Sunday, July 8, 2007
Offered by Martha Langford, Pastoral Resident

We give you thanks, Almighty God, for all your gifts so freely bestowed upon us and upon all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and the blessings of life; above all, for the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the hope of glory, and for the means of grace.

Grant us such an awareness of your mercies, we pray, that with truly thankful hearts we may give you praise, not only with our lips, but also with our lives, giving ourselves to your service for the length of our days.

We give you thanks, Almighty God, for the gift of the church and its people and its work. We bless you for the mothers and fathers of the faith, for your holy prophets and apostles, for all the faithful in every age and land, for all who serve you as servants and stewards of your divine mysteries, and for those who have taught us your story and shown us your ways.

You have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth. Grant that in our pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy.

We offer prayers for all those with whom we share the journey: for our loved ones, who have been given to us and to whom we have been given; for those whom we have loved who are now absent from us; for those we know who face particular trials and tests this day. We entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care in this life and in the life to come, knowing that you will do for them far more than we can desire or pray for.

We give you thanks, Almighty God, for the gift of your cosmos: for the splendor of the whole creation and the beauty of this world; for the wonder of life and the mystery of love; for the blessings of loving care that surround us on every side; for the work of our hands that we offer to your glory.

We offer prayers for the welfare of the whole world and for all people in their daily life and work: for all those who hold authority, that they might be guided by your Spirit of wisdom; for all who work for freedom, justice, and peace. We lift up all who suffer and all who remember and care for them, and we prayer for all those in whom we have seen the Christ this day, in joy and in sorrow.

Accept these, the prayers of your people, and in your mercy, look with compassion on all who turn to you for help. Grant that we may find you and be found by you, that our divisions may cease, that we may be united in your truth and walk together in love to bear witness to your glory in the world.

(Prayer adapted from Venite by Robert Benson.)

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church