Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of September 18, 2024
Written by Rev. Catherine Nance
O God, we desperately need a word of peace! We need to feel your peace!
Exploding pagers? What in the world are people thinking?
Bomb threats at elementary schools? What is happening?
A second assassination attempt on our former president? Lord, have mercy!
O God who stilled the waters, we boldly and fervently pray for stillness. For calm. For sanity. For peace. We boldly pray for healing of hearts and minds that seem to be so bent towards violence and destruction.
With so much hate and violence happening in the world it is difficult not to get swept into it. We do not want to fall prey to violent language ourselves; we do not want to hate those who are carrying out violence. Calm us down, Lord! Do not allow us to feed any hateful fires or repeat ugly language.
Thank you for hearing our frustration and our fear. We are sorry for beginning with anguish and not thanksgiving, but that is where our minds are. You know that, O God who knows our every thought and sees our tender, breaking, and fearful hearts.
We pause to give thanks for the ways we have connected with others today ….
We pause to give thanks for the hint of cooler weather ….
We give you thanks for texts from friends and unexpected phone calls….
We thank you for feeling your love and power as we look towards the mountains …..
Thank you for offering us glimpses of goodness, grace, and love throughout our days.
Having taken time to say, “Thank you,” we now have strength of spirit to pray for individuals and communities who are hurting. Instead of stopping at anguish, we pray through with concern and empathy for those who have been targeted, those who are afraid, those who have been injured, and those who feel alone. We imagine other places in our world and country and know that your presence is there in others who provide help and rescue and water and bandages and safety.
We cannot go to faraway places, but we can provide help and safety and comfort here. We do not want to spread anguish, only peace. We do not want to spread hate, only love. May our efforts where we are right now – in our homes, in our community, in our church – be pleasing to you, Lord of all Life.
We think of church members and friends who have asked for prayer and offered prayers of thanksgiving. Thank you for this opportunity that collects us all in one heart and one mind as we pray for one another …..
We pray for…
- A daughter who is battling a chronic illness while planning her wedding
- A friend who is going through a divorce
- Neighbors who are having legal trouble with housing
- Those whose grief is overwhelming
- All of the people who live in Springfield, Ohio
- A husband/father who had mass removed and is thankful for successful surgery
We offer prayers of thanksgiving for….
- For our new Director of Communications, Kelsey, and her husband, Chris!
- For our new Director of Music, Josh, and his wife, Lacey!
- Good report from heart catherization
- For the ability to travel to a grandchild’s birthday party
We continue to pray for….
- Couples who are wanting to start a family
- All of the men and women in the military
- Those who are caring for family members who have dementia
- Members who have cancer and are going through the ups and downs of treatments.
- An 89-year old grandfather who had heart attack is now in hospital
- An elderly mother recovering from dental surgery and now preparing for heart surgery
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.
