BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 23, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say that to you he hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Indeed, Holy One, you are that sure foundation on which we stand. Amid the apprehension and unpredictability of this present era, our lives would crumble if you had not planted us securely upon your rock that never fails. Your scriptures and hymns, inspired by your Spirit, speak the words our hearts long to hear. We stand grateful for loved ones who have buoyed us when our souls were ragged, for our church family which offers a place of belonging. We believers are separated by distance perhaps, but not separated from our firm faith in your saving love, our commitment to your church, and our trust in each other.
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed,
for I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
The words you first spoke through your prophet Isaiah, “Fear not, for I am with you…” have reverberated through the ages, through many voices, giving us strength to carry on. You have provided aid in our most recent times of trial: for six months you have raised up researchers to probe the origins of and possible cures for the virus; you have called resolute healthcare workers and first responders to assist the ill; you have enlightened leaders to advise us concerning protection; and you have provided avenues which enable us to stay connected. Our vulnerability stems not only from the menacing disease that has seeped into every crevice of our lives, for we have been weakened also by the violence that has increasingly debased our common life. Save us, we pray, from the hatred that blinds us and the fear that leaves us cringing and dismayed. By your omnipotent hand, make us brave enough to confront the forces of prejudice and anger within ourselves, then turn our warring chants into a doxology of hope.
“When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.”
Our lives are replete with personal stories of your saving deliverance, yet we remain fragile mortals who always seek out your healing and renewal. We cannot know the outcome of our prayers, but we trust that when we turn everything over to you, O Bedrock of our Faith, your grace shall be sufficient. So many across our globe are mired in misfortune and who also await your deliverance. Comfort and carry all the afflicted in their hour of sorrow, we pray, and attend to these concerns and joys that are uppermost in the hearts of your people of Church Street:
- One celebrates: no further treatment needed after cancer surgery
- Two thankful for long-awaited reunion
- Gratitude: Mother home from hospital, recovering well from surgery
- College student happily reports her post-surgery pain in easing
- Thankful: Benevolence Ministry – helping poor in our community
- Comfort for member & family – grieving mother’s death
- Traveling mercies for grandson en route to TX today
- Continued prayers for healing of NICU baby
- Dear mother in assisted living with many medical issues
- Member suffering greatly with back pain, prayers for relief
- Safety for members driving to a grandmother’s funeral today
- Healing for family grieving the death of beloved wife & mother
- Blessings for two mothers-to-be, that babies are born healthy
- NICU baby – pray for healing of his heart & for his parents
- All dealing with loss due to wildfires & tropical storm
- Member grieving the recent death of a lifelong friend
- Proper diagnosis of young daughter’s fainting issues
The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no never forsake.
Yes, our souls find their rest in you, Faithful One; may we find courage, too, that we will remain faithful to the end. And by your mercy, grant that we might grow in the resolve of your once-rejected Cornerstone, our Savior, Christ 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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Prayer for Today – September 24
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 24, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Giver of Gifts, you hold out a new day, all wrapped with ribbon sublime, trusting that we will open it with care, using its 1,440 minutes wisely and meaningfully. We thank you that you will not calculate how much we produce during this freely offered bundle of time, for you are not really in the record-keeping business. But you do hope that we will be judicious as we spend our moments in personal encounters, in taking up our tasks, in sharing ministry with others, and in thoughtful contemplation of the sacred. And as the hours unfold, grant that we might learn to be grateful, not just for the high points, but also for the downtimes, as each may bring an important lesson we need to take to heart. And may we remember the love with which this autumn-colored gift was given.
All-Seeing One, there are many among us who live their days under a heavy fog, a free-floating fear that tinges everything they say and do. That unsettling fear has become thicker these past months, as virulent illness and rage take on new forms. We pray we will not allow the present uncertainties to eclipse our sense of promise. Turn that fear, we pray, into a holy mist through which your omnipotence shines in all its clarity. Then we shall once again proclaim that nothing in all the earth can separate us from your love and deliverance through Christ, our Lord!
Touch all who are in pain or any adversity this day; and make your presence known, we pray, to those suffering souls whose names we now whisper in the silence of these moments . . . . . . . . . . . . And also attend to these requests that are voiced by your children at Church Street:
Life-Giving God, we praise you for life itself, for your abiding guidance, and for our Teacher and Messiah who modeled for us the way of love. We confess that we still waver each day, but amid our uncertain steps, may your love shine through our actions, that others will know our hearts are in the right place. Through that same Messiah, by whose pattern we seek to live, we make our prayer:
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.
Prayer for Today – September 23
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 23, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say that to you he hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Indeed, Holy One, you are that sure foundation on which we stand. Amid the apprehension and unpredictability of this present era, our lives would crumble if you had not planted us securely upon your rock that never fails. Your scriptures and hymns, inspired by your Spirit, speak the words our hearts long to hear. We stand grateful for loved ones who have buoyed us when our souls were ragged, for our church family which offers a place of belonging. We believers are separated by distance perhaps, but not separated from our firm faith in your saving love, our commitment to your church, and our trust in each other.
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed,
for I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
The words you first spoke through your prophet Isaiah, “Fear not, for I am with you…” have reverberated through the ages, through many voices, giving us strength to carry on. You have provided aid in our most recent times of trial: for six months you have raised up researchers to probe the origins of and possible cures for the virus; you have called resolute healthcare workers and first responders to assist the ill; you have enlightened leaders to advise us concerning protection; and you have provided avenues which enable us to stay connected. Our vulnerability stems not only from the menacing disease that has seeped into every crevice of our lives, for we have been weakened also by the violence that has increasingly debased our common life. Save us, we pray, from the hatred that blinds us and the fear that leaves us cringing and dismayed. By your omnipotent hand, make us brave enough to confront the forces of prejudice and anger within ourselves, then turn our warring chants into a doxology of hope.
“When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.”
Our lives are replete with personal stories of your saving deliverance, yet we remain fragile mortals who always seek out your healing and renewal. We cannot know the outcome of our prayers, but we trust that when we turn everything over to you, O Bedrock of our Faith, your grace shall be sufficient. So many across our globe are mired in misfortune and who also await your deliverance. Comfort and carry all the afflicted in their hour of sorrow, we pray, and attend to these concerns and joys that are uppermost in the hearts of your people of Church Street:
The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no never forsake.
Yes, our souls find their rest in you, Faithful One; may we find courage, too, that we will remain faithful to the end. And by your mercy, grant that we might grow in the resolve of your once-rejected Cornerstone, our Savior, Christ 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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Prayer for Today – September 22
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 22, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O One From Whom All Blessings Flow, your goodness pours over us afresh each morning. Even our first intake of air comes at your behest – your invitation to walk these hours ahead with you as our companion. And as we travel together, surprise us with the radiance of your creation, point out the places where your grace is already taking firm root, lead us along wisdom’s narrow path, and teach us your song of autumn joy. Whisper your will for us this day, that it may become our heart’s desire.
Hear us, Lord, for your mercy is great.
God of Life, we lift up our present brokenness to your heart of healing. Our minds and our bodies have been battered by virus and disease, violence and bloodshed, imprisonment and disaster. From Covid-19 to tropical storms, from oppressive heat to devastating wildfires, your children are struggling to breathe. We know that the time you have given us in our bodies is not up to us; but how we choose to honor them surely is. Help us tend to and care for those who are suffering emotionally, those who are in pain, those who are oppressed, those who are hungry or homeless. Forgive us when we think the wounded ones exist far from us. But what if they live in our own homes, in our own neighborhoods? May our work of reparation begin within our own families, then move ahead to help mend our riven world.
Hear us, Lord, for your mercy is great.
You have created us for community and, as your apostle teaches, we are members of one body. When one falls, we all hurt; when one is ill, we all are weakened; when one is anxious, we all share his unease. Thank you for our church family, the body of Christ, which joins with your Holy Spirit in praying with us and for us. Our cares, but also our joys, are many, and we lay them before you this new day, trusting that each will be suffused in your love:
How blessed we are that you welcome us, Lord, when we come with our arms full of questions and sorrows. We thank you for your presence in our midst, and for your son, Jesus Christ, who lived with us, died for us, and taught us how to pray when he said:
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.
Prayer for Today – September 21
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 21, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Spirit Wind of Liberation, it seems that we are all tied down in one way or another. Some of us are bound to the past, stuck between the questions of “Why?” and “If Only.” If we could only revisit those earlier times, we think, we would make better choices, even make amends to those we’ve harmed. Others of us are held captive by smoldering anger that has lived within us so many years that we feel we would evaporate without those embers burning in our bellies. And there are others living in the chains of illness, loneliness, or poverty. Breathe that cool wind of newness upon us, Good Lord, and unleash the fetters that block our vision of what might still be possible. Heal these wounds, both emotional and physical, we pray, that we might once again sing of our rebirth!
Holy Spirit, deliver us.
On this International Day of Peace, we look to you as our Source and Center, realizing how we have strayed from your holy vision. We confess that we have spoken words that provoked discord and prejudice. It is true that we have viewed with indifference the hungry and the homeless and we have acted pridefully, as if we ourselves were the center of the universe. Forgive us for not standing up for freedom, for not speaking openly for reconciliation. You have taught us to forgive our enemies, but we freely admit that we have failed in this effort, as well. Deliver us from all our offenses, for they have marred our souls and have bruised your own heart. Reclaim the center stage of our lives, we pray, that others will see the Prince of Peace guiding all our aims.
Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Embracing One, despite our erring ways, we know you hold us fast. Throughout these days of insecurity, most of the time our steps are shaky; still we feel your arm around us, holding us steady as we move through the fog of illness, rancor, job insecurity, and political confusion. You have never let us down, but offer strength sufficient to endure. Enfold us securely, we pray, in your gracious vitality that never fails to reassure us. And remember these members of our church family who also share their specific concerns:
Forever Friend, look with favor upon each one who seeks your face and calls upon your name this day. Our knowledge of you is scant, but one day the fog will clear and your glory will be made evident. Until that time, your promises revealed through the life of Christ are sufficient for all who continue to offer his prayer:
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.
Prayer for Today – September 17
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 17, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Gracious One, as we begin our morning, may your praise be among the first words we speak. Your extending to us another day is a gift in itself, for within these hours ahead you will open new doors, bring us into contact with new faces, and offer new opportunities to serve as followers of your Blessed Son. In whatever circumstance we find ourselves, may others observe us as your servants alone, nothing more, nothing less. And when we respond with the kindness, warmth, and joy of Christ, may his holy essence be reflected, and be counted as our humble gift to you.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
Holy Deliverer, in spite of your benevolence, we ask forgiveness for our binding ourselves too tightly to this transient life of ours. Our good earth is a wondrous place filled with glories and mysteries that defy description, yet we have marred much of the natural world you created and offered freely for our sustenance. We have failed to live in peace with our neighbors both near and far, forgetting that your creation is their gift as well. We have caused great harm to those whose appearance and customs differ from our own and we are too easily swayed by that which glitters, taking the easy route instead of accepting the challenge of working for the good of the whole. Lift our eyes from our egocentric existence to that world that you envision, where all are equal, where all lifeforms are sacred.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
Our own present turmoil is no secret from you, Omniscient One. Covid-19, our most formidable foe, has insinuated itself into every corner of our lives, leaving grave economic and social losses in its wake. Governments appear unable to quell the pulsing hatred and havoc played-out on backroads and city streets. Wrecking lives and property, wind, storm, and fire continue unabated. We are a people in pain, and we long for peace and restoration. Lead us, we pray, to that avenue of healing.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
As a community of faith, we wrestle with our questions and uncertainties in these tenuous times; but we know in our hearts, O Lord, that you will see us through whatever befalls. And holding fast to your mercy, we mention these most salient concerns of our brothers and sisters of Church Street:
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
How blessed we are that you are our Loving Parent, who encourages us to stay the course even when the we cannot know what lies ahead. The fact that you believe in us is encouragement sufficient to steady us as we travel in the name of Jesus, and to pray as he taught 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.
Have a Prayer Request?
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Prayer for Today – September 16
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 16, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
These things I have spoken to you so that my joy may be
full in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:11
Wellspring of Joy, sometimes pure joy wells up within us when we least expect it. We did not plan on its appearance, nor could we manufacture it. The bright face of a child, the sunset that lingers in our minds even when night has drawn its dark curtain, the hand held out in friendship when we did not even realize it was what we most needed – such are the treasures that make life worth the living. Your joy, O Lord, often glides over us, as some exotic bird, sweeping through our days that we have rendered humdrum. What a Rare One you are, winging your way among us, dusting us with feathered delight.
Lord of Love, hear our prayer.
God of Great Forbearance, by your gentle touch, we are mindful of our failures, but know that our mistakes do not have the last word. You still count on us, flawed as we are, to be at work for the good of your kingdom. As a church community bound together by your mercy, grant us individually and corporately, the power to speak and live in ways that reflect the fullness of Christ’s love and joy. As our hearts are restless until we find our peace in you, so is your own heart restless until all your children of every race and tribe are gathered in, safe under your wide wings.
Lord of Love, hear our prayer.
Our spirits rise heavenward when we remember your abiding care for us. And as you are that Constant Friend, we humbly relay our thankfulness for the mercies you have granted us in recent times. Receive them in your grace, and also these concerns from the hearts of your friends at Church Street:
Yes, there are wars and rumors of wars; yes, there is rampant corruption and crime; yes, there are many with vile and vicious hearts. But we are a kingdom people, people of the resurrection. We trust, despite the calamities and injustices of this world, that there will come a time when goodness renders evil but a thin and feeble vapor. At such a time, all our joy will be complete; and our voices shall be lifted skyward in praise of our Redeemer, 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.
Have a Prayer Request?
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Prayer for Today – September 15
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 15, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
From your heavenly chamber, O God, you visit us in the sailing beauty of the clouds, in the soft sound of the falling leaf, in the crispness of morning air, in the river’s rinsing current, in the warm sun’s rising and setting as we spin through space. May we rest today in your Great Mystery, remembering that our time here is brief—barely long enough to craft a meager prayer of thanksgiving for your grace. But you hear even the muffled praises of our hearts, and we know you listen now . . . . . . . .
Lord of Life, hear our prayer
O Bearer of our Grief, this morning, with all humility, realizing your love for us, we bring before you our deep needs: for healing from our sicknesses and sorrows, for reconciliation with those we have harmed, for resolution within our battle-scarred nation, for peace to rule in our hearts. Especially give hope to those in mourning, who ache for voices now silent, who long for arms that can no longer embrace, who are picking up the pieces of dreams unfulfilled. Make a way for them and for each of us in our dry valleys and lead us to that place where your Loving Spirit will triumph.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
Attend also, we pray, to these personal joys and sincere requests offered from your children at Church Street UMC:
Despite our defeats and our difficulties, Renewing God, we believe you can still fill us with new purpose and that you can enliven us to be ambassadors of life abundant. In your mercy, breathe in us, that we might join in your song of hope, singing of the One whose love is unending, ageless, and eternal.
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?
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Prayer for Today – September 14
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 14, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Great Seeker, we praise you for never abandoning your search for us. You surround us with wonders of creation while we are looking the other way. You see us laboring for that which does not satisfy; time and time again you nudge us back toward the true course. May this be the day we seek you out in the corners of our lives, realizing that you will meet us half-way. We will recognize you as the old friend with outstretched arms, ready to share our lives again, ready to pick up where we left off all those years ago.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
All-knowing One, you understand who and what we are. Before any words are uttered, you know already what it is that delights our hearts, and what saddens and disturbs us. You are aware of the harsh and bitter words we have spoken and the ways in which we have hurt others. May we reach down into the depths of our souls and deal with the prejudice and indifference that we have long harbored. Hear our private confessions which we now offer to your ear alone . . . . . . . Jesus said: I forgive you; I love you; Go and sin no more. Write those words upon our hearts, we pray, that we might turn our backs on what is past, rising to move forward in newness.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of All Hopefulness, when we turn to you, the Rock that shelters us, we know we are safe from all that threatens. As you have brought goodness our way, we offer deepest thanks. And with hopeful hearts we lay before you all these prayers from our church family. For certain we are often weakened and tense, but we believe in the One who will answer us in due time, and will turn our mourning into dancing:
May the Light of God keep us, the power of God sustain us, and the caress of God heal us. And may each day ahead see a deepening of our gratitude and commitment, that our very lives might become signs of the kingdom for which we 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?
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Prayer for Today – September 10
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 10, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Whoever drinks this water I shall give will never be thirsty again;
the water I shall give will turn into a spring inside him,
welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14
Stream of Life, we remember the time Jesus sat beside the lonely woman under the noonday sun. He told her about the living water that quenches the deepest thirst. She was confused, and we confess we are often that way ourselves. In our search for that which satisfies, we seek out the posh and preppy drink; but our throats remain as parched as the lonely lady’s. Open our eyes to see the cup of astonishment you hold out from your quiet corner, for it is drawn from that deep river that rolls on forever. Hold out that brimming cup once more, for we know it never empties.
Living Lord, hear our prayer.
Brook of Healing Waters, today we draw close to your soft banks, seeking respite from the world’s roaring banter. Be for us that grassy place where we might be soothed by the cool moss and the rippled hum of your river music. It is your seamless rhythm that affirms your constancy. And as we rest, we reflect upon all those things that weigh us down: our regrets . . . . . our sorrows . . . . . our dashed hopes . . . . . Create a wide pool on our shore, deep enough to cover all our disappointments, and we shall drop them in one by one. In your current of mercy, wash clean that which may be worthy of salvage and sink whatever is of little value within us — never to plague us again.
Living Lord, hear our prayer.
Bathed in your generosity, we recognize your hand in the personal wonders that you have brought our way in recent times . . . . . .; and we also bring our concerns to you, our Well of Life:
Receive our prayers this day, Living Lord, and fill us until your liquid ribbon of grace flows steadily inside us. May it well up to become a clear blessing to those who seek our Redeemer, who taught us to pray in this way:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
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Join us for a midday devotion
Rev. Tim Best will share a devotion at noon today on our Facebook page. Please click here to join us!
Prayer for Today – September 9
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 9, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
We have learned, O Lord, that there are periods when aloneness must be honored, for we can always sense the urgency of our souls to catch up with our frenetic pace. It is only in apartness that we can find your rest. Yet, there is also something within us that truly rejects continued isolationism. Especially during these months of social distancing, we have been reminded of our deep need for relationship. We have come to realize how our lives are profoundly intertwined with our relatives, friends, and colleagues. Our faith community, we now know, is a most precious part of our existence. Thank you, Lord, for this bond which continues to sustain us, even while we are physically apart.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As a wise one once said: “Community may be the very door through which one enters the Holy of Holies, where God dwells.” And maybe it is your own holiness within others that pulls us closer to them. We ponder today about those in our church community who have shown us the door to you: those who led us through our fledgling faith . . . . . those who encouraged us along the way . . . . . those who allowed us to ask the hard questions . . . . . those who included us in outreach endeavors . . . . . those who prayed with us . . . . . those whose love of Christ was visible in all they did or said . . . . . Where would we be today without these dear souls? For each of them, alive in this realm or in the next, we are forever thankful.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O One Who Beckons, since you have called us into relationship, may we offer ourselves anew as your vessels within our community of faith. Who might need a note of gratitude? Who might be in need of encouragement? Who longs for a phone call? Who may be hungry? Who is confused or frightened? In whatever avenue you choose, Lord, lead us to those who wait in hope.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As your faithfulness falls afresh upon your people, we offer our thanksgivings for your countless favors; and we also name our personal challenges and burdens that are presently weighing us down:
O Portal of Life, as you already live in our hearts, we pray that whatever we attempt to do in your name today might somehow open the door that leads another to you. And should he or she find the way to your holiness through such a word or deed, may it be to your everlasting glory. With all devotion, we offer these prayers in the name of Jesus the Christ 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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.