Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 30, 2025
Steve Ricahardson
God in heaven and in our midst: Where did July go? It seems like Independence Day was just last week! But the hot days and not-so-cool nights this week remind us that summer is far from finished. In spite of the heat right now, though, you’ve blessed in our spot of the world with four seasons. There is a nice balance to that, and we are grateful. Maybe with the rapid pace of the passage of time, cooler days of late-summer/early-fall will be with us in the blink of an eye.
We really do want to make the best use of each day you give us. Each one is, after all, the day you have made and given us, one for which we can rejoice and be glad. From our own experiences, we know that, indeed, we rejoice and feel especially glad whenever we help build and support your Kingdom. Inspire us to do so every day.
Yet there are also many days – – especially in 2025’s times of turmoil and abrupt change – – when we are filled with anxiety, restlessness, worry, uncertainty, and the frustrations of waiting…waiting for answers, for help, for justice, for healing, for medical needs, for opportunities to move forward. We wonder why things can’t simply be “just right,” and we long for that. Calm our souls and jittery minds with your loving, compassionate presence, dear Lord. Help us be still and know you are always with us. During such moments of stillness, fill us with spiritual strength, wholeness and inspiration.
Thank you, gracious God, for Church Street United Methodist Church. Thank you for the clergy, staff, members who volunteer in so many ways, and congregational leaders who give freely of their time, talents and skills. Thank you for everyone who participates in this community of faith through worship, praise, singing, serving, seeking and learning. Thank you for Church Street’s openness, hospitality and welcoming of all.
We pray for ….
- A member having a lung biopsy today.
- A member who has been laid off; looking for work.
- One who is grieving the death of a dear friend and mentor.
- A husband who is recovering after a heart attack.
- A member who is recovering from surgery and will go to rehab; prayers for her as she grieves over the recent death of her husband.
- A son dealing with the death of his mother who had been in hospice care; prayers for the father.
- Teachers and administrators who are preparing for the new school year.
- One who is retiring.
- A brother-in-law who was just diagnosed with double pneumonia. He has a long history of health issues. Also, prayers for him and his wife as they struggle through a difficult phrase in their marriage.
- A student who had bone flap surgery this week; prayers for his family and medical team as he prepares for discharge home later.
We continue to pray for ….
- One who has had heart episodes and has been in hospital; now at home recovering.
- A great-niece who is acting as sole caregiver for family member next week while others are traveling.
- One healing from surgery.
- Couples who are wanting to be parents; those waiting on IVF results.
- All who are receiving cancer treatments and dealing with the waiting in between scans and treatments.
- A niece who has a long road of recovery ahead; continued prayers for strength.
- Members of our families who are adjusting to being in assisted living or memory care facilities; the transitions are hard for the caregivers. May all know God’s peace.
- Family members and friends going through difficult times.
- Young adults who are struggling to find meaningful work.
We give thanks for ….
- A wonderful pediatrician!
- World leaders responding to crisis in Gaza.
Once again, we now join together now in prayer with others in our congregation for these special requests and petitions. Please, merciful Lord, know of our collective pleas for your holy responses…
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – August 6, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of August 6, 2025
Rev. Tim Best
Gracious God,
We give you thanks and praise that you give to each of us the ability to learn and to wonder. What a joy it is to witness a young person discover something that excites and intrigues them. You give us creative spirits to make and create using the knowledge and skills we have received out of the kindness and dedication of mentors and teachers.
On the eve of Knox county schools returning, and as other schools have already begun, we pray for all those who will learn, teach, and serve in our schools this year. We pray for students who are excited and yet a bit nervous for the first day. We pray for parents who are juggling schedules and household budgets in an effort to support the learning of children. We pray for teachers that have spent days preparing rooms and lessons. We ask that you would protect students as they travel to school each day. We pray for those who work to care for buildings and facilities that students use to learn and to play.
Open all of our hearts to be continually looking to learn and grow. Continue instruct all of us in the faith. Help us to see the ways that we can grow in our empathy, patience, kindness, and charity to one another. We know that to learn is more than memorizing facts. Help us come to see the world with fresh eyes, and renew our faith through engaging our minds.
We are thankful for all the ways that learning can produce change. We are thankful for the miracles of modern medicine that result from research and inquiry. We pray for those who are sick and suffering, pray for such miracles in their own lives. Give comfort to those who grieve and may they find hope in the promise of resurrection and new life.
As we look towards tomorrow and to the future, shower your Holy Spirit upon us, and help us to learn your kingdom ways. We offer these concerns in trust that you hear us when we pray.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Even as we offer these concerns, teach us to pray with our lives the pray that Christ has taught us, even as we pray it together now:
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 30, 2025
UncategorizedWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 30, 2025
Steve Ricahardson
God in heaven and in our midst: Where did July go? It seems like Independence Day was just last week! But the hot days and not-so-cool nights this week remind us that summer is far from finished. In spite of the heat right now, though, you’ve blessed in our spot of the world with four seasons. There is a nice balance to that, and we are grateful. Maybe with the rapid pace of the passage of time, cooler days of late-summer/early-fall will be with us in the blink of an eye.
We really do want to make the best use of each day you give us. Each one is, after all, the day you have made and given us, one for which we can rejoice and be glad. From our own experiences, we know that, indeed, we rejoice and feel especially glad whenever we help build and support your Kingdom. Inspire us to do so every day.
Yet there are also many days – – especially in 2025’s times of turmoil and abrupt change – – when we are filled with anxiety, restlessness, worry, uncertainty, and the frustrations of waiting…waiting for answers, for help, for justice, for healing, for medical needs, for opportunities to move forward. We wonder why things can’t simply be “just right,” and we long for that. Calm our souls and jittery minds with your loving, compassionate presence, dear Lord. Help us be still and know you are always with us. During such moments of stillness, fill us with spiritual strength, wholeness and inspiration.
Thank you, gracious God, for Church Street United Methodist Church. Thank you for the clergy, staff, members who volunteer in so many ways, and congregational leaders who give freely of their time, talents and skills. Thank you for everyone who participates in this community of faith through worship, praise, singing, serving, seeking and learning. Thank you for Church Street’s openness, hospitality and welcoming of all.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Once again, we now join together now in prayer with others in our congregation for these special requests and petitions. Please, merciful Lord, know of our collective pleas for your holy responses…
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 23, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 23, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
Giver of every good gift and source of all goodness, we need to focus on good. Your goodness, O God, and the goodness you desire in us. Not just ‘being good’ and well- mannered; we confess that we often use good manners to gloss over the contempt or disregard we feel.
We come to you in the middle of the week at the end of the day after being bombarded with memes, headlines, sound bites, links to click, and other distractions. Forgive how easily we are distracted from goodness – the creation you call Good, the reconciling work you call Good. We are drawn to quick fixes, quick laughs, and quick jabs, and turn away from the enduring and steadfast goodness and grace you offer.
So, we pause to look back over the day, the week, and see where your goodness has prevailed. We take time to give you thanks for meaningful conversations we have had with friends. Thank you for the laughter we have shared with a family member. Thank you for the kindness we experienced from a stranger; just a quick offer of help changed our day for good. Thank you for the extra time a health care provider gave. Thank you for the air conditioning. Thank you for the opportunity to order an ice cream cone from our car. Thank you for the out-of-the-blue phone call from a long-ago friend. Some of these are basic human interactions; others are luxuries. May we be thankful for all good things and may that thankfulness open our eyes. We want to see how we can extend gratitude, O God.
Open our eyes and our heart, O God. Amidst angry calls for and against “Epstein files,” may we pray for any child who has been sexually abused by anyone. Amidst laughter at the Coldplay Cam, we pray for any who are struggling with their marriage. Amidst name-calling by world leaders, we pray for anyone who has been ridiculed on the school playground or office break room. Let us not be distracted by calls for our attention that do not build your kingdom. Let us look beyond, above, and through to see your goodness. Empower us to do good. Empower us to seek out what is good.
We are grateful to have this time to pray for one another as we offer concerns from our church family.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 16, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 16, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy
blast and our eternal home.
O God of Wednesday … it is the middle of the week.
We are aware of the past (where did it go?) and aware of the future (I hope I have time
to…)
So, we pause here in the middle of the week, towards the end of the day, to say,” God we are here. In this moment, right now, we acknowledge you are with us, you’ve been with us, and you will remain with us.”
We thank you, God, for the gift of a loving congregation. We thank you for those we know, and those whom we have yet to meet, who join us in prayer. This act of reading a prayer together is a reminder we are not alone. We know you are with us, but there is a “church family” who prays along with us. We are grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit who connects us to you and to one another.
You are our “shelter from the stormy blast” whatever that blast is for each of us.
We thank you God, who is our shelter, our refuge, and our source of strength, for hearing our prayers, letting us speak our hearts, and receiving us as we are.
Having spent time in prayer with you and with our church family, we feel a sense of renewal. We know that we can face today. You have been with us in the past and you are leading us into your future.
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come; be thou our guide while life
shall last and our eternal home.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 9, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 9, 2025
Steve Richardson
God in heaven and in our midst: We’re all on the same spiritual journey, but we’re all at different places. Thank you for meeting us where we are, to journey with us along each and every path.
Every now and then, sections of our journeys’ paths are smooth and easy. For these, we are grateful! While we’re on these kinds of paths, help us find blessings of redemption, renewal, revitalization, rejuvenation and a recommitment to acknowledging your merciful goodness.
Other journeys and paths aren’t as desirable. They’re rutted and eroded by burdens of disease, pain, suffering, grief, loss, despair, loneliness, brokenness, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Such difficulties are disruptive. So, Lord, we pray you help us stay mindful of the truth that you are and will always be with us. Surround us with your comfort and strength.
Sometimes our journeys lead us astray from paths of virtuous living. We find ourselves bewildered, confused, easily deceived. Forgive us when we neglect your guidance and wisdom, and when we veer away from the ways you want us to live. Point us to turn towards intentional repentance.
Sometimes our journeys’ paths intersect with people and events we would rather avoid. Help us accept the reality that these intersections are part of everyone’s journey; and that even if we can’t change them, we can respond in ways that are Christ-like and that reflect your love for everyone. Give us such grace and creativity.
God of eternity, for all whose journeys on Earth are near their ends, fill each person with your gracious peace. Calm fears, ease pains and give them the blessed assurance of glory-filled living in your heavenly realm.
As we seek your wisdom, guidance and direction, hear and respond to these earnest prayers of others in our congregation. Hold close all represented here with your loving presence and comfort.
We pray for…
We continue to pray for…
We give thanks for….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 2, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 2, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
It seems that we were making new year’s resolutions a few days ago, O God of new beginnings and God of all time. And now we are exclaiming, “It is July! Where did the summer go?”
O God, who called each day of Creation, “good,” we pray to see your goodness around us. We are thankful for children and grandchildren who are enjoying summer.
We are thankful for the time to travel and visit with relatives and friends.
For the cool waters of lakes and swimming pools, we are eternally grateful!
For peaches from South Carolina and cucumbers from our neighbor, we give you thanks!
We begin with gratitude, O God, because there is much we are grateful for! We do not want to lose sight of the things, people, and situations that bring us joy.
But you hear all our prayers, O God, and we are concerned about so many things. As this prayer is being written, US Representatives are deciding if they will vote for or against a bill that can impact so many people. We are worried about those who are already living in poverty and those who do not have health facilities nearby. We pray for veterans who are worried about their future and families who are anxious about grocery bills.
O God, we are living through a time when we feel the need to stay informed but also want to hide. So, we come to you tonight, our Refuge. Thank you for this time of prayer and for this time of choosing to focus on you. A refuge is a safe place – it is not a hiding place. We can rest in you, O God of all people, and then feel renewed to venture out. Not leaving you but carrying your strength and your love with us. Give us a time of respite and reprieve from the world so that later today or tomorrow, we can make faith-filled decisions about how we will be witnesses to your grace.
On Wednesday evening, it is a sacred time to gather as a church community and pray for one another. This, too, is a refuge. A very present help in time of trouble. Knowing there are others who share our concerns and offer prayers on our behalf.
We share the concerns of our brothers and sisters in Christ ……
We pray for…
We continue to pray for…
We give thanks for….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – June 25, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of June 25, 2025
Rev. Tim Best, including a prayer from the Cokesbury curriculum from VBS 2025
Gracious God,
We often look for grand words, and poetic phrases to shape our prayers, yet we don’t need big words to share our love and ask for your help. Let us make the words of a Vacation Bible School prayer from this week a prayer for all of us.
When I climb the highest mountain,
When I walk through deepest valley,
I will trust in God.
God will lead the way.
When I roam the darkest forest,
When I cross the widest ocean,
I will trust in God.
God will lead the way.
When I’m feeling lost and lonely,
When I need a hand to guide me,
I will trust in God.
God will lead the way.
Trusting in God we name celebrations and needs in our own lives, within our community, and the needs of all the world:
Believing that God leads the way, we join our prayer with the prayer Jesus taught us, praying,
We pray for…
We continue to pray for…
We give thanks for….
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – June 18, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of June 18, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
We come to the end of the day, almost, the end of Wednesday, and pause to pray. Many
of us turned to headlines first thing this morning and were fearful of ‘escalation’ and
‘threats.’ But by the time this prayer shows up in the in boxes, what will have happened?
Will prayers for peace sound ludicrous? Will they sound like empty words?
Many of us began the day with the weather report and decide if it will be a good day or
bad day based on amounts of precipitation. Children want breezes and sunshine;
gardeners need just the amount of rain for tomatoes and beans. At the end of the day,
will we declare it good or bad?
We have alerts and notifications reminding us before we get out of bed that we have
appointments to keep and chores to do. Was the medical appointment helpful or
frustrating? Did we learn what we needed to know? Did we get done all we wanted to
do today?
Gracious God of All Time, we thank you for the gift of prayer that transcends time.
Forgive us when we start our day allowing agendas and headlines to set our purpose
for the day. Forgive us when we ask, what will happen today, before we give thanks that
you are with us today.
Thank you, Loving God, for our friends in the faith who are also reading this prayer,
maybe they will read it later in the evening or see it first thing tomorrow morning. We
have all prayed throughout the day for President Trump, that he might take time to listen
to those who can give sound advice. We have prayed for leaders in Iran and Israel that
they will stop bombing and come to a table to negotiate. We have prayed all day for
children who are in harm’s way … whether in Gaza, or local youth held in a detention
center in flux, or children not sure where parents are after being detained. We have
prayed for our own children – that they would be safe and content. And know joy!
We come together on Wednesday evening to pray for one another and to remember
words from Sunday that our hope is in you. Not headlines or celebrities or weather or
outcomes. Our hope is grounded in you. Knowing what we know now about how the
day has turned out, hear our prayers for tomorrow. We will continue to pray for peace in
your world, God of the universe. We will continue to pray for healing in our community,
God of all people. We continue to pray for those we know and love and hold close in our
hearts.
Honestly God, we confess that sometimes praying for a church member who is going
through a difficult time feels selfish or like we do not care about the rest of the world.
You know … we know … that is not true. We thank you for the names we know; the
people you have put in our paths to help us feel love and support. We thank you for the
names we know; the people who have taught us about unconditional love and grace.
Thank you for the people who have shown us what it means to be present in body and
in spirit.
And so we join together in praying for those ‘we know and love,’ people who have
embodied for us your love, which enables us to pray for your world. We pray….
We pray for…
We give thanks for….
We continue to pray for…
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – June 11, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of June 11, 2025
Steve Richardson
God in heaven and in our midst: The vibrance of the light of this month’s full moon displays a bright contrast to an otherwise dark sky. Yet we know it’s actually a mere reflection of the sun’s light, the same light that illuminates our days. Lord of the universe and all creation, we pray that you shine your light on us, your people. So that we might become vibrant reflections of your light in shadowy places of our world darkened by uncertainty, doubt, fear, skepticism, cynicism, and selfishness. Enable each of us to be a beacon of your love-generated light every day and night.
Thank you for the inspiration of this past Pentecost Sunday. That first Pentecost transformed the world. Generations of faithful believers followed. And now? Now it’s our turn to be the Spirit-filled/Jesus-led/God-sustained people who continue the transformation of the world into your kingdom.
Motivate our minds and hearts to practical acts of such transformation, like taking active roles in Church Street’s on-going mission projects; supporting one another in small groups, Sunday School classes and personal interactions; offering our skills, knowledge and resources to the church’s work; praying; attending; giving; serving; witnessing.
Wrap the comfort and peace of your Holy Spirit around all who grieve, hurt, suffer, fear, struggle, feel hopeless, feel helpless, feel rejected, feel lonely, and seek renewed wholeness. Re-energize us when we’re weary, weak, apathetic, struggling, drained, and shattered. Awaken us to mornings of joy whenever we tarry through seemingly endless night-times.
Again we pray for leaders of our communities and nation who we entrust to enable access to justice, opportunity, security and fulfillment for all people of this land. Those responsibilities have never been easy. Yet history has always shown us that your truths of love, compassion, mutual respect, care of neighbor, kindness, forgiveness and unselfish generosity always – – always – – triumph over evil and inequality. Instill such truths in our leaders.
We pray also for our clergy at Church Street. We’re grateful that Pastors Catherine and Tim will continue to be with our congregation. And we’re grateful for the additions of Rev. Amber Lloyd and Rev. Sam Dzobo to the clergy team beginning soon. Sustain and strengthen their ministries with your wisdom and spiritual calling.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus preached messages of hope to all who would listen and follow his teachings. In our present time, those messages and the work of your church are as important now as they ever were. Help us, gracious Lord, to connect our individual gifts, talents, and skills with fulfilling those hopes longed by Jesus. They are the hopes you have for the world.
God of Grace, hear and respond to these earnest prayers of others in our congregation. Hold close all represented here with your loving presence and comfort.
We pray for…
We continue to pray for…
We give thanks for….
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Senior Spotlight: Seth Stalcup
Featured, YouthOne of our favorite things about the spring semester each year is celebrating our graduating seniors. Welcome to the Senior Spotlight series for the graduating class of 2025! Our seniors answered interview questions earlier this semester, and it has been so much fun learning their answers!
Meet Seth Stalcup!
What high school are you graduating from?
Christian Academy of Knoxville
What are your plans for next year?
Business Management at UTK
What is your favorite bible verse?
Philippians 4:9
If you could choose one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Waffle House Hashbrowns
If you could give some advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Save money
What are your top 3 favorite movies?
1) Superbad
2) Star Wars (Clone wars)
3) Cars 2
What is your top book recommendation?
The Bible
What is your favorite Church Street memory?
My first Resurrection retreat
What are you most excited about going into the next season of your life?
To meet new people