Prayer for January 17-23, 2021
Sermon Text: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 

That our anxious, wandering hearts may be stilled and held close in your love

We rejoice in You, our God! We rejoice that we live and move and have our being in You. We are astonished by those times when your presence seems to hover particularly close, when we seem to be enfolded and enrapt in your love, like that of a young lover. We are amazed, comforted, and sometimes nervous, that You know us thoroughly enough to know even our thoughts, like two friends or lovers who have walked together for many years.

You complete our lives. You reveal yourself, your world, and even our selves to us in ways that we could not begin to discover by our own will and intellect. Yet mystery remains! And we rejoice in the continued unfolding of mystery in your presence and action that creates both awe and delight.

You have kept us close to your love even when we have been inclined to wander. You have stilled our hearts, even when we have been anxious and fearful. We rejoice in You, our God!  Amen.

Prayer for January 10-16, 2021
Sermon Texts: Genesis 1:1-5, Mark 1:4-11, Acts 19:1-7

That we may remain attentive to your Spirit and not quench the Spirit's work

Living God, we rejoice in the wonders of creation, which your Spirit hovered over in love as the creative word was spoken. We rejoice in the wisdom of your works and in the delight that You have given us through them.

Murmuring Spirit, we rejoice that You descended upon Jesus as he emerged from the waters of baptism, and as God's voice declared his special identity. We rejoice that You led him through temptation, then through every moment of his ministry--guiding him, energizing him--enabling him to fulfill God's promises to the world God loves.

Wondrous God, we rejoice that You have fulfilled your promise to pour out your Spirit on all people. Your Spirit has refreshed, guided, comforted, and energized us in ways that we could not have imagined. Enable us to remain attentive to the movement of your Spirit among us and not quench the Spirit's work. Amen.

 

Prayer for January 3-9, 2021
Sermon Text: John 1:1-18

That our trust will make your presence and love known on a broad scale

Jesus, we adore You. We praise your name. We rejoice in all that God has done through You.

We have received You with glad hearts. We have trusted You in the midst of all the challenges of life. We acknowledge You as:

• Living Word,
• Creator of all things,
• Source of all life,
• Light that gives vision, wisdom and understanding,
• Bearer of God's glory,
• Giver of many gifts of grace,
• Truth embodied, and
• God with us.

Forgive us when we fail to perceive that You make newness possible in our lives. Enable us to trust You in ways that make your presence and love known on a broad scale. Amen.

Prayer for December 27, 2020-January 2, 2021
Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-40

That we may have an urgent desire to see your love brought to fruition in all whom You love

Loving God--You who throw the net of your love wide--we worship You! We rejoice in your presence! We thank You for your many wonderful works among us! We celebrate all that You have done for us, in us, and through us, through Jesus, who embodied your goodness and love among us.

Forgive us, Merciful One, when we become narrowly focused upon our own self-interest. Forgive us when we fail to see that our salvation is not merely a private matter, but is linked to the well-being of people everywhere, and to the whole of your wondrous creation.

Expand our vision, Enlightening One. Enable us to see the connections that You created and that You are renewing in Christ Jesus. Give us an urgent desire to see your redeeming love brought to fruition in all whom You love. Move us, by your Spirit, to the places where we may see your presence most fully and participate in your mission most energetically.

We praise You as we await the final fulfillment of your promises. Amen.

Prayer for December 20-26, 2020
Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-38

That we may say, "Yes," to your call with courage and trust

God of wonders, sometimes You send your messengers to announce and ask the strangest things. They declare your favor, your good intentions for us. They tell us not to be afraid and enable us to find peace in your presence. Then they ask us to be involved in your mission in the world in ways that require that we invest our lives fully, and take significant risks as we do so.

We take those risks because we trust You. You have been faithful to us, even when we have been faithless. We take those risks because we want to reciprocate the love that we have received so continuously and bountifully from You. We take those risks because we want to participate in the new thing that You are doing as You renew your people and renew all of creation.

 

Forgive us when we are overly fearful. Forgive us when we shy away from your call upon our lives. Enable us to say "Yes," with courage, and trust You as we take the risks required to participate in your reign of peace, justice, and compassion. Amen.

Prayer for December 13-19, 2020
Sermon Text: Psalm 126

That our speech and songs will declare the "great things" You have done for us

God of covenant--You who see and judge the sins of your people as an expression of your love; You who remember your own in their time of grief, loss, and exile; You who create new futures when it seems that life has collapsed and no hope is possible--we rejoice in You because You do not forget us even when we have forgotten You.

We rejoice that You know our needs better than we do. But we also rejoice that You long to bring us home to You. You seek to create lives of fullness and joy. You flood our lives with blessing that surprises and sometimes overwhelms us.

God of mercy and grace, we rejoice that You have restored our fortunes. We rejoice that You have give us a place to live and work. We rejoice that You have seen our tears of grief and joy, and that You have enabled us to declare the "great things" You have done for us in both our speech and our songs.

We sing with joy to You, Eternal One, our only hope and joy. Amen.

Prayer for December 6-12, 2020
Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:1-11

That we may prepare your way so others may return from places of pain and exile

God of all creation, we worship You. We praise You for the many ways that You have intervened in the lives of your people.

     

We thank You that You are faithful both in judgment and in mercy. We thank You for your forgiveness. We rejoice that You rescue your people from the most desperate circumstances and lead them home from distant places of exile.

Forgive us when we forget You. Forgive us when we turn from You. Forgive us when we place our hope in things that we have created, rather than in your enduring word and glorious presence.

Enable us to prepare your way so that others may also return from places of pain and exile. Enable us to trust You, in every moment, as we answer your call upon our lives. Amen.