June 28, 2020

Offered by Rocky Supinger, Associate Pastor

Good and gracious God,
we pray to you this morning for the sake of your good creation,
for your people who suffer,
and for your church, called to bear witness to new life in the face of suffering.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the earth you created and called good—
for all the living things that fly through the air
and crawl on the ground;
for its oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes;
for the soil and the air.
Created—as are we—to bear witness to your delight,
may the earth be conserved with care,
so that this and all future generations may glory in the wonder
of your handiwork, to the thriving of all creation.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the nations of the earth and their leaders,
that they may welcome wise counsel to
combat the spread of Coronavirus
and all such challenges that affect all nations
and respect no boundaries.
May the leaders of this nation’s governments—
federal, state, and municipal—
model a leadership of humility and cooperation,
a constructive leadership that equips
citizens and communities and businesses
to work for the common good, the public good:
adequate health care, fair housing in neighborhoods that are safe,
work that makes an impact and provides a dignified living,
nourishing food, education, a compassionate hand to those in need.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray today for the LGBTQ community.
Though the parade is canceled,
may all your children celebrate the holy pride
of reflecting the image of their creator,
in their orientation and their identity,
their relationships and their affections,
for the embracing of all people to your great glory.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all people in the grip of racism.
As demonstrations against racism continue in this city and around the world,
we ask that the victims of racist ideas and policies
would be spared the damage these do to the spirit,
that you would continue to enliven the people of all races and ethnicities
to resist the distortions of white supremacy
and to insist on equity—in the workplace, the hospital, the classroom, the church, and the street.
Help us, O God, to realize the promise of creation:
one humanity, created in your image, tasked to care for creation and one another.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick today,
whether in body, mind, or spirit,
that they may find the healing and flourishing they need.
And when physical healing does not come,
we pray for the grieving, that they may know the comfort of your Spirit in the face of loss.
We pray for the young and old among our neighbors
who do not know where food will come from today—or if it will—
or who do not know where they will sleep tonight;
may they receive sustenance and rest in the form of the compassionate hands
who feed and clothe and shelter
and also in the form of the courageous hearts and minds who seek a way
to a future in which everyone has all they need.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray all these things with confidence,
knowing that you hear us even before we ask,
and we pray using the words Jesus taught his first disciples,

saying, Our Father...

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church