultimate renewal of all creation.

Enable us to be guided by thanksgiving and generosity as we respond to our brothers and sisters in faith. Enable us to hold our tongues so that we may listen well to each other. Prevent us from erupting with anger that undermines your righteous desire.  

Enable us to set aside all evil and do what You have instructed us to do. Do not let us forget who we are, but enable us to be the people You have created and called us to be.  Let our faith be full and active—expressed through acts of kindness for the most weak and vulnerable among us. Enable us to love You and our many neighbors with unsullied hearts. Amen.

Prayer for August 26-September 1, 2018 

Sermon Text: Psalm 84

That we may remember who You have called us to be

Glorious God, we yearn for You with all the energy our bodies can muster. We yearn for You with our clearest thoughts and our most compelling emotions. We Know that You are always present with us, but we want to live with greater consciousness of your nearness. We want to sing your praise continually and find our strength in You daily.

As we journey in your presence, enable us to find refreshment even in the most arid and bitter places. As we face steep climbs and difficult circumstances, renew and increase our courage and energy.

We choose life in your presence over autonomy and wealth. We rejoice in your generous provision.  We celebrate the favor You show us as we trust in You.  

God Almighty, we seek your glory! Amen.

That You will energize us as we seek You

Lord Almighty, we long for your presence. Our whole being has cried out for You, as though we knew all along that only You could satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts.

We are always seeking You. We delight to sing your praise. We yearn to stay near You.

When we journey to You, the driest valleys flow with streams of living water and become green with life. When we face difficult ascents, anticipation of your presence energizes and accelerates our steps.

You have answered our yearning by dwelling among us in Jesus, your Chosen One. You have set your Spirit among us to comfort, guide and energize us. You have given us far more than we asked or imagined.  

We rejoice in your nearness. We rejoice in the honor You bestow and the generous gifts that You give. Your presence is your greatest gift. We cling to You! Amen.

Note: I accidentally wrote two prayers for this Sunday. The bottom prayer was written weeks in advance, but I forgot I had written it. The top prayer was written during the week preceding August 26, and was used in our worship service for that day.

Prayer for August 19-25, 2018 

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14

That we may be given discerning hearts and discerning leaders

God of all, we pray that You will give us discerning hearts so that we may fulfill our responsibilities and respond to our neighbors with integrity, compassion and faithfulness.

We also ask that You will give us political leaders who seek a discerning heart in order to serve their constituencies in ways that benefit the entire citizenry. Give us leaders who are not hungry for power and who are not seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of the communities they serve.

Give us compassionate leaders who will lead us in caring for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Give us leaders who will be first to extend a hand of welcome to strangers. Give us generous leaders who will show us how to share resources wisely. Give us leaders who will act with respect toward all lives, even those of our declared enemies. Give us leaders who delight in and protect the beauty of your creation and who will not treat it as though it is ours to utilize in any way that we please. 

God, grant us leaders who will be models of disciplined attentiveness and obedience to your word. Give us discerning hearts about such leadership. Amen

Prayer for August 12-18, 2018 

Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:25-5:2

That we may be guided and formed in the way of love

Spirit of God, guide and form us in the way of love. Enable us to walk as Jesus walked, in imitation of God our Creator. Let our lives be a fragrant offering to the One whom we love above all others.

Remind us, daily, of our unity in Christ, and enable us to speak in ways that bless and build up our many sisters and brothers.

Teach us to deal wisely with anger. Strip bitterness and rage from our hearts. Do not allow any form of anger to become a wedge through which evil penetrates our lives in order to dominate us and separate us from each other.

Enable us to do useful works of service for each other so we may share joyfully in the blessed life that You intend for us. 

Let our individual and corporate lives be characterized by abundant kindness and compassion. Help us forgive with grateful and generous hearts. Amen.

Prayer for August 5-11, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 6:24-35

That we may perceive your glory and be moved to invest our whole lives in service of your reign

Jesus, Bread of Life, enable us to trust You fully. Enable us to draw nourishment from your presence and action among us. Enable us to abandon our anxious grasping and find satisfaction and rest in You.

We rejoice that You provide for our true needs! Forgive us when we seek You only because You have filled our bellies or met some other need that seemed urgent to us. Enable us to comprehend your identity and your glory in adequate measure to move us to invest our whole selves in pursuing and serving God’s reign among us.  

Sharpen our focus on what You are doing among us. Straighten and strengthen our steps as we follow You in gratitude and hope. Amen.

Prayer for July 29-August 4, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 6:1-21

That we may release our anxious grasp on many things so You may use them to do your wondrous works

Christ Jesus, we seldom think that our available resources are adequate for our own needs. We certainly think them inadequate for the massive need that we see in our communities and in the wider world around us.    

But You are able to take what we offer to You, bless it, break it, and share it in ways that bring satisfaction to many. You are able to do what seems impossible to us as You trust in God’s provision and act with compassion.

Give us a clearer vision of how You may act among us as we trust You deeply. Enable us to step beyond fear whether we face tempestuous times or overwhelming needs. Enable us to release resources from our anxious grasp so that You may do your wondrous works. 

Sometimes we are terrified, but mostly we are awed and delighted by your presence and action. We rejoice in You! Amen.

Prayer for July 22-28, 2018 

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 7:1-17

That we may be mindful of the ways our lives are sustained by your choice, initiative and mercy

God our Creator and Redeemer, thank You for your word of correction and guidance that often prevents us from running ahead of your plan for us. Thank You for the prophetic reminder that You do not need us to do things for You, as though You lacked resources and had unmet needs.

Thank You for showing us that our life with You is created and sustained by your choice, by your initiative, by your mercy and faithfulness.

We rejoice in You. We rejoice in your covenant promises that give us identity and hope. We rejoice in your constant companionship and attentive care. 

Enable us to live into your promises by trusting You fully, setting aside anxiety, and living with thanksgiving that produces loving generosity toward our many neighbors. May our lives bring praise to You! Amen.

Prayer for July 15-21, 2018 

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 6:1-19

That joy unspeakable may course through our life together

God, we spend so much time trying to keep our emotions and our lives under control. We spend so much time attempting to act in ways that we hope will match the expectations of people around us.

Take us out of ourselves in order to be deeply engaged with You. Let us worship You with abandon and without concern for how others may perceive us. Let joy unspeakable course through our life together. May our hearts be wholly yours.

When our worship is complete, enable us to respond to the people in our lives with compassion and forgiveness. Root out arrogance and meanness among us.

We give ourselves to You as completely as we can because You have given yourself completely in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Prayer for July 8-14, 2018

Sermon Text: Mark 6:1-13

That we may move beyond our settled assumptions to receive your gifts and carry on your ministry

Jesus, we rejoice in your wise instruction. We rejoice that You proclaim God’s nearness and call us to repentance so that we may enter into the life of freedom and joy that God intends for us. We rejoice that You are able to heal and liberate from the dominating power of impure spirits.

But we are saddened and sorry that in our easy familiarity with You and our lack of trust in You, we often limit your ability to do works of healing and liberation among us.

Forgive us for our settled assumptions about what You are able to do. Forgive us for closing and hardening our hearts to your life-giving works.

Forgive us! Transform us! Energize us!  

Send us to neighbors near and far in order to tell about what You have done among us, and to act as your agents of healing and liberation. As we act as agents of your reign, help us not to be overly concerned about the provisions we are able to assemble, but to trust You to energize us, help us, and fill us with your own courage and compassion. Amen.

Prayer for July 1-7, 2018

Sermon Text: Mark 5:21-43

That we may trust You for healing and be agents of your healing

Christ Jesus, we cry to You for healing. We stretch our hands to touch even the hem of your garment. We plead for healing on behalf of our loved ones.

We easily reach the limit of our ability. We frequently exhaust the best of our resources. So we turn to You. We often wait until there is nowhere else to turn, but we turn to You with at least a glimmer of hope.

We rejoice in your healing ability. We rejoice that You are able to restore wholeness when all resources have been exhausted and all hope seems to be gone. We rejoice that You are able to recognize the tiny shred of faith that we exercise in desperation.  

Thank You for your healing presence and your healing touch. Let us become agents of your healing for those around us who are sick, injured and disabled. Amen.

Prayer for June 24-30, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 4:35-41

That we may trust You fully when chaos threatens

Jesus, we often face chaotic storms that threaten to swamp our lives or capsize us. Sometimes we remain calm and trust You fully during the threat. At other times we panic and wonder if You really care about our fate.

You do not panic as You respond to our cries. You calm us by your alert presence and by your word that is able to bring order out of chaos.

Some days, however, your powerful presence is even more terrifying to us than the chaos that threatens us.  Then, it becomes clear that we do not fully understand who You are and what You are able to do among us.

Forgive us when our faith is weak. Forgive us when panic overwhelms trust. Forgive us when we are terrified by your presence. Forgive us when we underestimate your ability.  

Calm us. Instruct us. Free us from our fears. Fill us with trust and hope. Amen.

Prayer for June 17-23. 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 4:26-34

That we may do the right work at the right time and trust You for harvest

Sovereign, we know that the presence and extension of your reign among us is not under our control. We know that your reign moves and grows in mystery, but in the end will provide shelter for a vast multitude who draw near You in hope.

We know that the tasks You give us to complete in faith do not cause growth or force a harvest of life. Still, we ask that You will enable us to scatter seed with generosity, await abundant growth with patience, and reap with eagerness what You have caused to grow ripe and ready for harvest.  

Do not let us grow weary or apathetic about the possibilities for new life and harvest. Give us energy to do the right work at the right time. We leave the rest to You! Amen.

Prayer for June 10-16, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 3:20-35

Open our hearts wide to the new vitality You bring

Jesus, You stood out among the prophets in so many ways, but not in this: those who were fully invested in and fully certain of their theology or politics resisted your odd teaching that offered new life.

They assumed You were crazy. They assumed You were possessed by a destructive evil spirit. Your instruction and action challenged religious control that condemned and excluded those who were on the margins of society. You challenged the common politics of power and wealth.

So . . . You were demonized. And since You posed a threat to the standard religion and politics of your day, You had to live your life under threat.

Even now, You challenge the religion of certainty and control and exclusion. Even now, You challenge the politics of power and wealth. Even now, diligent following of your way is perceived as a threat to the powers that be. Even now, we resist You.  

Soften our hearts and open them wide to receive the new vitality that You would bring among us. Amen.

Prayer for June 3-9, 2018 

Sermon Text: Mark 2:23-3:6

That we may find unity and peace together as we rest in You

God, our Creator, we rejoice that You set the Sabbath aside as a day of rest, a day to trust You for our provisions and to trust that the world will run true without our labor.

God our Savior, we rejoice that You have given us Sabbath as a day of remembrance, a day to recall your great deliverance of Israel from slavery, a day to practice equality and allow it to shape the other days of our lives.

Forgive us when we fail to see the great gift that Sabbath is to us. Forgive us when we ignore it or turn it into a slavish practice. Forgive us when we fail to see Sabbath as an opportunity for healing and renewal and when we resist the healing, life-giving word that You would speak into our lives and into the lives of our neighbors and enemies. 

Teach us to trust You enough to set aside our labor. Teach us to trust You enough to allow others to have their rest. Enable us to find unity and peace together as we rest in You and remember your mighty acts of mercy. Amen.

Note: I was unhappy with this prayer, after using it in worship, so I wasn't sure I would post it. Problem: most Christians do not actually keep Sabbath, but worship on the Lord's day. The principle of Sabbath, as rest and trust in God, as well as a practice and impetus to equality are valid for us, but the prayer makes it sound as if we are required to keep the traditional Sabbath day as a communal practice. Here is the prayer for you to make what use you can of it. - dka 6/10/2018

Prayer for May 27-June 2, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 3:1-17

That your Spirit will blow a new life of freedom into us

God, so often when we come to You, we do not know how to form either our questions or our requests.

We come in need, and encounter You in mystery, and, at times, have no greater clarity when we finish than when we started.

But You know us! You know our deepest concerns before we are able to voice them. You know the yearning of our hearts. You know the obstacles to faith that have grown up within us.

You are not stymied by our confusion or lack of faith. So we ask that You send your Spirit to blow through us and liberate us for new life.  

Enable us to focus on Jesus. Enable us to trust. Let the life of your eternal realm course through us now.  

We rejoice that You act for our salvation and are slow to condemn. We rejoice in You! Day after day we rejoice in You! Amen.

Prayer for May 20-26, 2018 

Sermon Texts: Acts 2:1-21, John 15:26-16:15

That we who seem as good as dead may experience your renewing power

Jesus, we rejoice that You have not left us to fend for ourselves as we try to live faithfully in a world that is often hostile to meaningful faith. We rejoice that You have given your Spirit as companion, comforter and instructor.

We rejoice that the outpouring of your Spirit fulfills God’s promise to Israel, and that it enters and energizes your people for witness and ministry without regard to age, gender and other distinctions.

We rejoice that your Spirit is a gift made possible by your resurrection from death, and that we who often seem as good as dead may experience the renewing power that makes dry bones live.  

May the Spirit of truth and life empower us to live in alternative ways to all of the deceitful and death-dealing practices around us. May we be your Spirit people. Amen.

Prayer for May 13-19, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 17:6-19

That we may be thorough expressions of living truth

Christ Jesus, we rejoice that you prayed for the protection of your disciples so that they could be one as You and your Holy Father are one.

Protect us from the evil one and from every evil influence that diminishes our humanity and undermines our joy in following You. Fuse our lives so thoroughly that we are truly of one heart and mind.

Enable others to see the truth about who You are as they observe the unity and love among us.

Let our lives be thorough expressions of living truth and be fully set aside for the service of God’s reign in this world that we inhabit. Enable us to go gladly to witness and serve and give us patience and endurance when we are subject to the hatred of those who reject You. 

We rejoice that You continue to intercede and advocate for your followers in every age, and that your prayers for our unity, protection and joy have been fulfilled, in a significant measure, in our lives. Amen.

Prayer for May 6-12, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 15:9-17

That we may gladly act as beloved agents of your love

Jesus, help us not to forget that our entire life proceeds from the love that You received from God the Father and then bestowed upon us.

We are surrounded by holy love. We are commanded to love. We are energized for love.

Help us practice love for You by obeying your instruction with gladness. Help us to love our neighbors by giving of ourselves for them as You have given yourself completely for us.

As we love You and love our neighbors, fill us with your joy. Enable us to act in ways that have an enduring impact on others while bringing glory to your name. 

We gladly act as beloved agents of your love! Amen.

Prayer for April 29-May 5, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 15:1-8

That every useless feature and false attachment may be pruned from our lives

Christ Jesus, True Vine, we rejoice that our lives are intimately linked to yours. We rejoice that your life flows through us and energizes us for faithful and fruitful life. We remain in You because we know that there is no other source of life, no other way of fruitfulness.

Forgive us when forget and think that we can sustain life without You. Forgive us when we choose the delusion of autonomy that leads to fruitlessness and death. Transform our minds and restore us. 

Prune every useless feature and false attachment from our lives. Let nothing obstruct the vitality that flows from your life to ours. Let abundant good works flow from our life on behalf of our many neighbors. May others see that we are yours and give glory to God for God’s enduring love. Amen.

Prayer for April 22-28, 2018 

Sermon Text: John 10:11-18

That we may lay our lives down for You as we follow You

Jesus, Good Shepherd, we rejoice in You! We rejoice that You know us and call us by name. We rejoice that You have revealed yourself to us and enabled us to know You and recognize your voice. We rejoice that You have gathered us together and that You are still gathering many to be part of your beloved flock.

Continue to lead us in the path of freedom and fruitfulness. Keep feeding us by your word. Quell our anxiety so that we may rest in your presence. Protect us from every danger that threatens to ravage and destroy our faith. Stay with us in the midst of every trial.

You are the One who has given your life for your sheep. And You are the One whom God has raised to new life. We rejoice in the life You have given us, and we lay it down for You as we follow You with deep and abiding joy. Amen.

Prayer for April 15-21, 2018 

Sermon Text: Luke 24:36-49

That your Spirit will fully energize our testimony

Christ Jesus, we rejoice that God raised You from death. We rejoice that You appeared to your disciples and declared your peace to them. We imagine that we would have been just as frightened and confused as they were to encounter You alive after your gruesome death. We imagine that we may have drawn back from the sight of your wounds and felt ashamed that we had abandoned You to face death alone. But, like them, we imagine that confusion and fear would have been transformed into great joy in your presence, even if that joy was still tinged with doubt.

Christ, we rejoice that You have instructed us with great patience. We rejoice that You have opened our minds to receive You in spite of our doubts. We are thankful that You have chosen and enabled us to be witnesses for You and to call others to repentance in your name.

Let your Spirit fully energize our testimony to what we have heard, seen, and learned of You. Help us to give others hope in You, hope in new life that arises beyond suffering and death. Amen.