April 26, 2020

Offered by Nanette Sawyer, Associate Pastor

Gracious and loving God, we have so many prayers. There are so many things for which we long, things we hope for, things we are working for, and things we cannot do alone.

Give us persistence in our work of building your kingdom of love and peace and justice. Let us be coworkers with you, O God, dreaming your dreams for the world, sharing your love with the world, trusting in your faithfulness to us.

We pray for all of people who are sick and struggling with illnesses of any kind, whether it is the COVID virus or cancer or addictions or mental health challenges. We pray that your healing power would surround and support and heal all people.

Be with all families that grieve. Draw us all together in networks of strong love and deep compassion, that we may support and help each other. Help us to remember your presence.

We pray for our schools, for teachers, principals, students and parents, as everyone works to create and learn new ways of teaching and supporting our young people. Soothe the nerves of parents who grow frustrated by all that we have lost. Give patience and perseverance to those who are overwhelmed but trying to do the best they can with new challenges.

Be with the caregivers, the doctors, surgeons, nurses, chaplains, counselors, and all those working in our healthcare facilities. We pray for the custodians and administrators who are working to keep our health care systems and all systems working and safe. Keep them safe as well.

We pray for essential workers everywhere, Holy One. Surround them with your protection and fill them with your power. Help us to get them the protective equipment they need to stay safe. Fill us with gratitude and a fierce commitment to support them in any way that we can.

We give you thanks, O God, for all of our volunteers, for those who give of their time and talents in our church and in the world. Their generosity is an expression of who we are as Christians, seeking to love and serve the world as Jesus loved and served the world. Fill us with the light of the resurrected Christ that we might shine that light into the world.

O God of all creation, bind us together into one human family. Help us to care for this planet, the world you have given us. Give us the will to change our behaviors that damage the earth. Make us faithful caretakers of your world.

As your church, we embody our unity by joining our voices with the voice of Jesus who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father...

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church