BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 25, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens, Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, oh abide with me.
God, Our Refuge and Strength, as we have been bound to you since our birth, so you have bound us together with all your beloved in a common life. Here, as we rest within this circle of deepening darkness, we admit that our ties with our brothers and sisters of our nation have been splintered. We have not learned to listen to your voice, and we do a paltry job of attending to others whose views do not match our own. We have attached labels to our neighbors and placed them in fixed categories. Forgive us for wounding you and those whom you love, including ourselves.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea,
Come, Friend of sinners, and abide with me.
Friend of Sinners, pierce our hearts with true repentance, as we reflect upon our personal transgressions, particularly these most recent ones: . . . . . . . . . . We are indeed a frail people, too easy to seek approval, too eager to follow the crowd. Deep inside, though, you see sparks of possibility. Take those tiny pieces of our better selves, fuse them together, we pray, and absolve us of every thought and deed that is not worthy of the name “Christian.”
I need thy presence every passing hour:
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and shadow, oh abide with me.
Holy One, through whose providential care we enjoy goodness and joy in life, we honor you. We must confess, however, that we are tired. You know that we are better at waiting if we know when the end will arrive; but after these long months of pain and loss, we admit that our patience is growing thin. Beginning tonight, shore us up, that even when we hardly know what to pray for, the Spirit will help us in our weakness. And send your evening star to shine upon us and upon all who live under cloud and shadow, for you know each one by name – including your friends at Church Street:
- One grateful for a weekend off from work
- Thanksgiving: Two recovered from Covid
- One thankful for appointment for second vaccine
- Gratitude: Mother steadily improving from surgery
- Healing of adult son who entered a detox program
- Elderly father healing from broken hip
- Solace for member mourning death of a beloved brother
- Guidance and wisdom for our President and our nation’s leaders
- Continued prayers for three recovering from serious heart issues
- Healing: Family of four positive for Covid
- Courage, guidance, and healing: A cousin’s infant diagnosed with a brain tumor and began chemo last week
- Wisdom and courage: A mother weighed down by responsibilities related to her son’s addiction
- Healing for husband in deep depression
- For wider distribution of virus vaccine
- Continued prayers: One enduring chemo
- Strength for two weary caregivers
- Comfort for one whose mother died of cancer and Covid
- For insurance company to approve chemotherapy for one in great need
- Cousin recovering from major stroke
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Abiding One, draw all our silent longings and spoken prayers together this night, for even in our doubts, we trust in your unfailing love to keep us safe in slumber. And tomorrow, lead us into your holy wisdom, that we might live as Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord who 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.
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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.
Evening Prayer – January 25
UncategorizedBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 25, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens, Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, oh abide with me.
God, Our Refuge and Strength, as we have been bound to you since our birth, so you have bound us together with all your beloved in a common life. Here, as we rest within this circle of deepening darkness, we admit that our ties with our brothers and sisters of our nation have been splintered. We have not learned to listen to your voice, and we do a paltry job of attending to others whose views do not match our own. We have attached labels to our neighbors and placed them in fixed categories. Forgive us for wounding you and those whom you love, including ourselves.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea,
Come, Friend of sinners, and abide with me.
Friend of Sinners, pierce our hearts with true repentance, as we reflect upon our personal transgressions, particularly these most recent ones: . . . . . . . . . . We are indeed a frail people, too easy to seek approval, too eager to follow the crowd. Deep inside, though, you see sparks of possibility. Take those tiny pieces of our better selves, fuse them together, we pray, and absolve us of every thought and deed that is not worthy of the name “Christian.”
I need thy presence every passing hour:
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and shadow, oh abide with me.
Holy One, through whose providential care we enjoy goodness and joy in life, we honor you. We must confess, however, that we are tired. You know that we are better at waiting if we know when the end will arrive; but after these long months of pain and loss, we admit that our patience is growing thin. Beginning tonight, shore us up, that even when we hardly know what to pray for, the Spirit will help us in our weakness. And send your evening star to shine upon us and upon all who live under cloud and shadow, for you know each one by name – including your friends at Church Street:
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Abiding One, draw all our silent longings and spoken prayers together this night, for even in our doubts, we trust in your unfailing love to keep us safe in slumber. And tomorrow, lead us into your holy wisdom, that we might live as Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord who 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.
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Evening Prayer – January 21
UncategorizedBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 21, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O God of the Sun and the Shade, the darkness works its way through the crooked tree limbs all around, leaving us with only luminous outlines of the blessed light that has covered us this day. But darkness brings blessings of its own: a chance to slow down, an opportunity to go deeper, an invitation to take stock. We admit that we rushed by you today, Lord, when you appeared in so many places. But now in the quiet hours, we recall the kind word spoken, the gesture of support, evidences of your grace, especially . . . . . . . . . . . . The joys that have lightened our path came from your open hand. And tomorrow, clothe us with more clarity, that we may detect your miracles at work in our very midst. To you be all praise!
Come to us now, Lord, as we are veiled in the memories of our missteps: the coarse words that came from our lesser selves, the unwarranted sarcasm, misplaced humor, our prideful thoughts, and especially . . . . . . . . . . Scrub away all that has tarnished our witness, we pray, and rinse us with that bracing water of forgiveness, that we may be cleansed and ready to join you in service.
Consoling Companion, we remember those for whom the evening hours are long and fear-filled: those lying in hospital beds uncertain of their diagnosis, those waiting for the phone call revealing an outcome from surgery, those without employment who can only stare into emptiness, others whose physical pain prevents their eyes from closing. In truth, we all wait for something, but give rest and consolation, we pray, to our brothers and sisters whose souls are depleted. Use us, we pray, to lift them up both in prayer and deed, till they are assured that your Spirit waits with them.
And Tender Spirit that you are, touch each of these souls who bring their joys and their deepest hurts to you this night. May each feel the prayers that are offered as well as your breath of love:
Take all our prayers, spoken and unspoken, and keep them in your bin of hope. May we rest now in the darkness, assured that the light has not gone out, for it keeps vigil in our hearts. And whatever tomorrow brings, we know we will be robed once again in the Light of Christ, our Lord, who 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.
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Evening Prayer – January 20
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 20, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Blessed One, night tiptoes in softly across the fields and the city streets, altering both the landscape and the perspective of anyone wise enough to notice. Change is in the air, though in our weakness, we struggle against it. Observing the shaded clouds drifting by, we realize how stagnant our spirits have grown during this past year of pain and loss. We have all been injured in one way or another, and when we are bruised and broken, we cling to the familiar.
God of Wide Horizons, lift us up above our own personal interests, we pray, and spread our concerns wider than ourselves. Take away our complaining mantras and turn them into fresh, life-giving songs. And by your grace, lend us your courage, that we might step outside the predictable to discover the less-traveled byways, leading to new beginnings.
If this historic day has taught us anything, it is how expansive is our nation, how diverse are its people, how precious is our form of government, how complex are our challenges, and how vital is your holy guidance. As a mother blesses a son when he departs from home, as a father prays for a daughter to make the right choices, so do you, Loving Parent, long for us to make wise choices and you pray we will bless others as you have blessed us. Grant us courage to live out the promises we made in our hearts during today’s momentous Inaugural Ceremony, that we might become in truth “One Nation Under God.”
Accept these evening petitions, Faithful Father, and cover with your compassion each of these friends who lay their praises and their wounds at your feet:
There are times when we forget who we are and whose we are. But throughout the sleepy hours as we take our rest, you will assure us that we are your chosen ones who belong solely to you. Cover us and all whom we love with your mercy, that we might rise tomorrow to become the channels of blessings we have pledged to be. For Christ’s sake, we make our prayers:
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.
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Evening Prayer – January 19
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 19, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;
and the people whom he has chosen as his own.
Psalm 33:12
Good and Holy God, we come to you in prayer with our souls wide open, seeking your mercy and your grace. You have blessed us greatly and have dealt with us kindly all our days. Words fail us as we bow in gratitude for our families, our friends and neighbors, and all who care for us, for our church, for the privilege of worshiping you freely, and for the miracles of our very lives. As the deepening shadows blanket our corner of the universe, we reflect upon the personal gifts you made possible this day just past . . . . . . . . . . May our prayers of thanksgiving join with all those hearts beating with praise for your goodness. Though we are undeserving, you have chosen us as your own!
All-Knowing One, our country now stands on the threshold of a new era. Tomorrow the inauguration of our recently elected President will bring celebration, hope, and excitement for millions. But on the other hand, there will be multitudes who remain anxious, saddened, angry, and fearful of the future. May your spirit of cooperation and respect color this sacred ceremony and permeate the heart of each participant and attendee. May your holy protection cover all, melting hearts of stone and holding back the hand of violence. We cannot predict what twists and turns may be ahead for us; but as we are all bound together through the enduring love of Christ, we lean upon his wisdom and grace to help us build a future that mirrors that love.
Faithful Guardian, we lift up our new President, who will pledge to protect and defend the rights of all citizens, especially the weak and most vulnerable among us. Concomitantly, may we pledge to rise above our private politics to seek the larger vision of your will for our nation most blessed. And confident that you accept every prayer offered in earnest, we make these intercessions on behalf of your people of Church Street:
Our prayers must often seem as babblings to you, Loving Lord; our trite words may even break apart and scatter upon the floor. But still, we know you want to take our hand in friendship and listen when we call. So gather us in, we pray, and we shall lie down in peace and take our rest, remembering the words of the Abiding One who said: “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”
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.
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Evening Prayer – January 18
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 18, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Mountains have a dreamy way
of closing up a noisy day
In quiet covers, cool and grey.
(Leigh Hunt)
O God of Presence, the greyness settles in across our beloved mountains and calls us home, much as the farmer leads his herd into warm stalls at dusk. Thank you for calling us to set aside our temporal pastimes and turn our thoughts to the eternal. May we welcome your invitation to silence an often blustery day, recalling the overlooked gifts these past hours have presented . . . . . . . . . . All praise be to you for the goodness that colors our lives!
O One Who Summons, today our nation has honored your modern prophet, Martin Luther King, Jr., one who freely sacrificed his own health, comforts, and his very life to show us a better way. Although we may not be as gifted as he, you have summoned each of us to live into your dream: Where we find hearts fearful, may we impart courage. Where there is distress, let us speak of peace with love. Where impossibilities close every door, let us open windows of imagination. And where distrust thrives, may we plant reconciliation. Alone, O Lord, our efforts would be hollow; yet through your power, all things are possible.
Our earthly pilgrimage takes us along rough terrain, but as Jesus entered the world as one of us, he also traveled those craggy byways and suffered setbacks beyond our comprehension. The Blessed One asks no more of us than he asked of himself. So as we bear our trials and our temptations, remind us that you are with us as we make every limping step. You are even near enough to hear these private longings of our hearts . . . . . . . . . . . and also these praises and petitions of your children at Church Street:
Bundle all our prayers, Sacred One, and fashion them into a pillow of grace. And upon it we will take our rest, knowing you will keep us and all whom we love in the security and eternity of your embrace. We close our eyes in awe and thanksgiving this night with the prayer of Jesus upon our lips:
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.
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Evening Prayer – January 14
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 14, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Portal of Life, even before our birth, your gentle rapping was taking place upon the door of our hearts; and as time passed, that rapping came to us in the form of a nudge, a whisper, a vision of some presence beyond ourselves. And as your calling unfolded, we placed our souls in your care, trusting that yours was the authentic foundation on which to build our lives. You have never failed us, Living God, and we remain humbled by your constancy.
In the January stillness, the night sky speaks to us. What might lie behind that doorway to heaven, we wonder? We know there is energy there, and a life-giving force that ordained and sustains everything within that astonishing, celestial sphere. And even above that vast plain, stretching billions of miles, you are there, Shining One, concerned with even our fleeting thoughts and dreams. Yes, we are puzzled when we reflect upon the intricacies of your love; but we rejoice that we finally answered your knock and opened the door to our destiny.
We are only one speck in your grand universe, Sacred Designer, yet through your grace it was upon this earth that Jesus chose to dwell, showing us how to live as people of God. His life gave witness to your own unwavering love, while we have fomented dissension, disquiet, and distrust in recent days, especially in our own land. Have mercy upon us, we pray, and forgive our errant ways. Wipe away all our missteps, especially . . . . . . . . . . Clear our vision and unite us in your wisdom, that we might be among those who build a future free of arrogance and suspicion.
In your mercy, receive these silent prayers of our hearts . . . . . . . . . . and also these praises and concerns offered on behalf of our friends at Church Street:
As darkness covers the earth, may we take our ease, cradling our hearts in the great mystery of your love that binds every prayer in the cosmos together. Grant us, and all whom we cherish, a peaceful night, we pray; and tomorrow, with your help, we shall rise to love, to forgive, to show mercy, to make peace, and to share the good news of Christ, who opens the door to eternal life:
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.
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Evening Prayer – January 13
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 13, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast!
Let us all in thee inherit; let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning; Alpha and Omega be,
End of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.
(UMH 384)
Loving Spirit, we know that you weep when your people are deeply divided, at war with each other and within themselves; your tears fall when voices of hatred and disrespect breed instability. It seems that violence is buried deep in our bones and even makes its home in the little grey cells of our minds. Why else would we be so quick to harm and so slow to bring healing? Forgive us for failing you and one another. May our own tears join with yours until they flow into your great stream of justice and mercy. Take away out bent to sinning, we pray, and set our hearts at liberty.
God of the Starry Silence, the daylight hours whisper their goodbyes. They have been your sacred gift to us, as is this lengthening span of darkness. Let us reflect upon the unmerited joys that you have sent our way: . . . . . . . . . . And grant that the good we may have done in the earlier hours give witness to your own generosity emerging through us, your human vessels. Even in the ebony hours, you gaze clearly through the window of our souls. With each passing night, we pray you might observe growing integrity, humility, and faith within.
And despite the thinness of our faith, we entrust to you all those persons and situations that are uppermost in our hearts, especially . . . . . . . . . . And in this interval of silence, we also share both the celebrations and the worries of our church family, knowing your loving Spirit is only a breath away:
Alpha and Omega, into your hands we commend ourselves, for you created and redeemed us. This night, may your grace enter every troubled breast, giving peace and rest. And tomorrow may we rise to walk that straight path you will be fashioning for us as we sleep. We ask all these things in the name of our Savior, who bears the love that never fails and who 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.
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Evening Prayer – January 12
UncategorizedBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 12, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
How softly the sun slips behind the tree line, signaling the close of another wintry day. As the darkness descends, we turn toward you, Holy One, bowing in thanksgiving for the gifts these hours have brought, particularly . . . . . . . . . . We remember, O God of Reawakening, that strength and courage are born in us when we face trials and tribulations that arrive unannounced. Through these struggles we presently bear, and there are many, thank you for fortifying us with resilience we did not know we possessed. Make us strong and sturdy, O Lord, that we might serve as your enduring ministers in this world as long as we are needed.
Our hearts are open books to you, Prescient God, and whatever corner we happen to turn, you are there already. What a glorious and humbling mystery it is that the One who created the universe is interested in our everyday lives! As the psalmist proclaimed: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; so high I cannot attain it.” Help us, we pray, to accept the timeless truth that your concern for us is both individual and unending.
Therefore, in this quiet hour, we name our mistakes and make our silent pleas . . . . . . . . . . Whatever we have done to injure another, show us how to make it right; and whatever burden we have, we know you will help us sort things out when the new day comes. And although you know them already, we pray you would receive also, Dear Lord, both these thanksgivings and these troubling situations that shadow the joy of your people at Church Street:
We lean upon your encompassing presence throughout this night, Silent One, realizing that you are always keeping watch over those who are closest to our hearts, and all who are lonely and hurting. And as we sleep, infuse our hearts with the joy of knowing your grace. Accept all our prayers offered in the name of the Trinity of Love: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
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.
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Evening Prayer – January 11
UncategorizedBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 11, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Keeper of the Hours, daylight is seeping away and the twisted fingers of the oaks seem to be waving good-bye to the foggy hillsides. For many, sundown seems to come too soon, for deadlines have not been met, boxes on to-do lists have not checked off, meetings have not yet adjourned. Ah, but in your wisdom, you know our inner weariness and wish us to open that gate of rest. Let us cross through that passageway soon with grateful hearts, for in the evening hours you have important things to teach us. Soothe our minds and calm our spirits, we pray, that in the stillness to come we might even hear the soft beating of your heart . . . . . . . . . .
Your Son Jesus said that eye has not seen nor ear heard what you have planned for us in that other realm. And despite our setbacks, fears, and grave disappointments, you have already gifted us in this earthly province with wonders beyond imagining: for life itself, in all its mystery and joys, for the guiding light of your church, for friends who never forsake, for family members who care, for your belief in us, for those who labor on our behalf, and for all these other graces you have bequeathed us through your mercy . . . . . . . . . . How blessed are we who need not measure up; we are accepted and blessed as we are! Thanks be to God!
Sentinel of the Night, as the shadows deepen, let us release our grip on all those tensions that have plagued us this day: our beloved nation fraying at the edges, friends who are in trouble, paychecks that are insufficient, the virus that wears a threatening grimace, unraveling relationships, loved ones who have died without a tender embrace. Let us open our hands and, one by one, may we offer to your transfiguring grace all these burdens and others that have made a home within us . . . . . . . . . . .
Take all these, we pray, and wrap them in your renewing grace. As you are the God who never sleeps until all his sheep are nestled in, we will rest easier with you on the lookout. Tend your people of Church Street, receiving both their joys and their pressing needs:
Guardian of the Worn and Weary, we lie down in peace; and as we enter that world of slumber, we are confident that all shall be well. Calm our spirits till they are one with yours, and receive all these prayers we offer in the redeeming name of your Son, who taught us to say:
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.
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Evening Prayer – January 7
UncategorizedBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
January 7, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O God, Our Refuge and Strength, although hours have passed, we can still hear the roar of the angry crowd, the breaking of glass, the noise of destruction. The unsettling sounds, sights, and shock of yesterday we will not soon forget. And we live under the specter of future turbulence. Heal our painful memories, we pray, and enable us to put an end to the fear we harbor inside. Turn our unease into strength and resolve, O Mighty Stronghold, that we may never settle our disagreements in a violent manner.
Eternal Harmony, you are the servant of none, and in your goodness, you embedded your rhythm and unity within all creation. Malevolence in all its forms introduces a dissonance more far-reaching than we realize. You have given us the life-song of Christ as our template, so may his psalm of love, peace, justice, and forgiveness be the anthem we sing with the living of our days.
In the solitude of this evening, with our silent breaths, we offer gratitude for the ways in which your grace has touched us this day, especially in these instances . . . . . . . . . . And absolve us of these missteps we have taken in recent times . . . . . . . . . . In your mercy, receive all these personal prayers offered by your friends in the Church Street family:
In this season of Epiphany, we remember the Star that pointed the way for the cluster of weary travelers. As we rest this night, may its beam continue to shine above us, infusing us with the assurance that we are never really lost when Christ is with us. And when morning comes, may we feel that its beam within, as we rise to worship and follow that road of service that leads to Jesus, who 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.
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