Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of June 26, 2024

Written by Rev. Tim Best

 

Gracious Lord,

Break open our hearts. Our hearts break open with both joy and pain. When we burst with joy we share the happiness and the wholeness that we experience from your abundant mercies. In our suffering, our hearts break open with weeping and pain, revealing our need for you and our longing to be made whole. With grace and love, break us open that we might know more fully your love.

We pray for those whose hearts are breaking with pain and loss. We pray for those who have lost loved ones this week. For those covered in grief and sadness, lift some of the weight from their hearts. Remind them of your presence, your faithfulness, and your promise of resurrection.

For those who have battled illness and other forms of suffering this week, we pray for recovery and renewal. May they know love and mercy from those who give them care. May those who are caregivers and helpers know a strength and courage found in you alone. We praise you for the gifts of modern medicine, and the abilities of doctors and nurses. Be a constant help to them that they may be help to others.

We give thanks for all the mercies of this week. For those who rejoice in the joys of seeing a favorite team win, for those who have been recently married, and for those children learning and playing at VBS, we are thankful for their joy. Help us to always be thankful for even the smallest mercies and joys in our lives.

Open us continually to the direction of your Holy Spirit. Break us open that we might be continually made new in your grace. Help us all to know and name those ways of service and worship to which you call each of us. It is in trust of your gratuitous grace that we offer all those concerns that fill our hearts.

Break open our hearts now as we share those joys and concerns of this, our Church Street family…

We pray for …

• A member’s mother who is in ICU. Thankful she is off of the respirator. Prayers for strength.
• Friends and family members who are going through hard times; praying for people we love.
• A family who is embarking on a journey. May they experience joy, love, safety, and healing. May God touch each of their precious hearts and minds.
• A long-time friend who has just been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia; beginning treatments. Prayers for full remission.
• One who is traveling for several weeks; may she be comforted by precious memories as she deals with grieving.
• Those who are traveling to see family, celebrate memories, and scatter ashes.
• One is being deployed to Qatar; prayers for safety.
• All of the men and women in the military.
• Praying for one who has been serving in the Red Sea and will be heading back soon.
• A member who is grieving the death of her brother and dealing with the declining health of their mother.
• One who is moving to California to be closer to children; may all go smoothly and may he feel at home.
• A member who is receiving chemo.
• A member who is grieving the death of his brother but gives thanks for Eternal Light and Health.
• All of the children at Vacation Bible School.
• A co-worker who is very ill with infection and has had two surgeries this week.
• A friend who fell off a ladder and has multiple injuries.
• A couple going through a divorce; very difficult on both.
• A nephew who is battling colon and pancreatic cancer and is now in hospital after a fall. Prayers for his mother who also has cancer (bladder cancer) and just had a heart stent put in.

We continue to pray for …

• Adult children who find themselves making decisions for parents about health and welfare.
• Young adults struggling to find work and places to live; the world seems to be against them!
• A young couple who is wanting to start a family…

We offer prayers of thanksgiving for …

• A Sunday School class who has been so supportive.
• A friend whose esophageal cancer surgery was a success. Thankful for soft foods!
• Coach V and the Vols! It is so good for Knoxville to have something we can all celebrate TOGETHER!

Break open the heart of our church that we might be signpost of your coming kingdom, for which we pray, saying…

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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Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of June 12, 2024

Written by Steve Richardson

God in heaven and in our midst: Open our minds to your presence as you hear our prayers. 

Thank you for moments such as now to ponder your grace, mercy and blessings that refresh our spirits and emotions; to pray for others and for your help with one another’s needs; and to seek your guidance for decisions and uncertainties. 

Giver of life, each of our hearts beats in rhythm to our own body’s needs.  For our spiritual hearts, attune them to beat in rhythm with the needs of the body of Christ. For times when our hearts are restless, calm them as Jesus pacified the restless sea. When they feel broken, bind them together again with your grace and compassion often found through our relationships with others. When our hearts seem as if they’re not beating at all, rejuvenate them with your transforming energy.  

Your holy scripture instructs us repeatedly about neighborliness and love, especially for people and groups that we tend to push to the backgrounds and margins. For these neighbors, Lord, move us – – 

from blinding apathy to recognition;  

from recognition to acceptance;  

from acceptance to respect;  

from respect to inclusion;  

from inclusion to affirmation;  

from affirmation to partnership;  

and from partnership, to the fullness of love you want us to have for one another. 

 Through your church, you connect us to a community of people bound by mutual love and who strive to live as your disciples. For Church Street, we are especially grateful for Pastors Catherine and Tim. We rejoice in knowing both have been re-appointed by Bishop Wallace-Padgett to continue their callings in ministry to us. Thank you for Brad and Christina, too, whose support, commitment, gifts and service have nourished your church. 

Creative God, you’ve given us many blessings through music at Church Street. Thank you for the talents shared by Tim Ward, Edie Johnson and others who lead our choirs, as well as all of the musicians who sing and play instruments. Thank you for the safe return of the Youth Choir following their trip last week to Boston, where voices of Church Street extended to others the splendors of the sounds of your kingdom. 

In our church community, there are many other needs and prayers, including these listed here. Surround each of these persons with your loving embrace and comfort… 

We pray for …

• A member whose mother is in the hospital
• One who is still recuperating from trauma of car accident
• A member who is dealing with MS; awaiting results from tests
• A couple who anxiously awaits birth of child
• For an indigent friend, with no family support,  in another state with serious health issues, dependent on frequent trips to ER for medical care. 
• One of our neighbors whose car was totaled after an accident; prayers of thanksgiving that no one was hurt
• One who has been in hospital and is recuperating at home.
• For a couple getting married this weekend
• For one whose father died; funeral was yesterday
• A relative who needs a kidney transplant

We continue to pray for ….

• One who will be having surgery soon to remove tumor in soft palate
• One who is looking for housing
• A young woman dealing with mental health issues
• Individuals and family members navigating the dementia diagnosis
• A mother-in-law who just entered hospice care at home
• Friends and family who are having struggles
• A couple who is waiting to hear about IVF procedures and results.
• Family members who continue to deal with cancer … all the tests and new treatments and waiting and follow up appointments. May they feel God’s healing presence in the midst of it!
• Friends and family members who are going through a troubling time.

We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….

• For those who attended Holston Annual Conference as local church and district lay members.
• For our bishop and our superintendent
• Beautiful weather these last few days!
• That my cousin is coming for a visit

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of May 22, 2024

Written by Rev. Catherine Nance

Tonight’s prayer is adapted from the one used this past Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024. The idea for the prayer petition came from a worship resource for the Reformed Church of America.

O God, who always listens to us, who breathes new life into us, call us forward to resurrection.

When we look at images from the news, we seem to be surrounded by a world of dry bones, a world of death and despair, a world where we lose hope in our governments and institutions; we lose hope in one another.

We pray for this world in need of your Word: for all the people in it . . . we are hurting and praying for the people in Gaza and for the people in Israel who have lost loved ones from the violence; those who are still being held hostage. We see divisions in Slovakia after assassination attempt and more destruction in Ukraine. It is tempting to give up hope of peace and to ask, “What is the use of prayer?”

O God who always listens to us, who breathes new life into us, call us forward to resurrection.

We just celebrated Armed Forces Day this past weekend. We remember those who have sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom. We pray for world leaders and the decisions they must make … we pray for our president and for other heads of state that the decisions they make will bring an end to violence.

O God, who always listens to us, who breathes new life into us, call us forward to resurrection.

We are surrounded by people with dried up lives, people unable to see your life past their tears. We think of those who are lonely, who are grieving. We all know of someone whose life is being dried up by addiction or financial worries. We pray for this world in need of your healing presence: for those who are imprisoned, those we are waiting to hear from medical tests, those who are waiting to hear about a job. We have friends and family in Houston and other places who are dealing with the aftermath of storms. Oh God, we pray that your breath would bring hope and healing.

O God, who always listens to us, who breathes new life into us, call us forward to resurrection.

Those in the world would tell us that the church is dead; that we are nothing more than dry bones gathered together. We had a glorious day of worship this past Sunday. We celebrated Pentecost! May we, your church, be open to your breath! Just as Ezekiel heard rattling of bones coming to life, make us aware of the rattling we hear when children gather to learn bible stories, when youth gather to do service, when adults gather to serve a meal to the homeless. Do not allow us to be persuaded by those who say the church has no life, but give us the boldness to live fully into the life you call us.

We pray for the courage not just to follow you to death, but to follow you to the New Creation.

O God, who always listens to us, who breathes new life into us, call us forward to resurrection.

Call us to follow in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who taught us when we pray 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.

We pray for ….

• One who is having dental surgery next week; prayers there are no complications due to low platelets
• For an employee whose son was killed in a traffic accident Sunday morning; prayers for safe travels as they go to Colorado for service. Prayers for God’s peace as they grieve.
• For those who are grieving the loss of a pet
• Families who are celebrating graduations and other milestones; also prayers for whom this is difficult season.
• One who is learning a new day-to-day after the death of her mother
• One who has been hospitalized out of town but is now home; awaiting surgery
• A wife who is coming to the end of her earthly life; may she feel God’s peace as she enters eternal light.
• A couple who is waiting to hear about IVF procedures and results.
• A newborn who spent first few days in NICU; thankful she can go home. Continued prayers for strength. Prayers of thanksgiving for family!

We continue to pray for ……

• Family members who continue to deal with cancer … all the tests and new treatments and waiting and follow up appointments. May they feel God’s healing presence in the midst of it!
• Friends who are beginning the journey of “some type of dementia.” Prayers of thanksgiving for doctors who study our brains, for researchers who have developed better testing, for social workers, for loving family members, and helpers all around!
• Friends and family members who are going through a troubling time.
• Adult children trying to make good decisions about next steps in work and school and life!

Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of May 1, 2024

Written by CSUMC Member David Martin

Tonight’s prayer is one that church member, David Martin, wrote and shared with Pastor Catherine recently. This is a prayer that he offers each morning. Perhaps it could be your morning prayer as well. 

 

Magnificent Creator and Lord of All! 

All that I am I lay at your feet.  

To serve you is my greatest desire.   

Light my path and protect my way so that I may be found faithful. 

Let my actions always be a gesture of gratitude for your goodness.   

Let my eyes always be fixed on your splendor especially when the gloom of darkness feels imminent.  

Let me live today knowing that you hold tomorrow.  

Let the light of your Grace radiate from deep within me, transforming lives – revealing your glory! 

Let my life be a celebration of your sacrifice and victory at the cross.   

Let me be in Christ! 

Magnificent creator and Lord of All! 

All that I am I lay at your feet.  

In your Son’s name I lift up these joys and concerns of our church family…

We continue to pray for the 2020 General Conference (which is finally taking place after delays from Covid) gathering in Charlotte, NC. Please pray for our delegates by name, along with our Bishop, Debra Wallace-Padgett:

Amanda Onks, Rev. Amy Sumrall, Anne Travis, Becky Hall, Rev. Caleb Frazier, Rev. David Graybeal, Dawson Kitts, Del Holley, Donna Mosby, Rev. Dr. Josh Kilbourne, Rev. Kim Goddard, Rev. Kristen Burkhart, Rev. Lauri Jo Cranford, Rev. Dr. Mark Flynn, Rev. Mary Thompson, Nate Roark, Rev. Paul Seay, Rev. Dr. Randy Frye, Reagan Kelly, Sam England, Rev. Sarah Varnell, Rev. Sharon Bowers, and Rev. Wil Cantrell.

We pray for …

… a brother-in-law who has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer and awaiting prognosis and treatment plan

… friends who are going through a difficult time

….a mother who has fractured her shoulder and her wrist

…. One who seeks God’s guidance in ‘blessing the work of her hands.”

… a member grieving the loss of his faithful canine friend and companion

… one who wants to bring joy and pride to her parents and family

… two friends who have been diagnosed with cancer. May each feel God’s healing strength and peace

… a husband who is dealing with the side effects of cancer drugs

… those who are waiting on appointments and follow up consultations with neurologists

… patience for parents as a teen learns to drive!

 

We continue to pray for …

…a young adult who is struggling with mental health issues right now

…one who is going through a legal process; prayers for resolution

…those who are dealing with fertility concerns

….friends and family who are going through difficult times

….those who are in assisted living and rehab

….members who are in hospital

…peace

 

We give thanks for ….

…. Friends who bring joy to our lives

… job opportunities

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of April 17, 2024

Written by Rev. Catherine Nance

O God, we pause at the end of the day with others in our church family to offer prayer. As we read these words, we imagine members of our church and what they mean to us. Some are very dear friends and some we barely know. Perhaps there are those who have been long-time members and others who have recently started attending. But there is a comfort in knowing that others who worship where we do and sang the same hymns on Sunday are pausing now to say, “thank you for your gifts.”

We thank you for this gift of prayer and how it connects us to your heart and to others. We thank you for how prayer gives us a peace when we are troubled. Prayer renews our spirits when we are cast down. Prayer offers us strength when we are feeling weary. Thank you, O God, for the mystery of this act. Pausing to acknowledge, reflect, give thanks, intercede for others, and share our own burdens – this act of prayer gets us through the week.

We imagine others who are reading this, and we give thanks for them. We do not know the names and faces behind each prayer request, but we feel a closeness to them because they trust us with their vulnerability.

O God who hears our prayers, we wonder what your world would be like if the whole world stopped for a moment and felt a grateful connection to you and to neighbor. What power there would be in prayer!

Fill us with that assurance, O loving God, that this very act, praying together, for one another, has made a difference in our living today. It has made a difference in others’ lives. And will make a difference in how we face tomorrow.

Before we read through prayer concerns, we pause for just one more moment, and think of people around your world. We know there are those who have no ‘church family.’ There are those who are praying alone. Graft our prayers into theirs, O God. Let them know they are not alone.

We offer the prayer that Jesus taught us saying ….

We pray for ….

• An expectant mother who has a very active little one inside! Prayers for good rest until due date!
• All spouses who are dealing with the stress  of caring for their spouse who has dementia or other brain diseases. Prayers for comfort in the continuing grief.
• Faithfulness; that God will keep us healthy and abundant in love! Keep us alive and well in Jesus name!
• The family of a woman who died from ALS; she leaves a husband and two young adult children. Praying for a church member who is a dear friend to her.
• A member’s aunt who is home on hospice care and near death after her cancer returned 
• A family who is traveling this week
• One experiencing difficult situation with family members with whom there has been no contact for years; prayers for a respectful resolution while maintaining healthy boundaries
• A member’s 91-year old father whose quality of life is declining

We continue to pray for …

• Peace in our world.
• One looking for full-time employment; the stress of job searching is causing sleeplessness. 
• Those dealing with mental illness; may they find God’s peace.
• Those going through cancer treatments

We give thanks for …

• A positive follow up appointment with surgeon
• Finding a good solution for long term care
• Our sixth graders at CSUMC who will be confirmed on Sunday

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.