Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of May 10, 2023
Rev. Catherine Nance
Sunshine! Light of the World! Let there be light! Let your light shine! Arise, shine; your light has come!
O God who is Light and who created Light and shares Light, we are aware of and grateful for what the power of sunshine today! This was a beautiful Wednesday. THANK YOU! Our souls as well as our bodies have soaked up your warmth!
Make us aware of how our spirits are connected to what is happening outdoors. It is difficult to grumble in the morning when we hear birds chirping happily. We breathe in deeply as we leave our temperature-controlled offices to go outdoors. Our lungs perk up with the fresh air. We give you thanks for this connection to creation. Forgive us when we forget that we are part of your creation. Forgive us when we forget that we are called to be stewards of this gift. May we take time to notice sky, earth, rivers, and creeks. We even thank you for all critters; they remind us that we humans were not the only ones on your mind as you said, “Let there be ….”
Gracious God, we pray that all may feel the warmth of your light and sense the brightness of your love. We know that we are called to be light bearers and light reflectors! Give us the strength and humility to live into those roles. There seems to be so much darkness and strife – we are weary of hearing news and breaking news and updates on breaking news! Yes, we know. We know all the things that are happening in the world. How can we not know with all of the alerts? Honestly, God, we find ourselves becoming numb and losing our empathy. Please shine a light on someone near us; shed a glimmer of hope on a situation nearby where we can focus our attention and prayers and love. We do pray for “your world,” O God, but sometimes we need a smaller picture. We pray for large categories of people; make our prayers have intention!
We pray for the hungry …. we know about our guests at Soup Kitchen and those who receive extra ‘weekend backpacks’ of food. Thank you for these dear souls, Loving God, whom we have the honor to nourish.
We pray for the sick …. We can picture people in our neighborhood or in our Sunday School class. These are dear ones who are hurting right now and we are thankful for the ways we can reach out to them and share your love.
We pray for the lonely …. We are sure there are so many in the world! Thank you for helping us see that one person in our line of vision, O God! May our attention to them be a healing balm.
Thank you for hearing our prayers at the end of the day. We have so much to be thankful for!
We offer the requests from our congregation …..
We pray for ….
- A neighbor’s son who has been having seizures and has been in an induced coma for weeks. Please pray that his doctors will be able to figure out what is causing his seizures. Also pray for his Mother, Father, Sister, and Wife as they are with him in St. Louis at a brain specialty hospital.
- A church member who will be in rehab after surgery to repair a broken hip; prayers for healing and strength. Prayers of thanksgiving for a loving family!
- Those who have had a family member or loved one die this past week.
- Recent graduates of the Getting Ahead class at Beacon of Hope; may they continue to feel the confidence and support of this community.
- Our high school seniors who will lead in worship this Sunday
- A member’s brothers who need healing and a sense of well-being
- Family members who live in other countries
- Family members who are sick; especially older ones who have pneumonia
We continue to pray for …
- A church member dealing with nerve disease; prayers for relief from pain
- The precious child who had a tracheotomy last week; prayers for healing. Also prayers for his parents and baby brother as they strive for health and routine.
- A young father receiving chemotherapy
- So many in our congregation who are dealing with caregiver issues for aging parents, chronically ill spouses, adult children with addiction issues …. Lord, in your mercy!
- A brother in rehab regaining his strength and balance
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for …
- Two babies born in our congregation! Grateful for the gift of life and love! Prayers for both families!
- A baby who is still in NICU ‘moved up’ to a crib; continues to gain weight and make strides!
- For adults who not only “work with” children and youth in our church, but who see them as “their children and youth!”
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.
