Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 11, 2021
Written by Rev. Tim Best
Gracious and Merciful God, you have indeed blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing that comes from heaven. We confess our tendency to grasp for more, while discarding the abundance which you have given us. Make us mindful of the many ways in which we are blessed and through which we are called to be a blessing to all those around us.
In a world that can often appear to be ruled by forces that divide, depress, and isolate, you, O God, have chosen us in Christ to enter into your presence. We pray that we might be a sign of your presence in the world. We pray for our youth who have gone out into our community this week and have partnered with our neighbors to make a difference in our city. We also pray for the children who have gathered to learn to sing your praises during children’s choir camp. Fill the youth, children, and their adult leaders with the certain knowledge of your abiding love, and give them energy for their labors.
God, you have destined us to be adopted children through Jesus Christ because of his love. We rejoice that have been called and claimed as children and heirs; give us patient humility to recognize that Jesus’ love is a gift we are called to share. Guide us to reach out in love to those who are alone, to those who we do not understand, and to those we would see as enemies. Our inclusion into God’s family is pure gift, help us to see all others as those who have also been invited into fellowship with God.
And within the fellowship of Church Street UMC, we lift up our praises and our concerns, believing that you will continue to hear us, to love us, and to heal us:
Thanksgivings:
- Family appreciates prayers for ill wife, much improved
- Thanksgiving: Husband’s injury will not require surgery
- Celebration of a young son’s baptism last Sunday
- Gratitude: Husband’s cancer scans were all clear
- Gratitude: Grandson has completed lymphoma treatments
- Family thankful for church member’s visit to an ill husband
- One grateful for safe travel during storms
- Sustaining grace for a bereaved family
- God’s hand in bringing about a change of heart
- Parents offer gratitude for a daughter’s wedding
- Adult son’s heart tests were clear
Concerns:
- Safety and guidance for sisters assisting ill relatives in California
- Comfort and peace for a husband/father nearing death
- Healing grace for a mother with bone cancer
- Prayers for reparation of a broken relationship
- A daughter and son-in-law with Covid and their family
- Continued prayers for brother with cancer
- Longtime friend with advanced liver and lung cancer
- Healing relationships within a family
- Prayers for one undergoing knee surgery on the 19th
- Healing mercies for member having neck surgery next week
- Continued healing for one in radiation treatment
- Diagnosis for young niece experiencing seizures
- Mother with fractured pelvis
- Healing mercies for member beginning cancer treatment this week
- Prayers for friend with cancer undergoing bone marrow transplant
- Physical strength for wife and husband in physical therapy
- Healing for an ill couple, professional performers
We pray in faith for that day when you will bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth. We pray for those who have died, and for those who grieve. We pray for peace amongst the nations, and for the unity of our community.
Living God, help us so to hear your holy Word that we may truly understand; that, understanding, we may believe, and, believing, we may follow in all faithfulness and obedience, seeking your honor and glory in all that we do; through Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray in this way:
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.
