Prayers of the People

Holy Host of Our Living, you who graciously taps us on the shoulder, you who calls us to love and relationship with the people we least expect, today we return the favor. Today, in these our humble prayers, we extend our hands and call you to act on behalf of those whom we love. Just as you have called us, so we now call you.
Be with us today in our moments of gratitude and grief. We thank you for the gift of today. For baptisms, new members, for our those who serve this congregation with their body, soul, and strength. Today, we thank you for our Jones Award recipients—Glenda, Carol, Auguste, Judy, and Dennis.

O God, make yourself known to the distressed in our midst – for those who are just getting by, day-by-day. We ask that your peace would be witnessed in the lives of the unemployed, those swimming through family turmoil. That assurance of your grace would meet those who are disillusioned.

Break yourself into the seeming insanity of this world, O Harbinger of Hope. This world that will teach us that callousness is preferable to meekness. This world that incentivizes us to use the pain of our neighbors for political gain. We can go another way. Give us the courage to do so.

Today, we pray for the family of Kohen Wiley. We pray for Christians – for all people—in the West Bank who fear their eviction from home. We ask that you would be with all people who live under the conditions of war and violence – in Nigeria, Ukraine, Iran. O God, open our imaginations to live as your people of peace.

Strong Tower, some days we have an inkling that the center will not hold – or at least that we won’t be able to hold it together by ourselves. Let our vulnerability witness to your steadfast love in our lives. We ask your healing during the onslaught of political ads, text messages, emails, and social media appeals for candidates vying for our support. We pray for our elected leaders – for the powerful and the powerless.

We tether these prayers to those of your son, who taught us to pray, saying…

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.