Pastoral Prayer 1/29/12
Living and Loving God, with wondrous works and mighty deeds, you continue to astound us. Life is filled with miracles and signs. You interrupt our complacency, you disturb our lethargy; we sense your grace. You dry the tears of those who mourn. You calm the fears of those who face uncertain futures. You fill the hopeless with hope. We thank you for your mercy.
We thank you for Dr. Gil Bowen and his wife, Marlene, for their presence with us today and for the legacy of faith that they built here at Kenilworth Union. We pray that you continue to bless our church in its ministry. Bless our outreach endeavors, our agencies, our liaisons, our volunteers, and especially those who are served by the efforts of the agencies. Help us to clothe the cold, to feed the hungry, to bind up the brokenhearted. Fill us with your spirit to enlarge our vision of service. Open our eyes to the future that awaits beyond the scope of our limited perception. Attune our ears to hear cries for help, and give us the compassion to respond. We pray for our ministries of care, for our Stephen Ministers and the Care Receivers, for our knitting ministry, for the Care Guild, and for the Prayer Circle. Comfort those who are sick, who are in the hospital or at home recovering from illness of mind or body. We pray for our children and youth and for those who teach them, and for our music ministry and all who hear them. We pray for our worship, for our leaders of the church, the Board, the committees, those who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Bless our church’s fellowships, our parties and gatherings, so our joy will shine a light in the darkness. We pray for peace. Make our world a place of peace among nations. Be with our troops both here and abroad and with the families that are separated by service to our country. In the world, and in ourselves, replace the pride with the peace of humility, that we might harness our greed and care for each other and all creation. When we feel weak and are tempted to waver from your way, give us courage, strength, patience, to balance the uncertainty of life with faith to set our feet back upon your path again. Alive with your Spirit, encourage our righteousness to continue that same Spirit given to those first disciples, who Jesus taught to pray, praying….Our Father…