BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 11, 2020
Pastor Jan
O One Who Gives Us Life and Who Calls Us By Name, we are grateful that we may pray to you both in our triumphs and in our trials, in our success and in our sinfulness, in our confidence and in our confusion. And when the words in our hearts break apart and turn to dust, we need only reach for the Psalms that speak our emotions of praise, lament, doubt, and confession. The apostle taught us to pray without ceasing. Give us resolve, we pray, to do just that.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We confess that we have grown lazy, Gentle Listener, and often neglect our time of spiritual communion with you. But in truth, to whom can we turn, but to you? Few others have the patience to receive our droning complaints and the ugliness of our souls laid bare. And only in the confines of your presence dare we reveal our temptations, cowardice and shame. You make space for us in your day, so let us make space for you. Preserve us, O God, for in you we take refuge.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Forgive us, Reassuring One, when we begin to think there is no hope for our fractured world, which seems to be crumbling down around us. You are not yet finished with this planet that you created out of love. You are still at work transforming lives and calling us out of darkness. With you there is always hope.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We witness your healing in the ways you are already bringing newness to our lives within our church community, and for that we are thankful. Now receive, we pray, these offers of praise and calls for healing that we lift up today:
- A family is very thankful for an upcoming vacation
- One celebrates extra work – funds will tide her over financially
- Gratitude: Betty Asha’s work in feeding South Sudanese refugees in Uganda
- Thankful that the riots, burning and looting seem to be decreasing
- Grateful that fresh light has been shed on brutality & maltreatment of persons of color
- Thank you for prayers: a mother has moved to assisted living and is adjusting
- Prayers for a member just returned to ICU for correct diagnosis and healing
- A family friend at Vanderbilt with brain cancer, that she is strong enough to have a procedure today
- A mother with memory problems; patience for daughter who cares for her
- Strength and courage for one having extensive breathing tests in Colorado, for correct diagnosis and treatment, prayers for her husband who stands by
- A brother in pain, for proper diagnosis of his malady
- Healing for one with seasonal depression and diabetes
- Healing of a mother’s grief – her dear friend in hospice care
- Courage for a relative in ICU in Florida who is sinking
How blessed we are to have you as our companion, for you never give up on us.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We offer our prayers and petitions in earnest to you, O Eternal One, whose glorious nature of mercy, justice and love was perfectly revealed to us in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, 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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Join us for a midday devotion
Head to our YouTube channel at noon today for Rev. Starks’ short devotion.
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 – June 23
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 23, 2020
Pastor Jan
O Wind of Heaven, awaken us this day to your holy acceptance blowing through us. Most days we feel we are too insignificant, unworthy of your attention. We recall our past mistakes keenly, wearing our failures as badges of remembrance on our chests. How foolish this must seem to you, O Gentle One, for you swept away our blunders long ago in your swirls of forgiveness. May this day be for us one of release, we pray. May we let go of the past and allow you once again to carry our wrongs away on the current of your airy and lifegiving breeze.
Hear us, O Lord, for your mercy is great.
O Lord of the Dance, you invite us to sway with you on the dance floor of life, to be comfortable with all your movements. Our steps are sometimes tentative and awkward, but you don’t seem to mind. It takes time and practice, you tell us, before we are able to move with delight with our lifelong partner. The melodies will be ever changing, we know, but by your leading, may we dance with devotion to your music of grace.
Hear us, O Lord, for your mercy is great.
As your servants, Loving Friend, we lift up those who are closest to our own hearts today, especially . . . that they may be strengthened and refreshed as your rivers of healing revive them. And also may streams of life flow into all our members at Church Street, particularly those who give voice to their thanksgivings and trials:
We trust you to hold our situations and concerns in the palm of your hand, to sprinkle them with your healing hope, and to refresh us in the time to come.
Hear us, O Lord, for your mercy is great.
Loving Savior, we begin this day with good intentions to follow you, and we pray that by nightfall you will be pleased with our efforts. May all our actions be covered by the grace of our Redeemer, 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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Prayer for Today – June 22
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 22, 2020
Pastor Jan
O God of Compassion, open wide the doors of our hearts that we might receive the wounded souls who pass quietly by. We see them so near our threshold, but we rarely invite them in to see how they are feeling, what pains they might be carrying. Perhaps we fear that if we look straight into their eyes, we will recognize our own fear of being as wounded and vulnerable as they. It is not easy to follow your open-door policy, Lord, but give us courage to unlatch the deadbolt and see what meaningful encounters might come to pass.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We are at it again, O Patient One. Morning arrives and we reach for that dreaded list of duties. It’s a pattern we fell into so long ago that we hardly remember a day when our notepad was blank. So many projects clamor for our attention that we become unfocused. At least, help us to attend to one task at a time, attempting to live in the present moment. This moment is all we are promised, but we readily destroy it by dwelling on the past and the future. You were with us in our yesterdays, you breathe within us in the present, and you will remain with us in whatever tomorrows we may have; so give us grace to embrace what we have right here, right now.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Reviver of Souls, we bow before you today, bringing our praises for your willingness to enter our lives as our Companion and Keeper. For the riches you bring us each day our hearts fill with gratitude. If we have overlooked any favor you bestowed, receive them now as we reflect upon your benevolence . . . And receive also, Good Lord, these celebrations and concerns that fill the hearts of your people at Church Street:
The old hymn states so simply, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” Grant that we might never treat that favor lightly, O Listening Ear, for we know your concern for us is what keeps us from falling.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the infinite and redeeming power of Christ we make our prayer this day:
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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Prayer for Today – June 19
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 19, 2020
Pastor Jan
We bow before you this day, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May we face today with you in our hearts, knowing you as the Source of all our days. May we embrace these hours as your holy gift, offered without cost. Restrain us when we pack our hours with endless errands and choke them by rushing from one task to another. Temper our pace, we pray, that we might move more gently savor your presence.
Great God of Heaven, hear our prayer.
How neatly we divide our lives into weekday and weekend increments; yet how fortunate we are that the flowers, bees, and birds take no weekends off. The leaves of the giant oaks and magnolias do not stop their labor, but continue to create oxygen for the living. Rivers and streams sing everyday as they rumble along. Is it sinful to take these holy mysteries for granted? Surely it is.
Great God of Heaven, hear our prayer.
All praise to you, O Perfect One, for in your own secret way, you are uniting us in holy communion with all our brothers and sisters for whom we pray. Today we remember the sick and the suffering throughout the world, those who have no place to call home, those of all races and cultures who are daily faced with oppression. In each one, there is a longing for wholeness. Fill that longing with your mercy, we pray. And share that same mercy with these people of Church Street who open their hearts to you:
May your grace and goodness shine through all that we undertake this day. And when others observe our attentiveness and patience, may they see you at work.
Great God of Heaven, hear our prayer.
We are all on the journey to you, Good Lord. Some days we maintain a steady gait; but other times it’s all we can do to put one foot in front of the other. Still, we know you are shepherding us, that we will arrive in your own good time, and we will then pray as one great multitude the prayer of your Beloved:
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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Prayer for Today – June 18
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 18, 2020
Pastor Jan
God of Knowing, you have plans for us, plans for a future filled with hope. Our path is often uncertain, for we see only through the eyes of this earthly realm. Yet through your eyes of eternal love, you envision a clear road and a place where prosperity and peace can abide together. Show us how to become part of your overarching vision; and even in our doubt and uncertainty, lead us to that place of clarity.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God Ever at Work, sometimes we think we in the church must do all your work alone. Your people come to us needing comfort and solace, but we place them on committees with spaces to fill. We crowd our calendars with meetings, making certain we are well-organized and efficient. We keep a frenzied pace, making sure the church functions as a well-oiled machine. Forgive us for our feelings of self-importance and believing we must save the whole world ourselves. You have many flocks laboring in your name, O Holy One, so slow us down. Grant that we might simply rest, breathe in your grace and breath out your love. For you alone are in the saving business.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Quiet Friend, we have been told many times that idleness is the work of the devil. How odd Jesus would have found this teaching. This One weaned on the scriptures would have remembered his Father’s command through the psalmist: Be still and know that I am God. Only when we quiet the soul and push aside the noisy inner clutter do we make room for the Holy.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
And now, from the depths of our hearts, we lift up these pleas and these praises that are offered today by our church family:
We have received mercy and you have noted all our cares in your book of remembrance. Thank you for working on our behalf.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In your grace, may we go into this day lifting up praise to you, O Lord, for you entrust us to bless your good earth, to proclaim your name, and to offer our petitions in the name of 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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Join us for a Noon Devotion!
Church Street lay leader Steve Richardson leads us in our midday devotion today. Click here to join us at noon.
Prayer for Today – June 17
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 17, 2020
Pastor Jan
The apostle calls us to put away the old self – the person we used to be before we met Christ. He urges us to set aside those traits so prevalent in our former lives – the anger, malice, greed, and selfish desires. We must have buried them in shallow ground, for they still make appearances when we least expect it. Today, as we renew our vows to you, Good Lord, we pray you would hide our sins in the depths of the earth, that they might dissolve into dust, never to be seen again.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We have also been reminded that we were chosen long before we decided to walk with you, O Holy One. Therefore, let us stand upright before your mirror of renewal and clothe ourselves with the garments laid out for true believers. Let us put on the robe of compassion, the scarf of humility, the headdress of patience. Let us carry the staff of mercy and peace along the byways, telling all whom we meet that we are chosen and they are chosen too.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Spirit, as ones renewed by your own benevolent hand, we offer our gratitude for the personal ways in which you have been at work in our lives . . .
For all that you have freely offered, we thank you. And also receive, we pray, both these praises and hurts spoken by your people at Church Street:
We thank you, Fount of Mercy, for receiving these pleas from our friends in Christ.
Remind us that we are bound together by our love for you, and your love for us.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You have removed our tired and tattered garments of unholiness and clothed us with new robes that will never fade or become out of style. We are confident they will serve us well, as they were fashioned by the Very One 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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Prayer for Today – June 16
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 16, 2020
Pastor Jan
The old preacher tells us there is a season for everything under the sun. Yes, that is true; and yes, this is a season for weeping. Our tears flow freely as we consider what we have lost in our nation. We are far more fragile than we assumed. We will never forget windows crashing in the night, sirens screaming, rushing crowds chanting retribution, looters taking advantage of the chaos. All point to the bitter unrest within our souls. Forgive us, Good Lord, for the part we have played in this pent-up frustration. If all the tears of the grieving were collected, there would be more than enough to drench the earth.
Father in heaven, hear us.
O Good Shepherd, your sheep have all scattered and have gone their own way. Some huddle in little groups trying to map out a way to get back to the fold. Others plot a different course entirely. Still others are too weary to travel, and some carry only vague memories of home, having even forgotten who they are. Give us courage and wisdom, we pray, to find the highway of hope that leads to your door. And once we step upon it, even the weakest among us will hear your voice calling. Then we will remember we belong to your holy flock, and you will not rest until each is accounted for.
Father in heaven, lead us home.
Eternal One, this day we remember the mercy your Son showed to those who existed among the unrelenting shadows in your day – the ones in pain of one sort or another. We, as they, want instant healing from all that ails us, but sometimes we have to live through the pain in order to find your grace as we endure. And on the other side, you are there to celebrate with us. Still, as Jesus asked, we lay our present cares and burdens before you, knowing we are not forgotten:
Father in heaven, heal us.
Where would we be, O Greatest Friend, if you were not with us? For you are our Everlasting Hope, always receiving our prayers and praise, and always remolding our souls to more closely resemble the flawless soul of your treasured 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.
Have a prayer request?
Submit your request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Prayer for Today – June 15
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 15, 2020
Pastor Jan
O Risen Christ, with signs of conflict increasing everywhere, we cling to the assurance that the power of your love is still pulsing through us and throughout the darkness of our world. In those particular places where the trauma of violence reigns, we pray for renewal and healing. We believe that even now you are bringing light to those who sit in the caverns of gloom. You are cleansing hearts filled with hate and lifting the burdens of those weighed down by feelings of helplessness.
Lord in your goodness, hear our prayer.
O Loving Creator, your image is planted in each of us. Grant that we may find a way to live in unity, discovering joy within our individual differences. May we learn to honor and share our unique identities and diverse communities. There is much work to be done. Help us take a risk for your love’s sake today, knowing that we are always safe in you.
Lord in your goodness, hear our prayer.
O Caring One, in spite of the beautiful gifts you lay at our feet every day, there remain those who are grieving, who struggle with chronic health conditions, who are shut away due to the pandemic, who are lonely, confused, grieving and uncertain. Grant each one that peace that surpasses human understanding. Also receive these concerns and thanksgivings from the hearts of our Church Street family:
Lord in your goodness, hear our prayer.
We recall other times in our lives when we felt all was lost, but in your infinite mercy, you pulled us through. Weeping may spend the night, the psalmist told us, but joy comes in the morning. We watch and wait for that bright dawn, Lord of Life, for you never fail us.
Lord in your goodness, hear our prayer.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ we pray, joining our voices with all those throughout the world who seek to live in harmony with one another:
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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Join us for a midday devotion
Join Rev. Cantler today at noon on our YouTube Channel for a short devotion to start your week.
Prayer for Today – June 12
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 12, 2020
Pastor Jan
O Taproot of our Being, sink our roots deep and deeper still in the nourishing soil of your strength. We are like saplings, buried in shallow ground, and we sway in every direction when the smallest wind of unease blows through. We regret our weakness and pray you would give us a firmer foothold for our lives in this era. May our fragile roots move closer, merging with your indestructible one, that our faith might become as stable and secure as a might oak.
Hear us Lord, for your mercy is great.
We would be trees, as those planted by flowing streams, bringing fruit in due season, having leaves that do not wither. May we be as those who offer the gift of greenness to others whose lives are somber gray. May we bring life to those whose hopes are ebbing away and may we become shade for those who have no roof of protection. Not of our own power will such things come to pass, O Loving God, but through your grace alone.
Hear us Lord, for your mercy is great.
Arbor of Peace, may we weary ones find rest and renewal under your beautiful branches of healing. There is room enough in that glade for those of us who are ill, defeated, lonely, tired, and worn. Watch over us there until we have recovered from the wounds of the world. And especially we lift up these church friends who offer their own burdens and thanksgivings to you:
Your very nearness brings the reassurance for which we thirst.
Hear us Lord, for your mercy is great.
Tree of Life, we thank you for listening and for accepting our prayers and reflections today. Remind us, as we go through the hours ahead, that only by your grace do we have life; and help us live as those who are rooted in 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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Church Street COVID-19 Check-In Report
covid, FeaturedClick here to view the full report.
The summary findings are:
Findings regarding future in-person worship:
precautions for some
of precautions for in-person worship (such as mask wearing, temperature checks,
pre-registration, social distancing, etc.)
information (vs. economic)
Findings regarding parish health:
health, financial stress and job stability
Findings regarding current ways of worshiping:
other online meetings/events
Prayer for Today – June 11
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Daily Prayers of the Church Street family
June 11, 2020
Pastor Jan
O One Who Gives Us Life and Who Calls Us By Name, we are grateful that we may pray to you both in our triumphs and in our trials, in our success and in our sinfulness, in our confidence and in our confusion. And when the words in our hearts break apart and turn to dust, we need only reach for the Psalms that speak our emotions of praise, lament, doubt, and confession. The apostle taught us to pray without ceasing. Give us resolve, we pray, to do just that.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We confess that we have grown lazy, Gentle Listener, and often neglect our time of spiritual communion with you. But in truth, to whom can we turn, but to you? Few others have the patience to receive our droning complaints and the ugliness of our souls laid bare. And only in the confines of your presence dare we reveal our temptations, cowardice and shame. You make space for us in your day, so let us make space for you. Preserve us, O God, for in you we take refuge.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Forgive us, Reassuring One, when we begin to think there is no hope for our fractured world, which seems to be crumbling down around us. You are not yet finished with this planet that you created out of love. You are still at work transforming lives and calling us out of darkness. With you there is always hope.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We witness your healing in the ways you are already bringing newness to our lives within our church community, and for that we are thankful. Now receive, we pray, these offers of praise and calls for healing that we lift up today:
How blessed we are to have you as our companion, for you never give up on us.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We offer our prayers and petitions in earnest to you, O Eternal One, whose glorious nature of mercy, justice and love was perfectly revealed to us in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, 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 request confidentially online, and our prayer team will be in prayer with and for you.
Join us for a midday devotion
Head to our YouTube channel at noon today for Rev. Starks’ short devotion.