Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of September 20, 2023

Pat Bellingrath

God, we come to you tonight with hearts full of love and gratitude for all the ways you are at work in our lives. This time of year when the leaves are beginning to change and the air becomes crisp and cool, we look for hope and renewal in ourselves. The hot days of summer are over, and we are looking ahead to the joys of Advent. May we be reminded that you are the God of all seasons and allow us to see with fresh eyes, the change and peace that can be found in the beginning of a season.

We find ourselves, oh Lord, in the midst of challenging times in our church and in our world. When we read the newspaper or watch the news, may we embrace our connection to every human being in the world, each of whom bears the image of you, God. We are called, through prayer and action, to participate in the work of healing and caring for each other and all creation.

For those of us who are struggling or feeling disconnected from you, may we know that we are not alone. God, we are searching for something to heal us, something to strengthen us, something to give us peace, something to give us a better life. We search for ways to look better, to live better, ways to sustain our planet, ways to end gun violence. We search for ways to eradicate racism, cures for our diseases, ways to end homelessness, ways to end child hunger. We search (and yearn) for a reality to end our loneliness, to soothe the hurts we feel and for the pain of others to be healed. So, it seems we are all searching for you, God.

May we find you, oh Lord, in this changing of the seasons, in praying for others, in simple moments in our daily lives, in our relationships with one another, in our journeys of forgiveness, in our longing for justice and equity, and in moments of despair and in moments of joy. May we find you in places where we are uncertain or afraid. May we find you in the faces of our neighbors. For how can we deepen our connection with you unless we deepen our connections with one another?

As the leaves change into beautiful and vibrant hues, may we, too, be transformed. May we walk together in love, in hope and in faith. Oh God, who extends to us a kin-dom of justice and peace, healing and wholeness, of unity and equity, may we be the ones to live these here on earth each and every day. Amen.

We pray for …

• The birth of a grandbaby; and for all the big brothers in the family!
• A church member who is very ill
• A woman struggling with schizophrenia
• A neighbor who is about to be evicted
• A member’s father who has prostate cancer and for the mother who is feeling overwhelmed about caregiving because of her own health issues. Prayers for the whole family.
• A wife who is recovering from knee replacement surgery
• A member who has experienced the death of close friends and family within a span of a few weeks
• Members traveling out of town for a family funeral
• All those who struggle with addiction
• The young woman with schizophrenia who has asked for our prayers
• A mother whose 53-year-old son died suddenly

We give thanks for …

• Our SASH committee and all the good work they have done and continue to do (Safety, Accessibility, Security, and Health)
• A clear PET scan
• A specialist who is overseeing a difficult medical case

We continue to pray for…

• Those who are discouraged
• Members dealing with chronic illness and those who love them.

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 September 6, 2023

Rev. Catherine Nance

This prayer was adapted from a prayer written by Christine Longhurst whose worship blog is called re:WORSHIP. Christine teaches at Canadian Mennonite University.

O God, just as You rescued the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt, setting them free to worship and serve You,

so You have also rescued us, setting us free from slavery to sin and selfishness, and inviting us into relationship with You and one another. We praise You for the love and mercy You have shown toward us.

We pray that the words we speak in worship and the rituals we observe are acted out in our daily living. May we trust you whether we find ourselves in familiar surroundings or heading on an uncertain journey. May we always be certain of your faithfulness towards us.

We pray for those who do not have what they need in order to survive; those without enough food and water, medical care, shelter, or security. Open our hearts to see the needs in our world, and to respond with Your love.

We pray for those who are living with serious illness or injury,

who face each day with uncertainty or pain,

who find themselves wondering what the future holds.

Open our hearts to see the needs of those around us,

and to respond with Your love.

We also pray for Your church, the Body of Christ on earth.

We pray that we would be a living example of Your love in our world, treating one another with compassion and respect, settling differences with love and integrity, bound together by our common allegiance to You.

Open our hearts and lives to your ongoing presence among us,

so that we would grow in faithfulness and love.

May our living always bring honor to Jesus Christ our Savior – it is in his name we pray and offer the prayer he taught us…

We pray for …

• A mother who is very ill
• Daughter recovering surgery
• A woman waiting on results of CT scan
• A husband having biopsy
• A father who started a new job this week; prayers he will be on a good path.
• A member waiting on apartment in assisted living

We continue to pray for ….

• One who is receiving radiation and chemotherapy for brain cancer
• One taking chemotherapy for breast cancer
• A mother looking for work in a new city
• Those who grieve but also celebrate the love they shared
• A family member who is in recovery program; prayers for healing from addiction

We offer thanksgiving for …

• One who received a job!
• The chance to get away for a while after so many treatments.
• Newborns who are continuing to do well.

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 August 9, 2023

Rev. Catherine Nance

We turn to you, O God of Wednesday, with our mid-week concerns. We know you are the Lord of all days! There are no mini gods over each day! But there is a particular bent to our posture of prayer at mid-week. We have forgotten the inspiration of Sunday, routine that we thought was so grounding has consumed us, and we feel we might not make it to the respite of the weekend.  

So, Lord of mid-week, thank you for meeting us here. Re-orient us to the hymn* we sang last Sunday, “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does its successive journeys run …. To Jesus endless prayer be made, and endless praises crown his head …” 

We have let other powers and concerns reign over us; we have forgotten the power of prayer and praise. Endless … the hymnwriter sings. O God of Wednesday, forgive us for setting you aside last Sunday afternoon. We greet you here, tired and wasting time feeling guilty for not praying earlier. Refresh us with your forgiveness, revive us with your welcoming spirit, and assure us you hear our prayers – the sporadic ones if not the endless ones.  

May our prayers be energized knowing that they are a form of praise as well. We pray to the one who we believe has power and love enough to change us, to heal others, and to transform the world. We do offer praise. O God, help us to live into that praise. Help us to praise you with our actions as well as our lips. 

Re-orient us towards the psalm we offered last Sunday …. O God, be gracious to us and bless us and make your face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. May we live in a way that reflects your light shining on us. It is tempting to absorb it all and not share outwardly. Help us work with that balance, O God, so our footsteps and handiwork reflect your love in us.  

There is much tragedy in our community and world. Many are grieving the loss of a young man who offered so much hope and encouragement to others. The numbers of deceased are rising in Maui and we hear of migrant deaths at sea. May our responses to tragedy always be grounded in your love for the whole world. As we pay attention to our own hurt, may we also look around to see how we may offer empathy. Lord, we give thanks that you are with us and shine a light out of the darkness. 

There is also much joy! Forgive us when we fail to praise you for the joy! Let every creature rise and bring honors peculiar to our King! We thank you for the opportunity to offer prayers of intercession, but may they be made in a thankful response to your life and love. We hurt so badly when someone we love hurts. May the hurt turn us even nearer to you and bring us a sense of peace. Not numbness. Not apathy. But a deep peace that brings a stillness – even when we ask why, even we cry ourselves to sleep, even when there seem to be no answers. We are grateful for that inner stillness that recalibrates our spirits to you. 

Thank you for hearing our prayer on this Wednesday, O God of all days. Thank you for understanding our rhythms and our ups and downs of attentiveness. As we look towards Thursday, we know that you go with us, and whatever tomorrow brings, we will have you by our side. 

We pray for … 

• The family of the young man killed on Kingston Pike while walking on the sidewalk
• The UT community as they grieve for alongside the Kredich family
• A husband who is now separated from wife; prayers for wife in a verbally abusive relationship; husband needs much help in terms of basic needs; pray that he lets Jesus into his heart and life
• The family of the man who was driving the car that hit that young man. Drug addiction is so painful for all who are connected to the person.
• All those who are grieving in our church family – a niece remembering a beloved family member, a sister grieving the loss of brother, a wife dealing with devastation of tragic accident, a nephew traveling to gather with family.
• All those in our church family who are recovering from surgeries – one in rehab after hip surgery, one who has had heart valve replaced, those who are dealing with melanoma and basal cell carcinomas
• Students returning to UT, Pellissippi, LMU, and Roane State – and the kindergarteners in their first full week!
• A sister and brother-in-law. Pray for sister as she is caregiver for husband who has Lewy Body Dementia Dementia and is paralyzed from mid chest down from an accident he had when he was twenty one. He is very depressed and they both are having a difficult time with his disease.
• A cousin that was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and has been put in a facility. Pray for her brother that has colon cancer and being treated.
• For a friend whose husband has throat cancer and starts treatment soon.
• For a friend’s sister that had a stroke a few years ago and fell recently and broke her hip and has afib.
• For the people in Hawaii.
• Pray that God will keep my family and me safe as we deal with some cattle issues and in dealing with my brothers who have health issues.
• For intercession for the protection, deliverance, sanctification, and destruction of destructive forces operating against myself and my family.
• For a daughter who is having biopsy of growth on thyroid
• For members of the Beacon of Hope food co-op
• For daughter going through health issues
• For family grieving loss of mother and grandmother
• For my struggles breathing
• For safety in school this year

We give thanks for ….

• The life of a 98-year old Servant of Christ who died in Kentucky this week; wonderful childhood memories from home church!
• Being able to be home after an illness in another country
• Being home after hospitalization for pneumonia
• Friends who help in difficult times
• That my daughter is cancer-free!
• The ten years of ministry at Beacon of Hope; prayers for church as they continue to reach out

We offer the prayer Jesus 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.

*Note – Last Sunday’s opening hymn was Jesus Shall Reign UMH 157 written by Isaac Watts and inspired by Psalm 72. The Psalm last Sunday was Psalm 67; the sung refrain was Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 

Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of August 23, 2023

“Where did July go?” 

That is what we are asking ourselves, O God! You hear it under our breath! You hear it as we put new school schedules in our phone. You hear it as monthly reminders pop up. You hear it as we sit at the traffic light, our eyes filling with tears. Our heart beating a bit faster. Or maybe slower. Where did July go, O God? 

Rationally, we know how many days there are. We tell ourselves that you have made each day and therefore it is a gift. But, we have filled the summer months with expectations and hopes; things we were going to get done before children and grandchildren start back to school. This was the summer we were going to spend more time doing … what, O Lord? What was it? What was it we were going to do and learn and finish that leaves us now feeling empty?   

So, we begin again, O God who called forth day and night. It is August; not even the first day but the second day! Is it too late to begin re-thinking our days? 

Help us to look back over July and remember the connections we had with your spirit. Let us give thanks for air conditioning and for cool drinks and the relief a folded paper fan can bring! There were family gatherings – even in the midst of grief – where we saw your love revealed. Children learned to swim. There were new friends at camp. There was watermelon. 

As we look towards the rest of August, we pray for those who need to pay attention to schedules and calendars. For parents and students and teachers; for bus drivers and coaches. We pray for new parents who are going back to work who are painfully aware of how long eight hours really is! We pray for grandparents who are keeping children; that they may have good health and stay strong and sleep soundly at night!  

We pray for family and friends whose schedules unraveled with sickness, death, grief, or mental illness. We pray for those who wish time would stand still or time could go back. May they feel your steadiness in this present moment, O God. Help them move forward minute by minute. 

May the calendar and time keeping not be a burden O God, but may we see you in our schedule. July and August are both named for kings. May we greet each day with the words – Jesus is my King! Where is God’s Spirit leading me to serve in his kingdom this day?  

We thank you for this evening time as we look back over the day and give thanks for your gifts. You have given us the strength to move through this day and to share your love with others. As we prepare for the evening rest, we pray for others in our church family and community …. 

We pray for ….

• A daughter waiting to hear about placement for her mother is mentally ill
• A son waiting and hoping for his elderly mother to return home; prayers that doctors at hospital can determine cause of her illness and choose the path of healing
• A member who is expecting a dear relative, his cousin, to die soon. Grief is complicated by family expectations and history and struggles. May our church member feel the love of God as he prepares to eulogize her. May God’s light shine through him in a way the family can see and accept.
• A member going through radiation treatments; prayers of thanksgiving that there are no side effects. Prayers for healing from this brain cancer
• Continued strength and healing for a member who is now home from long hospital ordeal and illness. Grateful for her positive strength and will!
• Students. All of the students! Kindergarten through Post-Doc. Soothe all the jitters, O God! May students not be afraid to ask for help! May students all be kind.
• Teachers and administrators. Only you know all the work that is required and all the extra work that is done. Bless our school personnel at every level.
• Those recovering from surgeries – many in our church who have had joint replacement; prayers for strength in rehab
• A church member who is joining a team from our conference to go to Uganda to bring good wishes and assistance to our Holston missionaries and children in refugee camp there. Safe travels and God’s blessings!
• Families who are struggling to get along
• Caregivers who keep on. May they know when and how to ask for rest and help.
• Any individual that feels judged by family because of who they love and who they are

We give thanks for …

• The good health of three little girls born recently! Each is continuing to get stronger. Prayers for strength and stamina for parents!
• Our adult choir! How glorious for them to sing at the National Cathedral!
• Donations of school supplies!
• Those who have volunteered to teach Sunday School in our children and youth departments
• Healing after surgery; thankful that doctors are so pleased with outcome
• Clear report from oncologist
• A friend who has really stepped up and helped me out. 

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 July 19, 2023

Rev. Tim Best

Almighty God, King of the Universe,

We give you thanks for all the blessings of this day. For rain, for a day where the air feels fresher, and a time to give thanks for all the simple blessings and mercies of this life. Fill us with your Spirit, that we might find your peace and in the midst of whatever challenges, sufferings, or trials we face. Renew us by your grace as the rain renews dry soil. Grow in us a deep well of trust, built upon the foundations of your work in and through Christ Jesus.

We pray for the leaders of the world, our nation, and our community. Grant wisdom to all those who hold authority over others. Write mercy upon the hearts of all those who make decisions every day that shapes the lives of others. Shape us to choose and live mercifully, so that when we hold power over others we would treat them as Christ himself would treat them. Purge from our hearts all malice and anger, and fill us instead with a commitment to love and care for others.

Our hearts are heavy for all those who grieve the loss of loved ones. We pray for that day when all death will be swallowed up and defeated. We trust that in Christ we can already experience a glimpse of the eternal life which he promises through his resurrection. Comfort those who grieve, be with those who are sick and grant that your church would be with those who are alone. We praise you for drawing close to your creation, even when we have stepped away from you. Draw us together into your kingdom now and in the age to come. We lift all our joys and concerns to you, gracious Lord.

We invite you to pause with us to hold everyone who is hurting in our hearts. Hear our prayer now as we pray that prayer that Christ our Lord has 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.