Written by Rev. Catherine Nance

We come to the end of the month, O God who is timeless, and find ourselves hesitant as we prepare to turn the page over to November on Friday. 

We wanted to rush through the days to get past news coverage of Helene, but allow us time to linger and see the beauty of our mountains and the colors of the leaves. We thank you for this part of the country and our willingness to help one another muck out, clean up, and rebuild. We love our creeks and rivers and trees. Forgive us for filling the air with such pollution and heat. We know that we as a nation can and must do better. 

We wanted to rush through these last days of October to get to the election finally. It seems campaigns have lasted for years! But now, O God, we are fearful of the day after the election. Where will all the negative energy and the hateful speech go? May each of us practice extra kindness, more humility, responsible citizenship in these last days before the election so that we can carry on in positive ways afterwards. You are our guide, O Lord. We live in your kingdom. May our actions and words reflect that.  

Many of us will rush this Wednesday night or tomorrow morning to purchase candy for trick-or-treaters! What joy to welcome strangers and give away treats! We tell monsters and princesses alike that they are welcome on our porch! And yet, we are quick to demonize adults we see each day who speak with a different dialect or look a little different. We question their legitimacy and do not say, “Welcome!” Whether they are wearing a doctor’s coat or crop picking garb, we wonder about ‘how they got here’ and ‘where they are from.’ Forgive our suspicions and prejudice. May we hear Jesus’ words to the welcome the stranger … even those who are not precious in our sight. 

At the end of this month, O God, we mark our calendars to remind us to ‘change the clocks.’ Is it back an hour or up an hour? We curse those who came up with such an idea and we curse the clock on the microwave. Does it set itself like the clock on the phone? What about the car? Dear God, make us mindful that you are the one who makes our time meaningful. Forgive us when we curse it, dread it, wish for more, or try to control it. May the time you have given us be time that we know you are our God. 

We spend time at the end of this day, O God, remembering loved ones who are hurting, people we love who are facing long illnesses and treatments, friends who are looking into an uncertain future. We thank you for the gift of prayer; thankful we can tell you anything, share our innermost angst and hopes. Thank you for listening to us. May we tune our ears to hear you, O God. May we hear your voice, may we hear your breath, as we pause in silence. And just take time … time to listen. 

Written by Steve Richardson

God in heaven and in our midst, thank you for these moments to pray and to seek your guidance and your help, especially with circumstances beyond our control. Instill your Holy Spirit’s divine presence in our minds, thoughts and actions. 

Thank you also for the grace-filled church community of Church Street United Methodist. Each of us comes to this church for different reasons. Whatever each person seeks and how the rest of us respond, we pray that every encounter and every interpersonal relationship is a reflection of your love and an extension of your holy kingdom. 

A few days ago, we were reminded of the horrible human-triggered tragedies inflicted one year ago in the Holy Land, plus the suffering and conflict that have since followed. We continue to lament that this land’s sacred grounds aren’t spaces of peace, rather fear and anxiety and warfare.  

And now our neighbors who live in states south of us are bracing against another destructive, life-shattering hurricane. They haven’t even had time to recover from the one just a couple of weeks ago.  

Our hearts ache. Our minds try to make sense of all this. Our souls yearn for a better existence. Yet solutions seem fleeting. What can we do, Lord? As individuals, we feel helpless. However, within in our own personal spheres of daily living, maybe the least we can do is to aspire to live out Saint Francis’ prayer: 

“Make me an instrument of your peace…Where there is hatred, let me bring love…Where there is despair, let me bring hope…Where there is darkness, let me bring your light…Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.”   

Those are things we can do. 

God of wisdom, ours is a noisy society, bombarded by messages and information. Most of these we don’t even seek or care to know. Yet we constantly find ourselves subjected to others who attempt to persuade and influence us to do things, to buy things, to shape our opinions, to define our aspired status, to “not miss out,” to hurry, to serve our own self-interests by yielding to the interests of the message senders. Amid this 21st century Babel, Lord, tune us to hear and find solace in your still, quiet voice. We know yours to be a voice of comfort, calm, inspiration and hope. You are our souls’ source of true wisdom, and may that wisdom generate senses of self-assurance and your peace. 

Free us from selfishness. Free us from apathy. Inspire us to serve one another. Strengthen us for grateful and joyful obedience to your way of love.  

With hopeful anticipation of your evolving creation, we ask, “What’s next, God?” Whether we lead or follow, equip and strengthen us to be ready to respond when we recognize your call. 

And now, God of Peace, hear these needs and prayers of others in our congregation. Embrace all represented here with your loving presence and comfort… 

Written by Rev. Tim Best

This prayer was offered in worship on Sunday, September 29. 

We open our hearts in praise and prayer to you, God of heaven and earth.

You hear our prayers and tend to our needs. Hear us as we pray for our community and our neighbors. Over the last several days we have seen communities we know covered in the national news. Loved ones have been left without power. Roads and bridges have washed away while homes and businesses have flooded. We ask that you would guide us to support and care for our neighbors as they seek to rebuild and recover.

Hear us as we pray for those whose suffering has deepened over the last few days. We pray for those who were hospitalized and needing care, only to find themselves in danger in a hospital. We pray for those who have been lonely or afraid because they have been stuck by themselves, unable to call or travel. Make us mindful of all the ways that suffering is magnified in the midst of tragedy.

Watch over those who serve and lead. We pray for all who are working to restore power, those who are helping to keep others safe, and those already preparing to help people recover. We pray for all of our leaders. Help those who lead in all things and at all times. Guide them not just in emergencies, but in the before and the after.

See the needs of our world, gracious God. We are aware of the violence and warfare that continues in so many places. Make us be a people committed to your peace. Transform the hearts of those bent on violence, and remove from our hearts the bent towards anger and hatred. Even as we are so acutely aware of the suffering within our own community, help us to see the needs of all people, and give us courage to speak and act.

Almighty and everlasting God, hear us as we lift these concerns to you. See also our inner thoughts and feelings. See all those things that weigh upon our hearts, and see also our joys.

Written by Rev. Catherine Nance

O God, we desperately need a word of peace! We need to feel your peace! 

Exploding pagers? What in the world are people thinking?  

Bomb threats at elementary schools? What is happening?  

A second assassination attempt on our former president? Lord, have mercy! 

O God who stilled the waters, we boldly and fervently pray for stillness. For calm. For sanity. For peace. We boldly pray for healing of hearts and minds that seem to be so bent towards violence and destruction. 

With so much hate and violence happening in the world it is difficult not to get swept into it. We do not want to fall prey to violent language ourselves; we do not want to hate those who are carrying out violence. Calm us down, Lord! Do not allow us to feed any hateful fires or repeat ugly language.  

Thank you for hearing our frustration and our fear. We are sorry for beginning with anguish and not thanksgiving, but that is where our minds are. You know that, O God who knows our every thought and sees our tender, breaking, and fearful hearts.  

We pause to give thanks for the ways we have connected with others today …. 

We pause to give thanks for the hint of cooler weather …. 

We give you thanks for texts from friends and unexpected phone calls…. 

We thank you for feeling your love and power as we look towards the mountains ….. 

Thank you for offering us glimpses of goodness, grace, and love throughout our days. 

Having taken time to say, “Thank you,” we now have strength of spirit to pray for individuals and communities who are hurting. Instead of stopping at anguish, we pray through with concern and empathy for those who have been targeted, those who are afraid, those who have been injured, and those who feel alone. We imagine other places in our world and country and know that your presence is there in others who provide help and rescue and water and bandages and safety. 

We cannot go to faraway places, but we can provide help and safety and comfort here. We do not want to spread anguish, only peace. We do not want to spread hate, only love. May our efforts where we are right now – in our homes, in our community, in our church – be pleasing to you, Lord of all Life. 

We think of church members and friends who have asked for prayer and offered prayers of thanksgiving. Thank you for this opportunity that collects us all in one heart and one mind as we pray for one another …..