Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of October 26, 2022
Rev. Catherine Nance
Rev. Nance reminds us that our hymnal is full of prayers; mostly sung, some spoken!
Mountains Are All Aglow (United Methodist Hymnal, 86) seems appropriate this week!
Mountains are all aglow with autumn colors so bright;
rivers are filled with water, giving life to our days.
Golden fields wave their praise to God’s bountiful harvest;
gratefully, skyward arising, hear our joyous songs of praise!
Reaching far as earthly eyes can see,
Reaching far as humble hands can toil,
Every harvest is from our Lord; every blessing is from our God.
Praise for the harvest, thanks to our God.
God of creation, we imagine you with a paintbrush, touching up the colors this week. Had we noticed the dark reds earlier? When did our neighbor’s tree turn bright yellow? We are grateful for bursts of color that surprise us, take our breath away, and cause us to stop and bask in your glory. Open our eyes, widen our scope, and awaken our sight to how you are working in our world. Thank you, O God, for the beauty of the earth.
In the morning we saw the beautiful colors and then, last night, the strong wind gave an extra push to the leaves who were waiting perhaps another week before dropping to the ground. Swirling leaves are beautiful. (We pray for safety as people drive on slick leaves; Lord, may we not be in such a hurry!) We thank you for your Spirit that will sometime gently blow and encourage us to let go; you know the time when we need a more Spirited shaking to let loose of things we dearly cling to.
Sun and rain by the Lord’s design shall come at proper time.
Working hard, God has given us reasons for deep gratitude.
As we think back over the day, make us mindful – or heartful – of the reasons for deep gratitude. Perhaps we took them for granted earlier, but now at the end of the day, your paintbrush touches up our day, recalling the pleasant things, the good things. A kiss goodbye from partner or spouse heading off to work, sticky hands of children (why do we serve syrup before school?), the glorious sky, finding a lost coin, a kindness from a stranger, the just right cup of coffee, the text from an adult child, a shared meal with colleagues …. God has given us reasons for deep gratitude.
Praise the Lord as we’re planting God’s word deep in each heart.
God has sent sunshine and the rain so the seedlings may grow.
Desert lands which seem barren, flowers still might bloom;
trusting in God’s promises, our thanks to God we will show!
Before we close our eyes for the evening, our hearts turn to those we love and those around the world who are hurting; there are so many who are sick. We are grateful for technology that reveals a more accurate diagnosis when our body or mind is hurting, but with the technology comes the burden – and gift – of options and more tests and treatments and visits to the clinic. We know that our earthly bodies will not last forever! Just as the leaves change and drop, our bodies go through changes. Some because of illness and most because of aging. Our spirits ache for those who are hurting, O God. And our spirits ache for those who care for the hurting. Where desert lands seems barren, may we trust in your promises that your life-giving spirit is always present.
Trusting in God’s promises, our thanks to God we will show!
We pray for ….
- Families dealing with mental health issues
- Families dealing with chronic disease
- Husband and wife making decisions about next steps in their long journey with dementia and how children can help
- A church member in hospital recovering from an infection
- Continued healing for church member recently released from hospital
- Continued prayers for one who is in great pain; may rehab bring renewed strength and healing
- A member who is awaiting news from a retina specialist
- Healing of heart when feelings have been hurt and relationships bruised
We continue to pray for ….
- One who was in car wreck; prayers for strengthening of body
- A loved one dealing with addiction
- A church member experiencing back pain
- Caregivers; prayers particularly for a sister who lives out of town and is dealing with care of in-laws.
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….
- Friends who help out when I need a ride to doctor
- A grandchild who was born healthy
- All the ‘ladies in the office’ who do so much for us!
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.
All are welcome at Church Street! We believe every person is of sacred worth and created in God’s image. We welcome and celebrate the gifts God has given to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, status, economic condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religious affiliation. We respect diversity of opinion and expressions of Christian faith. We believe God loves everyone unconditionally! As God loves us, so let us love and serve in the name of Christ.
Weekly Prayer – November 9, 2022
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of November 9, 2022
Offering a “Prayer at the Close of the Day,” written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
(copied from UMC Hymnal 689)
O Lord my God, I thank thee that thou hast brought this day to its close. I think thee that thou dost give rest to body and soul. Thy hand has been over me guarding me and preserving me.
Forgive my feeble faith and all the wrong I have done this day, and help me to forgive all who have wronged me.
Grant that I may sleep in peace beneath thy care, and defend me from the temptations of darkness. Into thy hands I commend my loved ones, I commend this household, I commend my body and soul.
O God, thy holy name be praised. Amen.
We pray for ….
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….
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.
SLA Info 2022
YouthSLA Info
On November 11-13, we are heading to the mountains for a weekend of intention worship, fellowship, study, and prayer. It is one of the highlights of the year for many of us! Please use the info below to prepare your hearts and minds for the days ahead.
Church Street Youth Annual Release Form
Locust Springs Waiver
Preparing for SLA
Our prayer for this weekend is that it would be one of restoration, connection, and hope. SLA stands for Spiritual Life Advance, and we are believing that God will grow our faiths as we spending time with Him away from the pressures of everyday life. Here are some ways your can intentionally prepare your hearts and minds for this special time.
Weekly Pray – November 2, 2022
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of November 2, 2022
Rev. Tim Best
God of all the saints,
In the midst of this week of remembering those holy people that have come before us, we give you thanks for those saints that have shaped our own lives. For parents and friends, grandparents and mentors, and for all those we have loved that have gone on from this life, we give you thanks. Where our hearts remain heavy, lift us up by your love and grace.
Even as we remember the love and example of the saints and look with hope towards that day where all creation rejoices, we are mindful of the needs of our world today. Those whom we refer to now as saints are people who during their lives sought to be faithful to you despite the challenges of the world. Make your grace and presence known to those who suffer and those who feel far from you.
In our observance of All Saint’s we proclaim that those who rest in you, rest in your peace. We pray for your peace to come near us now. As an election nears, we pray that the temptation to violence would be overwhelmed by your love. We pray for a peaceful transition of power in Brazil. We pray for peace in Ukraine. We long for the peace you promise to your saints to fill our world. Help all those who profess to be your disciples become peacemakers. We may not be able to end the war in Ukraine, or to solve political uncertainty abroad, but we can be peacemakers. When we disagree with one another, let the grace that binds us to you and to one another guide us to be forgiving, patient, and humble.
When we look upon all the saints that you have set before us we see your love that stretches across all the sorts of people you have made. You have used the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless. Your Spirit works within folks of every nation. Your Word is known to peoples of every language. Break down the barriers that we set between each other and draw us into the community of saints from across all time and space.
We pray for ….
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….
Unite us in purpose and prayer as we join together in that prayer that Christ taught us, praying:
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.
Weekly Prayer – October 26, 2022
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of October 26, 2022
Rev. Catherine Nance
Rev. Nance reminds us that our hymnal is full of prayers; mostly sung, some spoken!
Mountains Are All Aglow (United Methodist Hymnal, 86) seems appropriate this week!
Mountains are all aglow with autumn colors so bright;
rivers are filled with water, giving life to our days.
Golden fields wave their praise to God’s bountiful harvest;
gratefully, skyward arising, hear our joyous songs of praise!
Reaching far as earthly eyes can see,
Reaching far as humble hands can toil,
Every harvest is from our Lord; every blessing is from our God.
Praise for the harvest, thanks to our God.
God of creation, we imagine you with a paintbrush, touching up the colors this week. Had we noticed the dark reds earlier? When did our neighbor’s tree turn bright yellow? We are grateful for bursts of color that surprise us, take our breath away, and cause us to stop and bask in your glory. Open our eyes, widen our scope, and awaken our sight to how you are working in our world. Thank you, O God, for the beauty of the earth.
In the morning we saw the beautiful colors and then, last night, the strong wind gave an extra push to the leaves who were waiting perhaps another week before dropping to the ground. Swirling leaves are beautiful. (We pray for safety as people drive on slick leaves; Lord, may we not be in such a hurry!) We thank you for your Spirit that will sometime gently blow and encourage us to let go; you know the time when we need a more Spirited shaking to let loose of things we dearly cling to.
Sun and rain by the Lord’s design shall come at proper time.
Working hard, God has given us reasons for deep gratitude.
As we think back over the day, make us mindful – or heartful – of the reasons for deep gratitude. Perhaps we took them for granted earlier, but now at the end of the day, your paintbrush touches up our day, recalling the pleasant things, the good things. A kiss goodbye from partner or spouse heading off to work, sticky hands of children (why do we serve syrup before school?), the glorious sky, finding a lost coin, a kindness from a stranger, the just right cup of coffee, the text from an adult child, a shared meal with colleagues …. God has given us reasons for deep gratitude.
Praise the Lord as we’re planting God’s word deep in each heart.
God has sent sunshine and the rain so the seedlings may grow.
Desert lands which seem barren, flowers still might bloom;
trusting in God’s promises, our thanks to God we will show!
Before we close our eyes for the evening, our hearts turn to those we love and those around the world who are hurting; there are so many who are sick. We are grateful for technology that reveals a more accurate diagnosis when our body or mind is hurting, but with the technology comes the burden – and gift – of options and more tests and treatments and visits to the clinic. We know that our earthly bodies will not last forever! Just as the leaves change and drop, our bodies go through changes. Some because of illness and most because of aging. Our spirits ache for those who are hurting, O God. And our spirits ache for those who care for the hurting. Where desert lands seems barren, may we trust in your promises that your life-giving spirit is always present.
Trusting in God’s promises, our thanks to God we will show!
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….
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.
Weekly Prayer – October 19, 2022
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of October 19, 2022
Rev. Catherine Nance
When we do not know how to pray as we ought, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words … (Romans 8:26)
O God, you know that oftentimes when we bow our heads and close our eyes, we have difficulty coming up with words. We think of your Holy Spirit sighing on our behalf, but we hear an exasperated sigh. A sign of weariness or disappointment is what we imagine. Is that not just like us, O Loving Spirit, to assume you are already displeased with our prayers before we begin.
Why do we judge ourselves so harshly? Forgive us! The verse is couched in other verses saying that nothing can separate us from your Love! O God may we start over. When we do not know how to pray or when we do not have the words or even know what we want to say, may be hear the gentle sigh of your Spirit praying for us.
May we imagine the peaceful sigh of a parent holding a child who has finally gone to sleep; the child finally giving in to rest and trusting the arms that hold him.
May we imagine the sigh of an artist who takes a step back from her work to get a better look and sees beauty yet to be revealed; a sigh of possibilities and hope.
O God, could we imagine the sigh of a student who lays the pencil down in relief; he knew all the answers!
Can we hear the sigh of a grandmother who has just finished canning all those beans; wiping her brow and untying her apron? Her sign is one of fulfillment and satisfaction knowing that her family has delicious food for the winter ahead.
O Breath of God, as we close our eyes to pray our own prayer, may we feel your presence in an encouraging way. May we know that we do not have to have the words, but that your Spirit moves in and out and around and through, connecting us to You, pleased that we are longing to be with you. May that enough as we bow our heads, close our eyes, and breathe ….
Breathe on me Breath of God; fill me with life anew…
Breathe on me Breath of God; fill me with life anew…
We offer these petitions on behalf of our church family …..
We pray for ….
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….
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.
Flu is Here
Featured, Parish Health MinistryThe COVID Community Tracker will no longer appear in The Messenger since transmission levels continue to remain low. But, remain diligent with hand washing, staying home when ill, and social distancing from others that appear unwell because . . .
Flu is Here!
The first “Flu View” from the CDC already shows high levels of influenza in Tennessee. Now is the time to get a vaccination if you haven’t already. Remember it takes about 2 weeks to develop adequate antibody levels for protection, so don’t delay!
Age Recommendation
6 mos.-6 yrs.: 1 or 2 doses based on whether child has had flu vaccine in past
≥ 7-49 yrs.: 1 dose of any influenza vaccine
≥ 50-64 yrs.: 1 dose of any injectable influenza vaccine
≥ 65 yrs.: 1 injection of high dose influenza vaccine
The flu vaccine administered as a nasal spray (Flumist®) is NOT recommended in people < 2 or ≥ 50 years of age or anyone with a condition that compromises the immune system. Flumist® is a weakened version of the live virus.
Pneumonia can develop along with or subsequent to a viral infection. Particularly at risk are those ≥ 65 years of age, as well as people of any age with compromised immune system, or other conditions that increase risk. If you fall into one of these categories make sure you are also up to date on the pneumonia vaccine. There is a new version so recommendations have been updated to include it.
Recommendations for Pneumonia Vaccine
Additional information can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines, including precautions/contraindications for each and complete schedules for all adult and childhood vaccinations.
Submitted by: Vicky Shelton, D.Ph.
Weekly Prayer – October 12, 2022
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of October 12, 2022
Rev. Catherine Nance
Fall Break! Praise God for Fall Break!
O God of refreshment, you have heard that prayer from teachers, parents, students, and grandparents. Even those who are not in school sense the need for time away.
We pray blessings on families who are able to travel. We pray for their safety.
We pray blessings on families who could not get away because of finances or job responsibilities of parents. Dear God, may children know the joy of ‘staying home’ and getting to snack and stay up a little later. Simple pleasures; restore the goodness of simplicity to our lives!
We pray for school administrators who may be off this week but who are already thinking about standardized testing that comes in the spring and needs for next fall. Student teachers who are trying to get assignments done and portfolios completed.
O God of new beginnings and fresh starts, may all those returning from Fall Break feel a sense of renewal.
This weekend is a big deal, O God! Media and all of the commotion and excitement of a football rivalry. Some are even praying, “Dear God, let us win!” We trust you are an impartial fan, God of all tribes, teams, and people! In the midst of all this fun and in the midst of all the hype, we do pause to pray for sanity and safety. We pray for young men who want to play and do not get the chance. We pray for the families of all coaches – children and spouses – who know the pressure and the lack of privacy and hear the jeers and cheers. We pray for members of marching bands who work as hard as the athletes do. It may seem silly to pray about an upcoming football game, dear God, but we do pray for all the people coming to town. Prayers for safe travels. Prayers for good judgement. Prayers to know that these young men on the field – whether wearing orange or crimson – are sons of parents who work hard and are proud. Bless us all!
Dear God, who stirs up in us the volunteer spirit, we want to say thank you for volunteers in our church. Greeters, ushers, choir members, teachers; folks who come early to plug in coffee pot and to make sure Sunday School is ready. We pray for churches everywhere this weekend, that it will be a good day of worship and fellowship in your Holy Spirit.
As our eyes move from our own church and our own city to the rest of your world, we pray desperately for the madness in Ukraine to stop. We are bold to pray for your intervention, O God! We know that you desire peace in your world. We hurt for soldiers of any uniform who are tired, hungry, and longing for home. May each of us be a beacon of light and peace wherever we are this weekend.
We offer the following petitions on behalf of our members ….
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for …..
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.
October Update
YouthSunday Schedule:
Worship – 8:30AM & 11:00AM
Sunday school – 9:45-10:45AM
NightLife – 5:00-7:00PM ($5 dinner)
SLA Info
Our Fall Retreat, Spiritual Life Advance (SLA), is less than 2 weeks away! We are traveling to Locust Springs Christian Camp in Greeneville, TN on November 11-13.
Be on the lookout for an email later this week with everything you need to know including a general schedule, packing list, and information to help you prepare for the weekend!
For now, use the playlist below to listen to songs we’ll use for worship on the weekend to help prepare you for the days ahead!
SLA 2022 Playlist
High School Prayer Breakfast
This year, we are going to rotate locations of our High School Prayer Breakfast. Hopefully, this will allow more students to participate! We will begin after Labor Day. The first two dates & locations are:
If you are interested in a prayer breakfast near your neighborhood, let Jenny know!
Football Parking Fundraiser
For each of Tennessee’s home football games, we have the incredible opportunity to park cars on our campus and raise money for our Youth Department and Youth Choir. Each weekend, we tithe (give 10%) of our earnings to a Parking Lot Maintenance fund, and the remaining is divided evenly between the two groups. We need a lot more help for the Alabama game on October 15!
It requires a significant amount of volunteer support to make this fundraiser work, and we ask all families to volunteer for at least two shifts during the season. Please use the link below to sign up and learn more.
Football Parking Sign-Up
Parent Sign-Ups
Survey: Parents, please use the survey below share with us some helpful information at the start of the year. This survey includes contact info, volunteer sign-ups, and a place to share with us anything that would be helpful in serving your family at the start of the year.
Parent Survey
Annual Release Form: Each year, we ask every student to complete an Annual Release Form. This acts as our medical and liability form for all of our events. Please complete this form for every student in your family!
Annual Release Form
Meal Sign-Ups: Each Sunday, we serve our students breakfast and lunch. We ask families to volunteer to help make these meals happen! The sign-ups are below. If every family signs up for one breakfast and one dinner each, we will have nearly every week covered!
Breakfast Sign-Up
Dinner Sign-Up
Have you viewed our page on Church Street’s website? Check it out!
Rev. Brian Tillman at Church Street UMC
Adult Ministries, Church Street Events, FeaturedRev. Brian Tillman was Church Street UMC’s coach and mentor last year during the Racial Reconciling Cohort with the Western North Carolina Conference. The six-month journey of learning and reflecting inspired our church’s cohort (ten members and Rev. Catherine Nance) to continue the conversation. One of the group’s dreams was to invite Rev. Tillman to our church home.
On November 13, Church Street is thrilled to welcome Rev. Tillman to our worship services and to teach us more about the work of racial reconciliation. He is the Director of Inclusion and Advocacy for the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
This workshop is free, but we ask that you please register below to give us a headcount for resources and food/beverage.
On November 13, Rev. Tillman will be preaching at both the 8:30 and 11:00 worship services in the nave. The workshop begins at 4:00 and will last approximately 2 hours. Room assignment TBD.
Weekly Prayer – October 5, 2022
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of October 5, 2022
Rev. Catherine Nance
We pray for our church this evening, Gracious God.
It is busy in this church building today, O God. As it was yesterday. And the day before.
Of course, we were here on Sunday singing praises and offering prayers; learning lessons and sharing fellowship. We shared the Body and Blood of Christ at Your Table and felt the communion of the saints around the world and throughout eternity.
It is our prayer that what happens here on Sunday reverberates with us throughout the week. The nourishment we received at the Table strengthens our spirits to receive and share your grace. May our behavior, thoughts, and words reflect that we have been with the Lord. We thank you, God, for Sundays!
We thank you for the clerical that happens on Monday. Counting offering, reading through friendship pads. Noting names of visitors and rejoicing at names of members we have not seen in a while. Checking the hospital board for who has gone home and noting names of members’ loved ones who have died. God of details, you know how important this work is. In each offering envelope sealed, in each name written, and in each phone call received, there is a story and a disciple. Thank you for the tasks that remind us.
God who has called some to ‘church work,’ we thank you for staff and volunteers who gather on Tuesday to touch base, look ahead, celebrate, evaluate, and encourage. May each one know your presence in a very real way as they do their work of making your presence known to others. We thank you for the laity who come on weeknights to attend meetings and provide leadership and enthusiasm for the mission and ministry of this church. Thank you for their commitment of time and service.
God who sang out the first words, thank you for choir members who come tonight to tune their hearts and voices together. May the anthems sung mirror their devotion to the music of the Holy Spirit. O God, who gave us the ability to hum a melody, may the music we sing here echo in our lives throughout the week. Recording worship for those who cannot attend happened today. May the effort be pleasing to you and may those who watch know they are connected here.
And, there is tomorrow … Soup Kitchen and other gatherings.
This is a busy place, O God! May all of our movement and conversation and interactions in this place be pleasing to you! Amidst the activity, may we know that it is holy work and not just busyness! For those who are here only on Sundays, may their lives be made more meaningful because of worship. We do not desire busy lives, Precious Redeemer, but meaningful lives steeped in your grace and love.
We pray for …
We give thanks for …
We continue to pray for ….
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.