Sunday, November 20, 2016
Offered by Nanette Sawyer, Minister for Congregational Life

Gracious and loving God, we turn to you who have created this world, you who rule this world. Not only did you create the world, but you entered into it in human form, in the body of Jesus, encountering the depth and breadth of humanity.

You suffered and died, as we humans do, and you brought us the hope of new life. Even from the cross you showed mercy and compassion. So this morning we come before you in prayer one more time, lifting up our hopes and our sorrows, our fears and our dreams, our grief and our joy.

We bring you prayers for our own lives, for our loved ones, for our city of Chicago, for our nation, and for our world.

To those of us who are grieving today, bring your healing touch, and mend our broken hearts.

To those of us who are afraid, give protection, that we may all be safe. Remind us, when we forget, that you are our firm foundation. Our faith is built upon the rock that is your love and justice.

On this day when we acknowledge you as ruler of us all, we pray also for our elected leaders. Give them wisdom and integrity, God. May they truly serve all the people. Protect our democracy, and help us each to play our part.

Help us, O God, to place our trust in you and not in earthly things that rise and fall and pass away. You have been the ground of our being since before the beginning of time, and you will be our salvation forever. On you we can depend. Help us to remember that.

Make us into people of fierce and tender love, caring for each other, building strong communities, welcoming each other deeply, recognizing our own vulnerability, and not looking away from that. Give us hearts filled with gratitude for your many blessings, the big ones and the small ones. As we prepare to give thanks this week for all that we have received, help us to also give blessings to those around us and to the world.

Give us vision to see what needs to be seen. Give us courage to do what needs to be done. Guide our steps so that we may find ourselves following the path that Jesus set.

And let us also pray as Jesus taught us to pray, saying, Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church