10.22.23 Prayers of Church and Community, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Prayers of Church & Community, 10.22.23

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Eternal God,

LORD of light, life, and love … 

all things bright and beautiful … 

We turn from the turbulent and trying stories of our world … we turn from them, not in ignorance or selfish desire, O God, but to find refreshment in your grace, mercy, peace … 

Refreshment for our souls, that we might see something of your glory, your purpose at work in the world, 

That we might see:

your love for each one of us, 

your love upon us and within us … 

That we might:

face the world with confidence, trust, and hope,

bear our burdens with dignity,

weep with those who weep,

rejoice with those who rejoice.

LORD, have mercy, we pray … 

transform our souls again and again,

that Westminster might be as the Tower on Lake Avenue:

a beacon of hope,

a sign of love,

and a promise of peace.

For those in need, O God, we pray.

For those who struggle with ill health and emotional distress.

For those on the streets, O God, - for whatever reason …

For the children of the world … too many who are hungry, too many who will never see the light of a better day …

We remember the dead, O God … they now live in your bright presence … they rejoice in your glory … their hope is pure and loving; they recall their life with joy … they have neither pain nor anxiety … yet they journey on into your infinite glory, wonder, and joy, dear God, and pray for us constantly. We pray for them, too, holy God - send them our love and gratitude, dear God; assure them of our resolve to live well, to care for the earth, to promote the gospel, to honor their deeds with our deeds of love and justice.

We pray with heart and mind, body and soul, dear God … with all that we are, and all that we hope to be … to be joined with you in the goodness of creation, in the work of Christ, in the hope of eternal life.

In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, saying:

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 debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. 

10.15.23 Prayers of Church & Community, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Prayers of Church & Community, October 15, 2023

Westminster Presbyterian Church

For this place, O God, this day of worship, the love of Christ, and the work of your Holy Spirit, we give you our thanks … 

Even as the world swirls around us, dear God … in the madness of hate … Cain killing Abel again and again …  

We pray for the people of Palestine and the State of Israel … we pray for the children in harm’s way … we pray for those in power, who can pull the trigger, or reach for peace … 

We pray for our President and Vice-President, we pray for our Secretary of State - we pray for world leaders.

May the bright light of Democracy shine all the brighter in times such as these, O God - and for the voices of Democracy, we give you our thanks … we pray, all the more, for those who open the doorways of opportunity, those who build the bridges of peace … those who look beyond themselves, and call our attention to the best and brightest things of life. 

We pray for our families and friends … our parents, our children … those with whom we work … community leaders, school teachers, and the folks who pick up our garbage … 

So many people, O God, good and decent, faithful and kind, doing the hard work of life, making the best of it, helping us all along the way. 

Give us eyes to see them, dear God, and a heart to celebrate their life, their work, their worth, even as we give thanks for the life you’ve given to us … the hopes and dreams that inspire and console, the visions of peace that guide and guard … and the great love of Christ, from his cradle to his cross, his descent into hell, and his rising again from the dead - to make all things new.

That we should be here this morning, O God, is a gift from your heart … you draw us into your love, you bring us close to one another … you shape our souls and and replenish our spirits … your kindness is without measure … your grace - always amazing, your love - is forever.

In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, saying:

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 debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. 

10.8.23 Prayers of Church & Community, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Prayers of Church & Community, October 8, 2023

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Holy God, eternal light, savior of our souls …

We give thanks for this day, and your love at work in all things for good … we give thanks for who we are, from whence we’ve come, and where we going … all along the way, O God, you are the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night … you are water from the rock, and manna in the morning … 

How many times, O God, have you parted the sea, to take us by the hand, and lead us to the Promised Land … how many times, O LORD, have you saved us, protected us, seen us through the wilderness, to make a way for us through a barren land?

Holy God, eternal light, we give thanks … 

For those who love us into our existence … family and friends, and so many more … who devote themselves to the virtues of life and liberty, to the noble things, the common good of all … who know the secret of life - that all good things have to be given away in order to be found.

Dear God, we pray for Israel and Palestine - the children of Abraham … we pray that peace will be declared, justice achieved … forgive our warring ways, O God … the dogs of war devour the human soul … ancient hatreds resist healing … arms dealers and merchants of death prosper … let the road to a better day be found, O God … the green pastures and still waters of truth.

We pray, O God, for our nation, for Congress, for the courts and the White House … we pray for our colleges and universities … our local school systems and their school boards … teachers and librarians. Let the bells of freedom ring loud and clear … let half-truth clouds be swept away … let the foolish notions of half-baked religion be transformed to serve the welfare of all. Reveal, we pray, the greater truths of Christ.

We pray for houses of worship across the land, synagogues, temples, mosques, and churches … let the sacred be celebrated, the eternal welcomed, virtue taught, dignity accorded to all.

Holy God, eternal light, bless our loved ones … may they enjoy   fullness of life, the comfort of Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. In body, mind, and soul, O God, let legions of angels be their guide, let the great mysteries of the universe be their strength.

All of this, in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, saying:

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 debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. 

10.1.23 Prayers of Church & Community, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Prayers of Church & Community, October 1, 2023

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Come, thou Fount of every blessing;

tune our hearts to sing thy grace;

Music begins …

streams of mercy, never ceasing,

call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach us some melodious sonnet,

sung by flaming tongues above;

praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,

mount of your unchanging love!

Music trails away …

God of mercy and peace, God of justice and judgement, God of truth and hope, lead us, we pray, in the ways of Christ … bring us to the foot of his cross, that we might see what our sin has done … bring us to the empty tomb, O God, that we might see what you have done.

Holy God, we pray for Armenia and Azerbaijan - we pray for advocates of peace … may a way forward be found.

We pray for our nation … 

We pray for Senator Feinstein’s family and friends … 

We pray for our president and vice-president … members of congress … justices of our Supreme Court … our civil servants … and those in the military.

We pray for the candidates seeking the highest office in the land, we pray for the Republican Party and the Democratic Party … we pray for news outlets … journalists and writers … bloggers and influencers.

We pray for our entertainment industry … for writers and actors, producers and directors … 

We pray for our Search Committee … our elders and Foundation members … our Presbytery of San Gabriele, the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, the Presbyterian Church here and around the world.

We pray for La Casa, and other local ministries of faith, hope, and love … we give thanks for leaders like Cheryl Prentice, her diligence, devotion, and dreams - her work, for a just and kindly world … and those who have followed in her footsteps …

Music begins …

In all such things, dear God, we humbly seek your counsel … and pray for the Holy Spirit … to open our eyes to the wonders of your creation, our hearts to the mercies of the Cross … our faith to the power of the resurrection … that we might be faithful to your Kingdom, and faithful to the dreams of our Democracy.

Holy God, we give thanks for this day and its gifts.

We give thanks for friends and family.

We give thanks that we belong to Christ, now and forever more.

Music trails away …

In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, saying:

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 debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.