Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of October 12, 2022
Rev. Catherine Nance
Fall Break! Praise God for Fall Break!
O God of refreshment, you have heard that prayer from teachers, parents, students, and grandparents. Even those who are not in school sense the need for time away.
We pray blessings on families who are able to travel. We pray for their safety.
We pray blessings on families who could not get away because of finances or job responsibilities of parents. Dear God, may children know the joy of ‘staying home’ and getting to snack and stay up a little later. Simple pleasures; restore the goodness of simplicity to our lives!
We pray for school administrators who may be off this week but who are already thinking about standardized testing that comes in the spring and needs for next fall. Student teachers who are trying to get assignments done and portfolios completed.
O God of new beginnings and fresh starts, may all those returning from Fall Break feel a sense of renewal.
This weekend is a big deal, O God! Media and all of the commotion and excitement of a football rivalry. Some are even praying, “Dear God, let us win!” We trust you are an impartial fan, God of all tribes, teams, and people! In the midst of all this fun and in the midst of all the hype, we do pause to pray for sanity and safety. We pray for young men who want to play and do not get the chance. We pray for the families of all coaches – children and spouses – who know the pressure and the lack of privacy and hear the jeers and cheers. We pray for members of marching bands who work as hard as the athletes do. It may seem silly to pray about an upcoming football game, dear God, but we do pray for all the people coming to town. Prayers for safe travels. Prayers for good judgement. Prayers to know that these young men on the field – whether wearing orange or crimson – are sons of parents who work hard and are proud. Bless us all!
Dear God, who stirs up in us the volunteer spirit, we want to say thank you for volunteers in our church. Greeters, ushers, choir members, teachers; folks who come early to plug in coffee pot and to make sure Sunday School is ready. We pray for churches everywhere this weekend, that it will be a good day of worship and fellowship in your Holy Spirit.
As our eyes move from our own church and our own city to the rest of your world, we pray desperately for the madness in Ukraine to stop. We are bold to pray for your intervention, O God! We know that you desire peace in your world. We hurt for soldiers of any uniform who are tired, hungry, and longing for home. May each of us be a beacon of light and peace wherever we are this weekend.
We offer the following petitions on behalf of our members ….
We pray for ….
- Church member whose father died; so thankful all of his children were able to be with him as he peacefully slipped into Eternal Light and Love.
- A member who was in a minor car accident and is dealing with the pain and healing of a broken sternum. May she feel God’s presence.
- A member who has been hospitalized and is waiting to go to rehab.
- A member who fell and shattered hip; prayers for encouragement and wellbeing as she prepares to go to rehab.
- A church member’s husband will have another scan soon; prayers that it will show he is still in remission!
- A young man whose wife just died is now in the hospital with heart issues. Prayers that he can feel God’s strength and healing presence even amidst such grief.
- A member’s nephew who serves in the Coast Guard and was involved in an accident while repelling from a helicopter. Thankful for successful knee surgery! Prayers for continued healing and strength in the three-month rehab.
- A Sunday School teacher who seeks God’s wisdom each week in how to share and what God wants her to teach.
- A member’s husband in the death of his father … prayers for peace.
We continue to pray for ….
- Member whose beloved dog died in cabin fire; everything destroyed. Prayers for emotional healing during such grief.
- Members who continue to move through grief after deaths of spouses, parents, children, and, friends….
- Brother of a member whose livestock and barn were destroyed in a fire in Illinois.
We give thanks for …..
- A member who was released from rehab and has returned to her home!
- Successful surgeries in the past weeks and continued healing!
- A beloved husband, father, and grandfather who is celebrating ten years of being cancer free!
- Rest! Fall break was so needed for this family! Thank you God for change of scenery!
- Blessing of the Animals! Thankful for the special love and grace that our pets show us!
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
