Offertory Prayer July 3, 2016

Dear God, eternity's proprietor,  
Today's offering is yours 
Before it is given 
Because all creation is yours. 
Teach us how to first think of you

When we think for ourselves,
Let us understand that being able to give monetarily,  
No matter the amount, 
Is a gift of your grace. 
With our offerings we pay homage to you, 
Creator, Word and Love.

Amen.

Communion Prayer for January 10, 2016.

Join me now in prayer.

Creator, the center of all existence,

Holy Spirit, our Companion while we live,
I treasure your love.

But the man in the upper room
Sharing bread and wine with his friends,

Chose to live as we do.

To pour as much of himself as he could
Into a human vessel.

Fully God, Fully human.

He gave himself to us

In the simplest necessities of life:

Food and drink,
So that we would remember him.

Jesus, Savior.

We remember you now.

Amen.

Epiphany

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea

In the days of Herod, the king,

Behold there came wise men from the east..."

The Bible does not count the wise men,

But we do.

Why?

Are we so determine to quantify the world

That we ignore quality?

We look to wealth 
To define standing in our community. 
God looks to how we treat
The least among us.

The wise men brought three gifts:

Gold for virtue and kingship
 Frankincense for prayer and priestship. 
Myrrh for suffering and death.

Christmas is over,

But this is the day to offer gifts to Jesus.

What can we offer God, 
The author of Creation? 
What he most wants: 
Love,

Faith,

 Obedience. 
Our prayer this day must be:

Lord, make me a servant in your image,

Today, tomorrow and forever.

New Year's Resolutions

"Finally, brethren, what ever things are true,

Whatever things are honest,

Whatever things are just,

Whatever things are pure,

Whatever things are lovely,

Whatever things are of good report:

If there be virtue, and if there be any praise,

Think on these things."

Paul speaks to us through the ages

With his guide to New Year's resolutions.

In 2015,

Let us search for truth,

Focus on being honest, not only with others,

But with ourselves.

Support justice

For the least of these brothers of mine.

Strive to not be harsh or cruel

To those around us

And affirm the hopes and dreams of others.

Let us

Focus on the beauty within,

Fill our minds with hope,

Shun that which diminishes others,

Praise those who do right.

May we turn to God in prayer 

When our world grows dark

And

Remember

That we are not alone.

Offertory Prayer August 24, 2014

Romans 12:1-8 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. ³For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. ⁶We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ⁷ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; ⁸the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness

 

Dear God, Speaker of Life,
Today's offering is yours
Before it is given
Because all is your creation.
Teach us how to not think too highly of ourselves
But to use so sober judgment to know our souls.
Let us understand that being able to give monetarily,
No matter the amount,
Is a gift of your grace.
With all our offerings we pay homage to you,
Creator, Word and Love.

For yours is the infinite
Time unending.

Amen.

Communion Prayer for June 15, 2014

Dear God,

Forgiver of our sins,

As we take the bread

And the wine,

Let us remember
Christ's unrelenting love.

Help us to forgive others

Because we have been forgiven.

In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

The Echo of God

Photo by AMagill

Lord, I need to know Your will.

I pray,
But hear nothing,
Not even a rustle as you pass by.

Perhaps I am so busy babbling

That I am not aware of your presence.

I will wait for your answer
To my prayers,
To my entreaties.
I will seek to be still and listen
For you.

Will you reply in a great wind,
Or through the trembling of the earth,
Or in words of fire,

Or in whispers of smoke?
No.
You have already answered 

Through the actions of those around me,

Through a chance encounter with a stranger.

O God,

O Creator, Comforter, and Word,
Make me an answer to another's prayer.

Make me an echo of your unrelenting love.

Trust

Mother God, Father God,

Your names are endless
And encompass all.

Your kingdom comes on the wings of angels

And in the footsteps of humanity

Who follow the Shepherd.

Give us nourishment for our bodies

And love for our souls.

Forgive us when we do not trust you

As we forgive those who betray our trust.

Do not take your presence from us.

Let us always know the Comforter is near.

Keep us safe from unbelief and pride.

You are beginning and end,
Creation and annihilation,

Love unending.
Amen.

Photo by Delphine
Original by Kitina Celt

Prayer of Grief

Photo by Tony Fischer Photography

Suffering Servant who walks among us

Wonderful is your name.

Spread your eternal balm of love

For the grief

That so many are absent.

Let us beat swords into plowshares

In obedience to the love

That flows from the devotion binding

Creator, Word, and Comforter 

Into One.

Care for those we cannot touch,

And share your bounty with them

And with us.

Blood drips from our hands, 

Blood of the guilty

Mingled with

Blood of the innocent.

Forgive us

As we forgive those who shed our blood

So that there may be peace.

Deafen our ears to the trumpet call of power.

Quench our thirst for revenge

So that we may be close to you.

For yours is the embrace,

 The solace, and the love.

That endures forever.

Springtime Prayer

Pink Dogwood Blossoms by Lee Coursey

Joy of Springtime
Who reigns above all,

Blessed are the ways we know you.

May your grace abound,

May the  blossoms of creation

Fill the air with the sweet perfume of life.

Let love reign over all in this world

As it does where you dwell.

Feed us from the bounty of this earth.

Where weeds have been sown,

Let there be flowers.

Help us sow fruits

 That others may harvest.

Protect us from the hail of evil

That comes with the storms  of life.

Walk with us down the garden path

To the bounty of your love.

For you in all seasons

Provide endless lovingkindness.

The Universe in Prayer

Creator of the Universe

Who dwells beyond space and time,

We thank you for our small world

And the magnificence of the heavens.

As we regard the universe beyond our Milky Way,

Let us realize your power stretches to infinity,

And that our obedience is echoed on other worlds.

Sustain us as we strive to understand what you spoke into existence.

Forgive us when we believe we are your only creation

As we forgive those who do not believe in you.

Let us see that we cannot be alone in an infinite existence.

Protect us from our own hubris.

Let us understand how infinitesimal we are

And how much we need your protection.

For you are the same to all

Wherever in this universe they dwell.

Always,

Creator, Word and Love.

Winter Prayer

The Light that shines on our souls,

Holy are the words of your identity.

Let darkness be banished.

Let your radiance fill us

As it does the halls of eternity.

Warm us with the fresh bread of life.

Push away the icy drifts of sin

As we clear the cold of hatred

From our hearts.

Keep us off the frozen lake of greed

Lest we skate onto the thin ice of indulgence

And fall into the everlasting cold.

Wrap us in your love

To protect us from the blizzard of

Selfishness and uncaring.

For you are the sun of eternity.

Photo by ell brown

Yesterday's Prayer

Tomorrow comes too soon.

Hope leaves with the deeds

Of fellow Christians.

Believe as they do

Or be lost.

Excluded from fellowship

Where do you turn?

To you, Lord,

To you I turn.

Your words come to me.

Believe in me

And follow my commands:

Love God.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

So simple,

Yet so difficult.

How do I love those that hurt me?

Those that would rather see me dead

Than help me.

Pray for them I must.

Pray for the best for them.

Pray for them for my sake

As well as theirs.

Once I was so secure

In health, wealth and hope.

Now, all is ashes.

Once I knew you were there.

Now, I know you

Still wrap me in your love

But feel nothing.

Once I worked to start

A grace church,

A church that embraces thousands.

Now grace is wounded

By a few.

Help me to make the correct choice, Lord.

Do I step away from pain?

Do I step away from this church?

Will I walk a new path?

Will I find grace in another church?

I need you guidance, God.

Lead me back to yesterday's love.

Photo by mindfulness

Prayer for Understanding

Our Comforter who walks with us,

Thank you for your presence.

Let the love of God spread

Everywhere on this terrestrial ball
Just as love binds Creator and Word
To pervade heaven.

Give us knowledge and hope

To carry us through each day.

Forgive our frailties

And let us understand the frailties of others

So that we may forgive.

Let us understand why

We encounter trials that tear our souls

So that we may surmount them.

Protect us from ourselves.

For you are love incarnate

And the underpinning of existence.

Photo by linh.ngan

Rejoice in Meanness

A message came today.
This missive rejoiced that
The number of Muslims
That worshiped on September 25
Was less than the number hoped for.
Grief overwhelmed my soul
When the sender took credit
For this result.
She proclaimed control of God
Although she did not know it.
Because she thought her prayer answered
She took credit for harm
To those in worship.
Prayer is a mystery.
Jesus told us to pray
And gave us a model.
He told us to pray in private
Yet churches pray in mass.
I believe God wants us to focus on Him.
Prayer is a way to do so.
God is a father
Who wants to hear his children babble.
God is love
Not magic.

Photo by jaxxon

Prayer for Civility

God, who reigns in eternity,
Praise your everlasting patience.
When we in person bow before you,
Accept us, please.
Give us the temperament to receive your bounty
And acknowledge that it comes from you.
Let us treat others with civility,
So that you will treat us well.
Teach us the etiquette of belief,
So that we are examples to others.
Rudeness is the gift of Satan,
Stay our souls from accepting that gift,
For you care how we treat our fellows.
Politeness is the child of your lovingkindness.
You are love in all its glory.
Your grace is there for all.
Forever.

Photo by derek7272

Blessings?

What do we believe are the benefits
Of becoming a Christian?
Wealth?
Happiness?
Health?
I have no wealth, only sadness, and many ailments.
Am I a Christian?
I say I am a follower of the Word.
Would my fellow churchgoers agree?
I think not.
In their world, God blesses Christians now
With material goods, a happy life, and a healthy body.
In their world, intercessory prayer controls God.
If true prayer warriors pray for you,
You will be blessed.
I believe that Christ demonstrates God in action.
That he is the highest, truest revelation of God.
Therefore, I must believe in Him.
He did not promise
Riches,
Happiness,
Health.
He did not promise to do our bidding.
He promised to be with us
In an imperfect world.
He promised to be with us
Through suffering, grief and death
As well as
Through peace, joy and life.
He promised another existence
Beyond this world.
He portrayed God's Love for all.
So I must try to love as he did.
Try.

Photo by Hamed Saber

Prayer for Health

Great Physician, who fills Paradise,
Praise Your Presence.
Let Your Essence fill us all.
Let Your mercy reach earth,
As it does all parts of Paradise.
Heal us this day.
Reprieve us from the ills we deserve for sin,
As we reprieve those who make us suffer.
Do not let us find the sickness of the soul
That we are so prone to do.
Minister to our wounds
And repair our souls as well as our bodies.
For you are the Great Physician,
The Healer of all,
The Doctor of Souls,
With all the skill of infinity
And no limits.

Photo by mckaysavage

Forgiveness

One miracle.
I need one miracle.
Do miracles happen today?
Not for me.
All I pray for is forgiveness.
Forgiveness for my weakness.
Forgiveness for my failures.
Forgiveness.

Photo by winterdoll

A Prayer for Hope

Our Comforter, who surrounds us,
Praise for your existence,
Praise for your solace.
Let your presence be known to all.
Sustain us as the saints were sustained.
Give us hope.
Forgive our lack of faith.
Help us to forgive the shortcomings of others.
Do not burden us beyond endurance.
Deliver us from despair.
For you can give joy
And strength and everlasting life.
Amen

Photo by Jan Tik