Sunday, June 24, 2007
Offered by John W. Vest, Associate Pastor

Gracious and loving God,
we have come here this morning seeking your presence in our lives
and we have heard your voice
in the preaching of the Word,
the singing of hymns,
the ringing of bells,
the roar of the organ,
and in the still quiet of prayer.

We rejoice, O God,
that you speak to us in so many ways,
in ways that we expect
and ways that take us by surprise.

We are thankful for your steady guidance
and faithful counsel,
for your strengthening assurance
and gentle consolation.

And we pray, dear Lord,
that we may be wise enough to listen when you call
and bold enough to act.

For in the face of oppression
we hear you speak freedom.

In the face of poverty
we hear you speak plenty.

In the face of hunger
we hear you speak fullness.

In the face of anger
we hear you speak forgiveness.

In the face of violence
we hear you speak peace.

In the face of sickness
we hear you speak healing.

In the face of death
we hear you speak new life.

Gracious God, just as at the beginning of time
when you spoke and the world came into existence,
so may the world now be transformed
at the sound of your voice.

Washed clean by the flow of your eternal Word
of hope and love,
may we be filled with your Spirit,
transformed by your grace,
and born anew into the likeness of Christ,
who came to us speaking your words
and living them out in all that he did.

Even now as we come together in prayer
we join our voices to his,
praying the prayer that he taught us,
and listening as we speak: Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church