God of steadfast love, and ceaseless mercy:
Grant us patience when our spirits are tested.
Remind us, by the inward testimony of your Holy Spirit, by the words of Scripture, and by the wisdom of the ages, that you are at work in all things … that good is just around the corner … the lost will be found, the sorrowful will be comforted, the broken will be healed … in time and eternity, here and now, then and there … because your love is never ending, the doors of hope are never closed, the darkness that frightens and harms is dismissed by the light of Christ.
Holy God, Eternal Light, strengthen those who proclaim the Gospel, and give us ears to hear.
Enliven those who make the music, and give us hearts to sing your praise.
Guide those who govern the church, and give us the will to seek the greater good.
Bless Rev. Baker and her family, bless the elders of the church, and bless intern Evelyn Roper.
By your Spirit, O God, lift our eyes heavenward that we might gain our bearings for life upon this earth.
We are mindful, dear God, of the suffering of Venezuela … when the earth moves and buildings fall … when death comes suddenly with cruelty …
May the resources of this world be quickly marshaled and made available …
We give thanks for the World Cup.
The joy of competition, the thrill of victory, and yes, the agony of defeat … we learn once again how much we all have in common - love of nation, loyalty to our people, whoever we are, no matter the culture, no matter the religion, no matter the color of our skin, we are all your lovely creatures, dear God, created in your image, and filled with your holy breath.
Bless the leaders of our world, we pray.
Women and men of good conscience, upon whom the mantle of leadership has fallen.
Save us, we pray, from the craven interests of greed and intolerance … save us from our own temptations to believe the lies of power and war, redeem us, we pray, that we might yet be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.
Teach us, O God, with your Holy Word.
Bring us closer to one another.
Open our minds, open our hearts.
Speak tenderly to us, we pray.
We need your mercies, we need your love.
Establish within each of us, O God,
The cradle of Bethlehem.
The Sermon on the Mount.
The courage of Christ.
The cross of Golgatha.
The Empty Tomb.
The power and the glory.
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.
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