Sunday, September 16, 2012
Offered by Victoria G. Curtiss, Associate Pastor

Almighty God, you are the great builder of the worlds and the master architect of our lives and our salvation. The heavens cannot contain you, let alone the confines of human construction. Yet we, along with our forebears in faith, have consecrated sacred places to honor your presence and to witness to your Word.

Today we celebrate the congregation of Fourth Presbyterian Church who, 100 years ago, laid the cornerstone of this building to your glory. We thank you, God, that you inspired them to dedicate themselves to you with vision, sacrifice, devotion, labor, and care in their art and craft. When our predecessors laid the cornerstone of this building, no one could have imagined our Magnificent Mile. We thank you that we, as well as so many others before and beyond us, have benefited from their investment.

You have blessed us in untold ways through the location, visibility, and beauty of this place. Even more you have blessed us with the power of your loving presence. We praise you that through a century in this sanctuary you have given people solace, providing warmth from the cold, peace in the storms of life, and hope to move forward. Today we ask that you especially be with the children and youth of our city and our schools’ administration and teachers, that all may know they are valued and that education be of high quality. We also lift up the people of the Arab world and relations among nations, that you would increase respect, understanding, and peace.

Gracious God, please continue to bless this sacred space and our new building for many years to come, as a place of praise and prayer, forgiveness and fellowship, giving and growth where you launch your people for service. Here may your gospel be proclaimed with boldness. Here may the waters of baptism cleanse and renew us. Here may your people celebrate Christ’s risen presence. Here may the poor find justice, and the victims of oppression true freedom. Here may the sick find healing, and those in darkness and despair find light. Sustain us to be your faithful church, whose one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord. And now, as Jesus taught us, let us pray together, Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church