Sunday’s Prayer
One of the joys of serving on Regional staff, this means middle judicatory for my non-Disciples of Christ readers, is the opportunity to worship with many of our Oklahoma congregations during the year. Most of the Regional Church staff will worship in 30 or more different congregations during a year. Often our worship visits include the trust of the pulpit to preach as well. Yesterday, I worshiped with First Christian Church Tahlequah and had the day’s sermon. They also asked me to offer the pastoral prayer (prayers of the people) yesterday. Here is that prayer.
Pastoral Prayer
Adapted from Ps 147
How good it is to sing praises to our God; God is gracious, and our songs of praise are fitting.
The Lord builds up our community;
the Lord gathers the outcasts.
The Lord heals the brokenhearted, lifts up the downtrodden, and binds up their wounds.
O God, the world is busy; life is busy. Help us slow down when we worship;
when we are frustrated;
when we think we are certain about your Will for someone else and ourselves.
Bless us, creator, with creative patience, with vision to solve problems rather than the grip of fear that segregates; with the common good as our focus rather than our own interests, first.
Healing God, bless doctors and nurses that tend the sick and the dying. We pray for your comfort to rain down on the grieving through our presence;
that your grace will bind wounds, mend relationships, and remind us to be the people you know we can be.
The Lord covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills. We are grateful for rain that fills ponds, raises lakes, refreshed wells, and feeds the world through the farmer’s labor. We pray for people where the rain has washed possessions away or flooded their homes. We pray for people where wind has blown chaos into life with downed trees, broken roofs, and shattered lives.
God grants peace within your borders. We pray for the many that are fighting and dying; foe and friend, alike. We remember families separated by the distance of military service, by the unknown, and by the lone bugle playing taps. We remember those that we have welcomed home, but struggle with what they have seen humanity do to one another. Like you, O God, we wait for the day when nations will make peace as readily, as easily as they make war.
We pray for this congregation. Grant them the wisdom needed to call a new pastor. Grant them the hearing necessary to listen for your voice guiding, whispering, and supporting their work and mission from this corner of Oklahoma.
Great is our Lord, abundant in power;
understanding beyond measure.
Our God is close to creation; our God embraces all our prayers and creates in us peace for our living discipleship following Jesus whom we call, Christ. Amen.