Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of March 22, 2023
Rev. Catherine Nance
God who made the rain and sunshine, we give you thanks for both! We have mumbled a bit about cold air in March because it does not align with our understanding of Spring! You are the creator of seasons. We are the creators of calendars! You are the author of time. We are the makers of demarcations.
Spring takes its time as it sheds winter’s gray and cold. We do not change overnight – you know that! Why do we expect a full-blown spring on the day after the equinox? Forgive us, O God, when we do not marvel at your creation and the majesty of planets and orbits and the phases of the moon. Forgive us, O God, when we do not offer thanks for umbrellas, windshield wipers, raincoats, dry socks, and heaters. “Thank you, God, for umbrellas,” sounds like a children’s prayer to us. May we be like children, Father God. May we take delight, Mother God, in the gifts of each day.
So, as we come to the close of this day, before we check the weather for tomorrow, we thank you for the gift of right now. A time to pause and give thanks, to marvel at the small but cheerful glimmers of hope, love, and grace we have experienced: Homemade cookies, an unexpected but encouraging text message, seeing a co-worker from years past, laughing along with the radio host this morning, speaking with a child who wanted to share, looking forward to hot tea before bed.
O God who made the moon and ordered the seasons so that they do not startle us but remind us that we, too, weave and grace and saunter and stall our way through our own seasons! Bless all of our days … whether the weather is pleasing to us or not! May our response to you and our delight in your love for us be pleasing to you!
As we give thanks to you, we also remember our loved ones who have asked for prayers. We think of strangers we met today who seemed to want connection. We offer prayers for them and trust your Holy Spirit to connect. We want to rest well tonight so we will set aside the things that are worrying us and the things we do not have control over. Thank you for creating us in a way that we can care about things … and, also, set things aside. What a gracious God you are!
We offer prayers alongside our church family…
We pray for…
- A friend’s three-year old who is in ETCH; prayers for strength for parents
- People who do so much for others who are in need themselves; thankful for their joy-filled spirit
- A member’s dear friend who is like a sister to her; she is experiencing so much pain from cancer. We pray that she can be released from hospital and can spend her last days at home with her precious family.
- A church member who is in assisted living while recovering from a fall
- A church member hospitalized with pneumonia and cardiac concerns; prayers for infection to be eradicated
- A church member in hospice care in her last days; prayers of thanksgiving for a loving and devoted family.
- Parents who are dealing with so many things…
We give thanks for…
- Members who have been able to return to church after hospitalization
- A baby girl and her parents, grandparents, aunt, and all who love her!
- A renewed spirit after vacation.
- A good report from doctor after follow up visit
- A dear mother celebrating her 90th birthday!
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for…
- Couples who are wanting to have children and have not yet been physically able; prayers for discernment
- A member receiving chemotherapy and his family
- Those who are in rehab
- Our nation
- Peace and an end to conflict in Ukraine
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.
