Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of July 3, 2024

Written by Rev. Andy Ferguson

Rev. Andy Ferguson shared this prayer with Open Door last Sunday. He wrote it several years ago, back when he was doing yearly short-term mission trips in other countries – what we call ‘third-world countries.’ He prefaced the prayer with this remembrance: Almost every time I went out, someone there asked me to sponsor them to immigrate to the USA. They were hard-working people; they were smart; they wanted a better life for themselves and their families — but the opportunities were so very limited. I came home each time grateful to be a citizen of this amazing nation.

How grateful we are, O Lord, for the gift of this nation, 

This nation, which is our home. 

We are grateful for its beauty and variety: 

The mountains, lakes, plains, forests and more, 

Which refresh the soul at the sight. 

May we accept their gift with responsibility for keeping the land and the forests beautiful for generations yet to come. 

We are grateful for the freedoms we enjoy: 

The freedom to vote, to speak and to worship. 

Freedom to live and work wherever we want. 

The Freedom to take part in public life. 

May we accept the gift of freedom with responsibility, 

Watching with love over the communities we build every day, 

And mindful about our impact on others. 

We are grateful for the opportunity we enjoy as citizens of this nation. 

The opportunity of productive work by which we care for ourselves and our families. 

The opportunity of education by which we grow in knowledge and prepare for citizenship and work. 

Let the door to opportunity stand open for all the people of this nation. 

We receive your gift of this nation with keen awareness that every blessing is a gift to be enjoyed and nurtured and shared. 

We receive your gift of this nation, amazed and grateful that it is our home. 

We pray for …

  • A dear friend whose breast cancer has returned after being cancer free for twenty-eight years. May her faith give her peace and assurance as she makes decisions about treatments and next steps.
  • A son and his mother who have just moved to the area. Prayers for healing and relief from suffering for her. She is in hospital with bladder cancer fighting septic infection.
  • A man who wants to find meaningful work in landscaping and who wants to be free from the label of ‘disabled’ when he is in fact able to work.
  • Our country … especially on this holiday time of celebrating Independence Day. May we not take our freedoms for granted. Help us be citizens who care for this land and for one another.
  • Those who are grieving.
  • A man who asks for Jesus to reveal to him his strength and peace.
  • A member who is having complications after sinus surgery; following up with vein doctor this week to deal with a blood clot in leg. Prayers for healing.
  • A family looking forward to the birth of their second child. 
  • A husband who will be having hip replacement; this will be the third time for his right hip. Prayers for good recovery and that he can be relieved of his pain.. Surgery will in Nashville.

We continue to pray for ….

  • A mother who is now in rehab; prayers for strength and healing
  • Adult children who find themselves making decisions for parents about health and welfare.
  • A young couple who is wanting to start a family ..
  • A friend with leukemia
  • 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 Red Sea and will be heading back soon
  • A member who is receiving chemo
  • A couple going through a divorce; very difficult on both.
  • A nephew who is battling colon and pancreatic cancer. Prayers also for his mother who has bladder cancer.

We offer prayers of thanksgiving for ….

  • A couple who was married this weekend! 
  • A niece who gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
  • Visitors who worship with us each week.

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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