BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 20, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Reassuring One, it is no secret to you that we are a restless people, moving first in one direction, then another, wandering far from the path you have laid out for us to travel, chasing one empty promise after another, and falling for the same old lines handed down by society’s self-appointed gurus. We pray you don’t become too tired of our unsettling behavior and the ways in which we keep forgetting you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. More than ever before, Good Lord, we need your reassurance. Take us to task if you must; yet remind us that you won’t give up on us, no matter what.
God of Mercy, hear our prayer.
World Lover, yes, there is more to confess: We admit that we’re always putting ourselves and our country first. We generally offer only a casual nod to other nations of the world, particularly those in which greed, fear, and injustice triumph every day. Remove the scales from the eyes of our hearts, that we might see the world and all its children as your beloved. Hopelessness weighs heavy on the backs of multitudes who need safety and security, meaningful work, improved education, clean air, fresh water, and sufficient food. Watch over these vulnerable ones whose faces do not resemble ours, but their bodies and souls are precious in your sight.
God of Mercy, hear our prayer.
O Friend of the Afflicted, we pray for those everywhere who are struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, poverty, and any other emotional or physical illness. May each see a glimmer of your light, sufficient to help them make it through another day. May that beam also find its way into the lives of your people of Church Street, particularly these who ask to be remembered:
- Couple offer thanks for their eighth wedding anniversary
- Prayers appreciated: Surgery on Friday was completed as planned
- Grateful for prayers – Member’s kidney surgery was successful
- Thanksgiving for our church musicians & all staff
- Gratitude: Atlanta friend’s Monday surgeries went smoothly
- Prayers for mother hospitalized, for proper diagnosis & treatment
- Husband dealing with depression & his overburdened wife
- Healing prayers: shrinking of tumor for one in therapy
- Healing for an aunt who suffered fractures in a recent fall
- Friend whose husband was killed last week in a tragic auto accident & their daughter who is to be married on Saturday
- Two members recovering from painful falls
- Upholding beloved husband in hospice care & strength for his wife
- Brother-in-law in Chicago w/ cancer; strength for his weary spouse
- Friend w/ cancer, caregiver for sibling w/ cancer & an elderly mother
- Prayers for guidance for a member making a weighty decision
- God’s peace for elderly friend trying to recover from the virus
- Continued healing for 2 member families recovering from Covid-19
God of Mercy, how fortunate we are that we might lay all our worries, our errors, and our thanksgivings on your doorstep. You are both the light in the window to welcome us and the home to which we always return. The Good Keeper, Jesus the Christ, sees that the door is open wide, and it is in his name we offer 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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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.
Prayer for Today – October 27
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 27, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Praiseworthy Friend, birdsong and rosy dawn announce another fresh beginning, offered to us without cost. This newness that springs from your grace is a hallowed gift and worthy of praise. Though yesterday’s attempts to follow you may have been flawed, you hold out another string of hours for us to bear witness to your love. And within these hours, may the prayer of the ancients be our song, for they held firm to the truth, knowing that it is in giving that we will receive; it is in becoming weak that we will be strong; it is in loving others that we will be loved; and it is by surrendering ourselves that your kingdom will unfold.
O Lord of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, when we sift through our memories of years gone by, your grace and mercy are best revealed. And in peering through our rear-view mirror, we discover you at those most precipitous junctures: When death colored our family’s path, we felt you there beside us. When piercing disappointments, upheavals, and betrayals came our way, you made yourself known. When there were decisions of great import to be made, your Spirit did not desert. Lord, in the world of the present, turning points of grief, loss, trials and tragedy place themselves in our path; but because of your forever faithfulness, we move through them with a growing confidence. If you are for us, who can be against us?
Pulse of Everlasting Love, send a sense of renewal, we pray, to the hurting ones across our globe, that they might know they are not alone. We lift up the refugees stranded in lands where they are unwanted, those on the move because of famine or war; those in the grips of addiction and their families; those who are hungry and unsheltered; those who grieve what is no longer; and those who believe their cause is lost. To these, we ask that you also touch each of these concerns that are carried in the hearts of your people at Church Street:
We do praise you, Sacred One. You call us to surrender, to be at peace with our vulnerability, even though you know that surrender is the most difficult part of our faith walk. By your tender provision, however, we believe that Christ accompanies us, that the Spirit dwells within us, and that your love for us is unending. With these convictions, we boldly offer the prayer taught us by Jesus:
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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Prayer for Today – October 26
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 26, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6–7
O Listening Heart, thank you for the mysterious gift of prayer. The apostle taught us that your candle is never diminished and that you wait through the long hours for our call. But still, we frequently feel we are making a nuisance of ourselves when we arrive at your door with another basket of wants and needs. Of course, you know that our own inner light flickers when we travel the shaded roads of life, and we so need a share of your eternal flame. And how faithful you are to share your glory. Why, even today, the flame of your sunrise stoops down to brighten our spirits!
Eternal One, so much has unfolded this past year that we are anxious about what tomorrow will bring. The rampant virus has intensified throughout your created world, putting all in danger, particularly the poor and the vulnerable. We pray for these victims, and for the lonely, the hungry, the despondent, and the dying. The prophet once told us you had plans for us, plans for a future filled with hope. We hold onto that hope, Lord, for all we are worth. Knowing you are looking out for us makes all things bearable.
The evidence of your working on our behalf is solid, as miracles are being played out in all places, even within our church family. Our hearts fill with gratitude for your wonders and benefits. And as we lift up these personal situations to your care, we seek most of all that peace that surpasses all understanding:
Father of All Mercies, it was through your mercy that you gave us Jesus Christ, who came to show us the way of faithfulness, even when we didn’t understand. And through your mercy, you created ministries for us to share, and even sparked a deep desire within us to please you. And best of all, though our understanding remains partial and often faulty, you believe in us. Your goodness never ends, Lord, so we know you accept the prayers we offer this day, and that you also hear our whispered prayer taught us by your Son:
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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Prayer for Today – October 22
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 22, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Master of the House, we lift up our church family to you and ask that you would bind us together more strongly than ever, even though our doors remain closed due to the lurking virus. The windows and doors of our hearts, on the other hand, can be flung wide, showing the world that the love of Christ is not bound by bolts or locks. Help us remember our vows to support our church by praising your goodness, by lifting up our brothers and sisters in prayer, by seeking your mercy and forgiveness, and by financially undergirding the work of your kingdom. In our moments of self-pity, we might consider our efforts and our gifts insignificant; yet Jesus praised the widow’s mite she softly dropped into the alms basin so long ago. May we give from our hearts, as well, knowing that whatever blessing we extend and whatever gift we offer will be multiplied through your grace.
Loving God, hear our prayer.
Voice of Encouragement, as we consider the ongoing troubles across the globe, we often think little progress has been made in our life-long work for peace and harmony. We confess our fears and we sometimes doubt if we have the energy to move ahead in our quest. Perhaps we should step back and let the younger generations take over for us, we think to ourselves. Ah, but then we hear you calling in the night:
“Wherever there is pain and suffering, you are needed.
Wherever there is loneliness and grief, there is a word only you can speak.
Wherever there is sickness and death, you must carry my love.
Wherever there is hunger and homelessness, you can address those needs.
Wherever there is inequality and oppression, your work must continue.”
Yes, of course, Good Lord, you have been our strength in all times past, and we have every reason to believe you will sustain us.
Loving God, hear our prayer.
Silent Friend, quiet the whirring of our minds and settle the anxieties that cling to our inward parts. And in the silence that ensues, may we offer our gratitude for your continued favors . . . . . . and whisper those who are closest to our hearts . . . . And may your healing breath touch each of these individuals whose welfare is important to your Church Street family:
Thank you, Sacred One, for hearing our petitions this day, for reminding us that your hope is at work in the world, and for renewing our courage to step out in faith. And receive again, we pray, these words implanted in our hearts by Jesus himself:
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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Prayer for Today – October 21
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 21, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
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 – October 20
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 20, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Reassuring One, it is no secret to you that we are a restless people, moving first in one direction, then another, wandering far from the path you have laid out for us to travel, chasing one empty promise after another, and falling for the same old lines handed down by society’s self-appointed gurus. We pray you don’t become too tired of our unsettling behavior and the ways in which we keep forgetting you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. More than ever before, Good Lord, we need your reassurance. Take us to task if you must; yet remind us that you won’t give up on us, no matter what.
God of Mercy, hear our prayer.
World Lover, yes, there is more to confess: We admit that we’re always putting ourselves and our country first. We generally offer only a casual nod to other nations of the world, particularly those in which greed, fear, and injustice triumph every day. Remove the scales from the eyes of our hearts, that we might see the world and all its children as your beloved. Hopelessness weighs heavy on the backs of multitudes who need safety and security, meaningful work, improved education, clean air, fresh water, and sufficient food. Watch over these vulnerable ones whose faces do not resemble ours, but their bodies and souls are precious in your sight.
God of Mercy, hear our prayer.
O Friend of the Afflicted, we pray for those everywhere who are struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, poverty, and any other emotional or physical illness. May each see a glimmer of your light, sufficient to help them make it through another day. May that beam also find its way into the lives of your people of Church Street, particularly these who ask to be remembered:
God of Mercy, how fortunate we are that we might lay all our worries, our errors, and our thanksgivings on your doorstep. You are both the light in the window to welcome us and the home to which we always return. The Good Keeper, Jesus the Christ, sees that the door is open wide, and it is in his name we offer 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.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Prayer for Today – October 19
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 19, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Inspiring God, amid all the disorder and free-floating anger so close to home, we offer thanks for those souls around us who, even in the face of hard struggles, use their voices to speak of your goodness. And in spite of the unrest permeating our society, we thank you for those calm ones who offer kind words and reassurance.
And when confusion seems to rule the day, we are grateful for those who are able to articulate with clarity the higher road that leads to the welfare of the whole. When life seems harsh, we thank you for those who use their voices to sing of your love. Your inspiration shines through all these agents of grace. Grant that we, as they, might use our own voices to share your song of hope.
Gentle Spirit, hear our prayer.
God of Many Faces, in your love and wisdom, you have created such rich diversity among your people. Forgive us, we pray, when we fear our differences, for in doing so, we are really rejecting your creation and your holy will. Show us how to celebrate our varying individual gifts and graces, for we are each part of the Body of Christ. And as one complete community, remind us that when one of us is suffering, the rest of us share in his/her burden, or when one is celebrating, we share in his/her joy. Erase the strife and competition among us, that we may witness to Christ by the ways we lift up one another.
Gentle Spirit, hear our prayer.
O One Worthy of All Devotion, we know that your regard for us is deep and beyond our comprehending. And so we pray for ourselves . . . for our forgiveness . . . for holy wisdom to do your will . . . for our prayers which have no words, even the whispers of our hearts . . . And as you are eager to hear all our longings, we lift up the thanksgivings and burdens from the hearts of your people at Church Street:
Loving God, may this day ahead be dedicated to you; and whatever transpires, may you be pleased with our efforts. May all that we undertake be reminiscent of those timeless deeds of goodness carried out by our Teacher, Jesus the Christ, who told 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.
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Prayer for Today – October 15
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 15, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Holy Vision, some of us walk bruised, burdened, and blinded through the ways of the world. We continue to question the unease, the uncertainty, the unknown. The apostle said that we see through a glass darkly, as through a clouded mirror; he said that ours is not to know all things in this realm. Rather, we are asked to live by faith and not by sight. And we do, though it is sometimes frightfully hard. So in these pressing times, we ask for a tender memory of your loving promise: that one day we shall all see clearly, and then face-to-face. Until that grand shadowless day arrives, may we trust in your sure and certain providence.
Loving God, hear our prayer.
Dearest Confidant, we praise you that our lives remain an open book to you, for you know the secrets of our hearts, our deepest desires, and our long-held dreams. There is no need to rehash our pasts with you, no need to explain our plans or motives with you, for you never forget. Oh, what a blessing it is to merely pick up where we left off when last we conversed. You keep your back door unlatched for us, always willing to sit for a spell, to speak of both the trivial and the weighty, no matter how late the hour. A wise one once said that the best things in life are free. Whoever he was, he must have known the joy of sitting in your sacred presence.
Loving God, hear our prayer.
Kindest Heart, help us to look with the kindness of Jesus upon each one who crosses our path today. May our own hearts remain especially open to those who have been bitterly bruised by the world. Perhaps our small gestures of tenderness might not turn their lives around, but they just might offer a glimmer of grace that will soften their hearts. Thank you for taking all your little ones under your wing, and we know that you also remember these particular situations offered by your children at Church Street:
Loving God, may this day ahead be dedicated to you; and whatever transpires, may you be pleased with our efforts. May all that we undertake be reminiscent of those timeless deeds of goodness carried out by our Teacher, Jesus the Christ, who told 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.
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Prayer for Today – October 14
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 14, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O God Most Holy, as we glimpse your morning brightness through the colored branches, we are filled with a deep longing to remain enfolded in your holy presence this day. Without reservation, the bracing breeze reminds us that we are accepted just as we are, and you wrap us in such rare natural beauty out of the goodness of your spirit. O Lord, your benevolence leaves us truly speechless; mere words do little justice to your mercy. We are aware of our faults and frailties, but you know that we are striving to be faithful to our promises to bear one another’s burdens and to dream one another’s dreams.
Song of Heaven, hear our prayer.
O Shining Light of Salvation, you are the stronghold of our lives, so what have we to fear? This we believe in our hearts, but in truth, we remain uneasy about many things. May all who are ill or frightened somehow feel your hand resting upon their brow. May those in sorrow remember your tears mingle with their own. May those who feel lonely open your door of welcome. May those who are impoverished receive a generous sharing of what we ourselves possess. Play your eternal lullaby throughout the late hours, we pray, and we shall then be at peace.
Song of Heaven, hear our prayer.
And as you bend your ear to receive the prayers of all who call upon your name, also accept these earnest prayers from your friends at Church Street UMC:
Song of Heaven, thank you for making time for us and for welcoming our communion with you. As you have carved out a place in our hearts for yourself, help us to carve out a portion each day to meditate with you. May your music play on in our lives, enabling us to share your grace, hope, and joy in the time that we are given:
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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Prayer for Today – October 13
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 13, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Great Physician, once a leper came to Jesus and said: I wish to be made clean.” Today we come before you with that same prayer in our hearts, for we carry many burdens and require renewal: There are the cruel words we spoke, the upheavals we may have brought about in our lives, the relationships we have failed to mend, the damage we have inflicted upon your creation, the part we have played in the world’s unrest, our fear of the future and our fear of those who are different. Lord, we lay our burdens down at the foot of the cross, believing that, as you cleansed the leper, you would also purify us.
God of Mercy, hear our prayer.
Good Lord, as you have emptied us of those timeworn burdens, we stand ready to receive all those things which your cross represents. We ask to be filled with the compassion, kindness, wisdom, courage, strength, forgiveness, and joy that were so deeply rooted in our wounded Savior. And because of your merciful healing, may we make this day a continuous prayer of praise to you. Should we find challenges in the hours to come, may we see them as opportunities to live out our recommitment to you and as testimony to your reclamation.
God of Mercy, hear our prayer.
Constant One, we ask for your loving care for all who are in need, and these special ones who are close to our hearts . . . . . . . . And watch over these friends and loved ones who have asked to be remembered in prayer. These we share with the One who bore the greatest of life’s burdens for our sake:
Spirit of Newness, kindle within us that new light of hope that never dims, that our spirits might somehow brighten the days of our overburdened brothers and sisters. whom you have asked us to comfort. Remembering your grace and glory, we offer the ageless prayer taught us by our Redeemer:
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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Prayer for Today – October 12
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
October 12, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O One of Many Names, you have called us to be members of your blessed community. With our different origins and backgrounds, with our varying skin tones and physical appearance, with our mixed languages and dialects, we sing your praise. You stand at the threshold of this new day, with your waking words upon your lips: “Arise and shine for your light has come!” Indeed, may we answer in solidarity with your church universal: Blessed be you, O Creating and Re-creating God! How marvelous that the Light of the World seeks us out to worship and to serve in solidarity with all who call him Lord!
Loving God, hear our prayer.
We confess we are procrastinators. We spend so much of our time waiting for the perfect moment, that we often miss the chance to help another when their need is greatest. We worry about offering the right words, forgetting our mere presence is what is most longed for. We are frequently so wrapped up in the stresses of our own lives that we have little time to inquire about your hopes and dreams for us. O God of Second Chances, forgive us. Cure our persistent perfectionism, and widen our vision that we might understand that often the moment to act is “now.”
Loving God, hear our prayer.
Savior of All Nations, shower your mercy upon all who are in adversity across our globe, especially those caught up in flooded parts of France and Italy; people on the shores of Kamchatka, Russia whose waters are polluted; African villagers who have little access to virus testing; the starving victims of famine in Yemen. Next to these sufferings, we place the burdens (and joys) of your people at Church Street:
Loving God, we know you have engraved your name upon all hearts, and all souls are under your care. Thank you for accepting our prayers. And as members of your own community of faith, we recognize your blessings seeping through our lives. Regardless of the highway we may individually be walking, may we offer your grace to all whom we meet, always remembering the Son 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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