Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of June 26, 2024
Written by Rev. Tim Best
Gracious Lord,
Break open our hearts. Our hearts break open with both joy and pain. When we burst with joy we share the happiness and the wholeness that we experience from your abundant mercies. In our suffering, our hearts break open with weeping and pain, revealing our need for you and our longing to be made whole. With grace and love, break us open that we might know more fully your love.
We pray for those whose hearts are breaking with pain and loss. We pray for those who have lost loved ones this week. For those covered in grief and sadness, lift some of the weight from their hearts. Remind them of your presence, your faithfulness, and your promise of resurrection.
For those who have battled illness and other forms of suffering this week, we pray for recovery and renewal. May they know love and mercy from those who give them care. May those who are caregivers and helpers know a strength and courage found in you alone. We praise you for the gifts of modern medicine, and the abilities of doctors and nurses. Be a constant help to them that they may be help to others.
We give thanks for all the mercies of this week. For those who rejoice in the joys of seeing a favorite team win, for those who have been recently married, and for those children learning and playing at VBS, we are thankful for their joy. Help us to always be thankful for even the smallest mercies and joys in our lives.
Open us continually to the direction of your Holy Spirit. Break us open that we might be continually made new in your grace. Help us all to know and name those ways of service and worship to which you call each of us. It is in trust of your gratuitous grace that we offer all those concerns that fill our hearts.
Break open our hearts now as we share those joys and concerns of this, our Church Street family…
We pray for …
- A member’s mother who is in ICU. Thankful she is off of the respirator. Prayers for strength.
- Friends and family members who are going through hard times; praying for people we love.
- A family who is embarking on a journey. May they experience joy, love, safety, and healing. May God touch each of their precious hearts and minds.
- A long-time friend who has just been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia; beginning treatments. Prayers for full remission.
- One who is traveling for several weeks; may she be comforted by precious memories as she deals with grieving.
- Those who are traveling to see family, celebrate memories, and scatter ashes.
- One is being deployed to Qatar; prayers for safety.
- All of the men and women in the military.
- Praying for one who has been serving in the Red Sea and will be heading back soon.
- A member who is grieving the death of her brother and dealing with the declining health of their mother.
- One who is moving to California to be closer to children; may all go smoothly and may he feel at home.
- A member who is receiving chemo.
- A member who is grieving the death of his brother but gives thanks for Eternal Light and Health.
- All of the children at Vacation Bible School.
- A co-worker who is very ill with infection and has had two surgeries this week.
- A friend who fell off a ladder and has multiple injuries.
- A couple going through a divorce; very difficult on both.
- A nephew who is battling colon and pancreatic cancer and is now in hospital after a fall. Prayers for his mother who also has cancer (bladder cancer) and just had a heart stent put in.
We continue to pray for …
- Adult children who find themselves making decisions for parents about health and welfare.
- Young adults struggling to find work and places to live; the world seems to be against them!
- A young couple who is wanting to start a family…
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for …
- A Sunday School class who has been so supportive.
- A friend whose esophageal cancer surgery was a success. Thankful for soft foods!
- Coach V and the Vols! It is so good for Knoxville to have something we can all celebrate TOGETHER!
Break open the heart of our church that we might be signpost of your coming kingdom, for which we pray, saying…
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.
