Sunday, November 12, 2006
Offered by Martha Langford, Pastoral Resident

Gracious, holy, and merciful God, we come before you as we are, lifting our prayers in response to your promise of peace and justice, courage and strength, healing and wholeness.

Lord of all the worlds that are, Savior of all peoples: we pray for the whole of creation. Order the unruly powers, deal with injustice, feed and satisfy the longing peoples, so that in freedom your children may enjoy the world that you have made and give thanks to the name of the Lord as they enter the gates of your peace.

Sovereign God, you rule the nations. As we honor our veterans this day, we pray for all those who have answered our nation’s call. Comfort those who grieve for the men and women who died in service to our country. Guard those who risk their lives in places across the face of the globe. Be with the families that remain at home; ease their hearts.

Grant our nation and all nations the strength of will to seek peace, so that one day we may plow up the battlefields and pound weapons into building tools and learn to talk across old boundaries as brothers and sisters in your love.

God of prophets and apostles, whose Spirit is working peace among us: you have called us to be the church of Jesus Christ, joining us together in baptism and at table. We thank you for the words and acts that make unity in the church, for open minds and hearts, for patient understanding. Keep us one in faith and service, sharing the good news with the world, so that all may believe that you are a God of steadfast loving kindness and live to give you glory.

There are so many ways in which to serve, O God. We thank you that in our day you are still claiming men and women for special work within the church. Watch over those we have ordained and those we have installed this day—Elders Jay Frey, Ann Kingstrom, and Allison Youngblood; Deacons Stewart Bradley and Alice Hamilton; and Trustee, Joan Hall. Bless their work on behalf of your church and give them encouragement for the task ahead.

Loving God, we pray for the mission service of Dr. Bernie Blauuw, as he travels to Cameroon. Empower him as he witnesses to your love by serving the needs of those with HIV/AIDS. Keep him safe in his travels and enrich the relationships he will share with the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon.

By your power, great God, our Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick and gave new hope to the hopeless. Though we are not able to command or possess your power, we pray for those in need of healing. Close wounds, cure sickness, make the broken whole again, so that they may live to rejoice in your love. God of comfort, stand with those who mourn, so that they may be sure that nothing in life or in death can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus.

Almighty God, we know that in you all things are possible, so we lift our voice with one child’s father: we believe, help our unbelief. And now we raise our voices together in the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples and friends, saying, Our Father . . .

(Portions of this prayer are adapted from prayers found in The Worship Book.
Philadelphia: Westminster, 1972.)

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church