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.
