April 10, 2022 Prayers of the People - Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena

 Prayers of the People, April 10, 2022 Palm Sunday

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Eternal God, creator of the heavens and the earth:

You are the shepherd of our souls … and to you we belong.

With gratitude, O God, we lay our prayers upon the the altar of Christ … with gratitude, we lift up our lives as an offering to the work of reconciliation … that we might be worthy ambassadors of the gospel.

Be with us, we pray, in our daily journey … in the mundane things we hardly notice, and in the momentous occasions, when life takes a new direction, for good or for ill … in the sorrows of life, and in its joys.

We pray for those dear to us O God … we delight in their happiness, and we feel their every pain … we pray for legions of angels to guide and to guard them … to offer council when perplexed, and protection when threatened.

We pray for the homeless on Lake Avenue … those who’ve lost hope … weighed down by emotional and physical adversity …

We pray for our world, O God … we pray for wise leaders … women and men possessed of greatness, greatness in spirit and thought, greatness in compassion and care …  

We pray for our schools and for our teachers, for administrators and school boards … protect them from the forces and factions of discord - those who dismiss science, and promote fear of children, trans, gay and lesbian children. Where there is such ignorance, O LORD, shine the light of your wisdom. Where there is fear, the light of faith. Where there is bigotry, the light of love and peace. 

With trembling trust and prayerful hope, Dear God, we affirm our faith in Christ and welcome his call to follow where’er he lead - here at home, or to the ends of the earth.

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. 

Prayers of the People, January 27, 2013

Prayers of the People, January 27, 2013

God of grace and God of glory,

On Your people pour Your pow'r;

Crown Your ancient Church’s story;

Bring its bud to glorious flow'r.

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,

For the facing of this hour …

O LORD our God, great is your name.

And greatly to be praised.

All glory, worship and honor to you.

Forever and forever.

World without end.

To you, dear God, we turn in praise and prayer.

Because every prayer offered is well-received at heaven’s gate:

Every tear and every fear.

Every shattered dream and every dim hope.

Our lives, just as they are.

Torn and tattered though they be.

Full of confusion and sorrow.

Uncertain about the day and fearful of the night.

But in your light, we see light.

By your mercy, all is made new. 

In your grace, love abounds and life goes on.

As always, LORD, we pray for those near and dear to us … our children … our grandchildren … brothers and sisters … aunts and uncles … nephews and nieces ...

We pray for friends and neighbors …

For the sick, O LORD, we pray for healing.

For the the dying, O LORD, we pray for peace.

For those troubled by their past, we pray for release.

For those burdened with hatred and animosity, we pray for brighter days and and better feelings.

For those who have suffered great loss, we pray for encouragement and opportunity.

For those who want to be more than they are, we pray for courage and determination.

For those who dream of a better world, we pray for their blessing.

For those who lead nations, we pray for wisdom.

We pray for President Zuma of South Africa …

For King Mswati of Swaziland …

For President Nieto of Mexico …

O LORD our God, we pray for people of faith and vision … who dream the dreams of peace and prosperity … who dream of a world set free from tyranny and the gods of mammon and desire.

Bless us, we pray, with kindness of heart … and gentleness of spirit …

Where our love is weak, O God, give us the greater love of Jesus …

Where courage fails us, grant us the courage of others to inspire us to try again …

Where we are frightened, dear God, remind us that we are yours, that nothing can separate us from your love given so freely in Christ Jesus our LORD.

Bless us, we pray, that we might be the salt of the earth and the light of the world …

That our words might build up and point the way to life …

That our deeds might outlive us because of their goodness …

That our faithfulness would be pleasing in your sight, O LORD our God …

All of this, and more, we pray in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray, saying … Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ...