Dear God,

It is you who creates, sustains, and loves all of creation. It is you who sees into each of our hearts and knows what we cannot know about ourselves. It is you who calls us to be your people; together and as individuals we are called to be in relationship with you.

But God, we so often we fail at being in that relationship. We forget to show you we care, we forget to listen to your voice, we focus more on our lives than we do on you. And God, we confess that in the same way we fail at our relationships with other people, those whom we love and care about. Because it is so easy to be caught up in our own business, we ignore the importance of our families and of our own bodies, and we become unbalanced and, ultimately, do not honor you.

God, at those times, when we fail, we ask that you still our minds so that we can hear you guiding us. We ask that you open our eyes so that we can see ourselves and our lives clearly. We pray that you give us the strength to right our unbalanced relationships with work and home and with you.

We thank you for this day, for this church, for this community. We pray for your unceasing grace to cover each of us and all the world. In the name of your Holy Son, we offer this prayer.

Amen.

A Shabbat Prayer

O God, keep my tongue from evil, and my lips from deceitful speech. Let me know the way I should go, for to You do I lift up my soul. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

But who can see all their own failings? Rid me of faults that are hidden! Lead me in Your truth, and teach me.

You are God my Helper, and for You do I wait all the day. Open my heart to Your teaching, and I will make haste to do your commandments.

Amen.

New every day

is your love for us, O God, and like the snow covers the ground, it covers us. We come into this place today to celebrate that love, to be with one another and to be with you.

God, there is so much that we struggle with, so many concerns, worries and distractions. There is so much that we feel we need, so many miracles we want to see, so many changes we want to make in our lives and in the world that it can be overwhelming. Our voices--crying for help, for change, for something new--can seem lost, drowned out by the noise around us, and we can become disheartened.

God, don’t let us quit…don’t let us give up…don’t let us stop crying out. Remind us that you can hear the faintest whisper, even the prayers of our hearts that we don’t speak out loud. Remind us that we never ever pray in vain because you are always there and are always listening.

God we are grateful for that…for the evidence all around us of your love for us…bless us all and move your Spirit through us into the world.  We are thankful for your Son who never gave up on us and who leads the way.

Amen.

Dear God,

We come before you now with heads bowed, humbled by the power of your presence in our lives. You were there in the beginning and we know you will be there in the end. But God, we know that most of all you are with us each and every day, standing next to us as we face challenges of life, celebrating with us when we are full of joy, carrying us in times of sorrow when we cannot support ourselves.

God there are so many things that we don’t understand, so many questions that we can’t answer…so many times we fail to turn to you, in praise or need, in joy or sadness, that God, we pray today that you turn our hearts and minds and souls towards you. Help us to remember that every part of this life you have given us is a blessing, every part.

We pray for all those who are suffering from grief, and pain, and hunger, and fear. God, give them hope and comfort and courage, and give us the grace and humility to serve them in your name. We thank you for all we have, for every moment of our lives on this earth, and we pray together in Jesus' name.
Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

O God,

Your Son Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem and did not turn from the cross.
Save us from timid minds that shrink from duty, and prepare us to take up our cross,
and to follow the way of Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

In the season of Lent

O God,

Teach us temperance and self-control, that we may be mindful of all the Jesus endured and sacrificed for us.

Help us to maintain the acts of love you have chosen: to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens of many, and let the oppressed go free.

Amen.

God of compassion,

When I hesistate to be with another, strengthen me.
When I question the quality of my presence, assure me.
When I want to show my worth through action, humble me.
When I miss the needs of the one who suffers, awaken me.
When I forget the beauty of a loving presence, remind me.
When I run away from the call to be there, bring me back.

Just to be is a blessing.

Amen.

Almighty God,

You know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves.
Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.

Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever.

Amen.

God,

We are here because you never let go…even when we do, when we can’t hold on, you never let us go. And so we are here…grateful for your arms that find us no matter where we are, and hold us tight.

God, we know it’s because you love us. You love us as your children all together, and you love us as unique and special individuals. We know that we do not deserve it. We know that we don’t follow you well. We know that we sin and allow jealousy, pride, and fear to guide us instead of you.

And yet God as surely as we in this place, we know that you love us anyway...because your love is not dependent on us, but is in spite of us. So, please, let your love clean out our hearts, let your love flow through us, and help us love one another. Remind us that we should love everyone like you love us, unconditionally, completely, and with grace.

God, today some of us are celebrating joy in our lives and we are so happy, and God today some of us are desperately grieving and are full of pain and despair. We don’t know how God, but we know you are with us all. We ask that you be with all of those around the world who are in need of your mercy and your peace.
And we thank you God, we thank you for all that we do have, for the strength of your love for us that we see in the life, death, and resurrection of your Son, who commands us to love others, and in whose name we pray.

Amen.