Weekly Prayer – October 16, 2024

Written by Rev. Catherine Nance

Dear Friends, since Early Voting began today and many of us take advantage of that, I am offering this guided prayer from a UM clergy in Ohio, Rev. Todd Richards, of Scioto Ridge UMC in Hilliard, Ohio. 

He offers this guided meditation for “before you vote on November 5,” but let’s pray this together now. United Methodists have a strong tradition of being active participants in our democracy and in our voting.  

Blessings to you, 

Pastor Catherine 

 Let us join other United Methodists … 

From now until you cast your ballot, we want to invite you to spend some time each day to pray. 

Begin by taking a moment to quiet your heart, mind, and body before the Lord. Take a few deep deep breaths in and out. When you are ready, read The Beatitudes from Matthew 5, pausing after each verse ….   

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 

• Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 

• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

• Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

• Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

When you finish, take a moment to be still and present with the Lord. Sit with the Beatitudes. See God planting each blessing in your heart. Invite God to open your eyes and ears to see and hear how God might help you enter into each of the blessings today. 

Next, pray the St. Francis Prayer for Peace. Read the prayer slowly taking time to pause between each line. This is a prayer of action. We are asking God to do something in us so that we can be instruments of God’s peace in the world. As you pray each line, think of how you might be that instrument, both as you cast your ballot, and as you live throughout the day. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: 

where there is hatred, let me sow love; 

where there is injury, pardon; 

where there is doubt, faith; 

where there is despair, hope; 

where there is darkness, light; 

where there is sadness, joy. 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek 

to be consoled as to console, 

to be understood as to understand, 

to be loved as to love. 

For it is in giving that we receive, 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. 

As you close, invite God’s peace to come upon families, neighbors, and the country as a whole. Pray for Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Tim Walz by name, asking God to keep them safe and for God’s grace to be present with them all. Pray for the other races and issues, national and local, asking God’s love to be palpably present. Finally, ask how we as a congregation might be citizens of God’s Kingdom in this world in the days, weeks, and months to follow. 

Before we read over the concerns offered by our church family, let us join together in praying the prayer that Jesus taught us …..