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2006 ELMC Prayer of the Month Archives |
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December 2006
Friends,
ELMC is currently in an
important discernment process as we are engaged in the
search for the new Assistant Director of ELMC and in the
nominations process for commission leadership for next
quadrennium, 2008-2011. I ask that we all keep the
candidates and the members of the search committee as well
as the nominations committee in our prayers as we move
closer to the naming of new commission and staff
leadership for our shared ministry. As we draw to the
close of 2006, which has been a time of increased
programming as well as leadership transition, we are
grateful to Dr. Vasiliki Tsigas-Fotinis, Coordinator of
the CANA Teenage Curriculum,
Department of Religious Education, Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America and member of the commission for a
prayer offering which reminds us of the rich and long
history of the church.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You!
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things, the treasury of blessings and Giver of life: come and abide in us. Cleanse us from all impurity and save our souls, gracious Lord. [My Orthodox Prayer Book (1985) Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Department of Religious Education]
As we prepare to receive You Lord during this Advent season, we ask for your help in cleaning out the cave of our heart, so that the joy of Your birth may bring the wisdom of the spiritual Magi into the communities in which we dwell. Lord, we pray for the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in (Constantinople) Istanbul, Turkey to commemorate the Feast Day of Saint Andrew the Apostle (and brother of Peter) on November 30. We thank you for transforming the spirit of the crusades of the past into a spirit of holy hospitality, fellowship, and mutual prayer for Your heavenly peace today.
We lift up to You, all the participating students, their families & friends, and all those preparing the CELEBRATE 2006: National Ecumenical Student Conference in New Orleans December 28, 2006-January 1, 2007 as well as the community of New Orleans to receive a special blessing. At this time we ask for health and healing for our sister Heidi H., ELCA Director for Gathering Program and member of the Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team, as she deals with health challenges. Lord we also beseech you to have mercy on all those who have AIDS around the world and for the UN deliberations on World AIDS day on December 1.
May You the Light of the world release us from the slavery of our sinful passions. Lord we pray that Your Truth shines forth in all the holy days or holidays that people around the world celebrate in December. Please bless Your people especially during the holy days of Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and the numerous Feast days of your saints such as Nicholas, Spyridon, and Stephan the Deacon & First Martyr.
Today Christ is born of the Virgin in Bethlehem. Today He who knows no beginning now begins to be, and the Word is made flesh. The powers of heaven greatly rejoice, and the earth with mankind makes glad. The Magi offer gifts, the shepherds proclaim the marvel, and we cry aloud without ceasing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men. From Matins of the Nativity of Christ according to the Flesh, Tone Two (by John the Monk) In the Festal Menaion translated by Mother Mary and Kallistos Ware (1990) St. Tikon’s Seminary Press, South Canaan, PA. Christ is Born! Glorify Him! November 2006
We thank
Po-Min Wang, member of the Pacific Asian American/Canadian
Christian Education Ministry, for this month's moving
prayer.
O God our redeemer and
our sustainer,
Like the bright and
warm rays of the sun, you shower us with blessings that
are new every morning. In the silence and serenity of
this moment we enter, in awe and amazement, into your
presence which gives everlasting peace and contentment.
Only when we lay down our cares and worries before you
can we beginning to appreciate and comprehend the
magnitude of your power and your reign over all things.
We are your beloved, O Lord.
Therefore, O God, as
you have revealed yourself and your will to us each day
through your Word and circumstances, give us the courage
to once again take up our cross and follow you. No
matter what the difficult circumstances are that we face
individually or as a group, we seek to live by true
wisdom that is more than just common sense or even 'the
right thing to do.' For your ways are above our ways
and your thoughts are over and above our thoughts.
As we lift our prayer
requests before you, we humbly ask that you cause us to
fully know your will at work in our lives, to see events
and circumstances around us not just as coincidences,
but you living out purpose for each and every creation
in our lives. Though times may be difficult and
chaotic, may we find your unwavering presence in the
midst of the storm. May you hear the cries of your
people and our prayers of faith seeking understanding,
that you may convict us to serve you in ways that we
have not even begun to dream about. Help us to live
out our eternal purposes and make an impact in this
world with courage and mercy for your sake and your sake
only.
May your guiding light
shine on the NCC governing board meeting and the NCC/CWS
General Assembly in Orlando as well as the Young
Adult Stewards Program and Youth Worker Summit taking
place this month. O God, protect your faithful servants
and give them heavenly wisdom in moving your ministries
according to your heart. May every gathering brings
about a revival of faith in you, hope in you for the
future, and love that calls each one to serve the
other. Remind us to give thanks now and always for all
things, because only through true thanksgiving to you
can we learn to fully give.
In the powerful name of
Jesus who is able to do all things in His time, Amen.
Prayer Concerns:
October 2006
Friends,
We thank The Rev. David Denham, United Church of Christ and chair of the Committee on Disabilities, for bringing to us this powerful prayer. We lift the following prayer concerns for this month: ELMC Meetings:
Other Prayer Concerns:
This prayer was a part of the presentation at the United Nations, July 9, 1992, at the Vatican Conference on Pastoral Care, Rome, November, 1992 by the Rev. Dr. Harold H. Wilke, Claremont, California. This prayer was adapted by the Rev. Dr. Charles Lee Bamforth for use in UCC Access Sunday liturgy, 1997-98. Harold Wilke died in February 2003. Charlie Bamforth died in July 2006. For October 2006, we celebrate our national focus on disability and mental illness, and we offer this prayer in honor of and in memory of these two religious leaders and disability advocates. Our October Prayer… O God, Creator, maker of humankind in your image, who creates the earth, our Eden, our Dwelling Place, Pure and Undefiled, who places divinity within each of your children, Creator help us keep our bodies and minds temples of your spirit and images of your divine being. O God, Liberator, you, whose concern began with Liberation, who commands oppressors: "Let my People GO!", who desires the losing of shackles of slavery, destroyed the chains which hold down people with disabilities, Liberator free your people. O God, whole, wholly, Holy: who sees us as whole even when those about us would make us less, remind us that a Rose is still a Rose even with a petal missing, Whole One help us to claim the wholeness you grant. O God, Healer, who wills that hurt be healed, violence be ended, Healing take place, destructive powers be shorn of strength even before their evil impact, hereafter, let none be hurt or destroyed in all you Holy Mountain. O God, we pray in all your many names with joyous confidence and trust, knowing you have called us into being as your children, your royal priesthood, the whole world in your hands. From the very beginning of time, and underneath, upholding, sustaining and supporting your whole creation are your own everlasting arms. Amen. With all God's People: The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle
September 2006
Friends,
We thank The Rev. Dr. Daryl Ingram, Executive Director
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Christian
Education Department and member of ELMC, the Committee
on Black Congregational Ministries and the Committee on
the Uniform Series, for this month's prayer offering.
Beginning this month, we will also add the churches and
regions of the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle in order that we
might pray with and for our Christian brothers and
sisters around the world.
Almighty God, Eternal of the Ages, you are the blessing of our very lives. You, O Lord, are the only one to whom honor and praise are due.
We praise you for grace and mercy. We praise you for your loving kindness and compassion. We praise you for your benevolent power. We praise you for your awesomeness. In the midst of the autumnal changes when green becomes many colors of red, gold, brown and others, you alone remain steadfast. You alone remain the same.
We, humanity, on the other hand have failed to follow your grand example of life. We have failed to keep any of the commandments. We have failed to love you, God and our neighbors. We have failed to avoid sin and transgression. Instead, we have sinned and that in greater and greater abundance.
Therefore, we appeal to the Lord of manifold mercy to forgive us of our numerous transgressions. Remove the stain of evil from our hearts and souls. Change us as you change summer to fall by giving us clean hearts and contrite souls.
We remember plead also for comfort for the victims and survivors of the September 11th tragedy. We plead for peace throughout our violent existence, especially in Iraq & Iran, Israel & Lebanon, and many other pain-ridden places. We plead for a renewed sense of justice and unity in our fractured country where we become a nation for all and a haven for the diversity of God’s creation. We plead for many other petitions, expressed and unexpressed.
ELMC Meetings:
NCCCUSA:
Other Prayer Concerns:
With All God's People: The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle
In the name of Jesus, AMEN August 2006 We give praise to God for this month's prayer offering coming from our colleague, Francis Bourne, Church of the Brethren, and member of the Deaf Ministries Commission, reminding us of the awesomeness of God and the grace, peace, love, and hope to which we have access.
Thus says the LORD: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is my resting place? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things are mind, says the LORD. Isaiah 66:1-2a NRSV
To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. Colossians 1:2-6 NRSV
We give you thanks for the grace and peace which comes to us from You, Dear God, and the Lord Jesus Christ as we pray to You as a community of communions known as the National Council of Churches and as an integral ministry network called the Education and Leadership Ministries Commission, called together for holy work.
As we near the end of summer, we in America are facing many and varied struggles—from excessive heat waves and their effects: forest fires, power outages and water shortages and the collapse of human-made structures such as tunnels and buildings and the injury and sometimes death caused by automobile accidents. God, our intention is not to focus solely on our own loss; but, in our pain we must lift it up—the loss of our beloved fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and friends who responded to a sense of duty. God, show your precious compassion on your people who must endure daily the unrest in the Middle East and those who are victims of the most recent Tsunami in Indonesia. We collectively pray for ourselves as well as others around the world that You will show your mercy and compassion on us all in your divine will, soothing all hard feelings and hatred that we have and show toward each other. Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
We, the ELMC, pray, Lord, that you be in the midst of the meeting of the Committee on Uniform Series Cycle Team to be held at Louisville, KY August 22-24.
Lord, bless the Breaking the Silence for the Good of African American Families Conference to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio August 7.
We invite your attention and healing care for John M., member of the Committee on Disabilities, and his dear wife who were recently in a car accident. We pray for Thelma C., one of the NCC Vice-Presidents, in the loss of her brother. Give strength and wisdom to W.R., member of the Committee on Justice for Children and their Families and the Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team, as she continues to give care to an aging mother experiencing health challenges.
Remind us of your glory through our celebrating the Feast of Transfiguration on August 6 with our brothers and sisters of the Eastern tradition and the bright future that is ours through our observance of International Youth Day on August 12.
We pray your blessings on the Christian Education Congress of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio August 8-11.
We pray that your Spirit and wisdom might abide during the deliberations of the World Council of Churches Central Committee meeting to be held in Geneva, Switzerland August 30 to September 6.
We do not stop here but we do pray for God’s guidance of selection of a special ELMC contracted staff to serve with the Deaf Ministries Committee.
In your love, grace, and peace, we pray this prayer and offer these petitions. Amen. July 2006
This month we have a
beautiful offering from one of our newest communion
representatives to the Education and Leadership Ministries
Commission, Ms. Elise Antreassian, Christian Education
Coordinator, Department of Youth and Education of the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). We thank
her for sharing with us in this special way.
God’s eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. Romans 1:20 (CEV)
Oh precious and eternal God, as summer begins its long gestation, each day heavy with your loving purpose, help us know you and be transfigured, body and soul, by that knowledge. May we find your holy image in the summer tapestry, in its verdancy, its azure, its resplendent yellow, its buzz and chirp, its sweaty, groaning effort, its pluck, its glory! May we see in the brilliant summer skies, proof of the width and breadth and startling illumination of your majesty as you shower the night with fields of white-hot stars. May we indeed be still and know that you are our God as we listen to the whirr of the cicadas, the rustle of trees laden with life, with nests, with hives, with birds, with crawlings and creepings, with flowers and leaves, with fruit. May we bask in the sun’s warmth, recalling as we do, the unrelenting, radiant, pulsating energy of your love and mercy. May we be imbued, Holy God, with wonder at the universal language of creation, the wordless eloquence of mountains, seashore, woodlands, and flower-studded meadows as we share in them this month with family and friends. May our hearts be opened - gracious Father, compassionate Mother - as we behold the human detritus of inhuman American cities emerge in the light of summer: the unloved, the impoverished, the marginalized, and the outcast. Break our hearts, Lord, that you might enter in and let your love pour out of us and be made manifest in all we feel about and do for others. Help us to love!
And place your tender hand on the good men and women laboring in the vineyard, particularly in the ministries and committees of the NCCCUSA and the ELMC, that all success be for your glory and the benefit of all creation.
We ask your blessing on the community of believers, sanctifying its milestones:
- AME Church Christian Education Congress, Orlando, FL –July 2-7 - Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, Des Moines, IO – July 1-5 - World Methodist Council, Seoul, Korea – July 9-14 - Greek Orthodox Clergy-Laity Congress, Nashville, TN – July 16-21 - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Board Meeting– July 22-25 And bless the memory of the brave and the visionary who, 230 years ago this July 4, planted the seed of the flower of freedom. May we honor the memory of those who were overlooked in that planting by harvesting, today, and together, a new nation that will no longer founder in nightmare but rise exultant in a dream realized. Amen! June 2006
Friends,
It is hard to believe that we are half way through 2006; maybe it is just me; but, it seems as if the pace will never slow down! Yet, we pause here in the middle of the year, in the midst of everything that is going on to pray for our world, our church, our work, and each other. We thank, Rick Garland, Minister for Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the United Church of Canada and Vice Chair of the Committee on Outdoor Ministries, for pausing in the midst of his own busyness to offer this beautiful prayer. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ God of the Sun and Earth, we listen for your voice in this month of June. As our busyness reaches a crescendo, help us to find the time to listen for your voice, as it comes in the cool breeze off lakes and streams on ever-hotter summer days. Our times are tumultuous, God, and it becomes harder to make sense of the conflicts that plague our cities and towns, our families and friends, our countries and regions. Blow deep into our lives, God. Help us to become the vessels of your Spirit, providing the momentum that carries you over mountains and oceans, over parliaments and empires, into hearts and ears, moving hands and feet, making change for your kingdom.
We have faith in your faith in us, Blessed
One. We believe that our prayer shakes foundations, drives
away evil and corruption. We lift up our brothers and sisters
who have suffered recent losses; in particular, we remember
our sister Mary Jane, at the loss of her father. We hold up
our brother, Garland and his family, recovering from a recent
death. Likewise, we hold up
our brother, Carmichael, and sister, Brenda, who both have
family members who are experiencing serious health challenges. We also have much to celebrate, Faithful One. We hold up Patrice Rosner, who began her new position with Churches Uniting in Christ on the 5th of this month. We celebrate the appointment of our our brother, Garland, in his promotion as the new Associate General Secretary of the NCC for the ELMC. Accompany them in their new leadership roles, and help them to see your face in the months and years to come. We pray for your guidance for our Deaf Ministries Committee, God, as they seek an independent contractor to help rejuvenate their ministry. Stir the hearts of the people whose gifts are right for this call. Around the world, we take time to commemorate feasts and focus our attention on the many needs to which we recommit ourselves: On June 1st, our Orthodox brothers and sisters celebrate the Ascension of our Lord. On June 4th, the Western Church celebrates Pentecost. June 5th is named by the United Nations as World Environment Day. June 11th is the Orthodox celebration of Pentecost. June 18th is Father's Day. June 21st is the first day of Summer. June 26th draws us to focus on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (UN). We note the successful season of graduation from our high schools, colleges and universities. Help us to make the world a place of opportunity for our students, O God. We remember the beginning of the summer season for many of our camps. You reach people in a special and intimate way through our camping and outdoor ministries God. May we keep them as sacred spaces where millions have come to discover creation both inside themselves, and in the majesty of what you have made, and what we have been charged to protect. Finally, we note the communion gatherings which mark times of decision and discernment of your will. Let us offer in prayer the following gatherings: * June 10-17 Christian Reformed Church in North America: annual synod, Grand Rapids, MI. * June 13-21 Episcopal Church: General Convention, including election of new presiding bishop, Columbus, Ohio * June 15-20, The Moravian Church Northern Province will meet in Bethlehem, Pa. * June 15-22 Presbyterian Church (USA): 217th General Assembly, Birmingham, AL * June 23-July 2 The 35th Session and the 36th General Conference of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; Memphis, TN God, warm our hearts and give us the times of rest we need to gather our strength and build the world you had in mind from the very beginning. Clear our eyes, focus our senses, strengthen our hearts, and give us the courage to name you ruler of all. AMEN May 2006
Our colleague,
Mary Jane Pierce Norton, Team Leader for Family, Life Span &
Latino Ministries, The General Board of Discipleship of the
United Methodist Church and Vice Chair of ELMC, offers this
month's timely prayer. We thank Mary Jane for communicating
the feelings of so many of us during this time of
transitions.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come,..." Song of Solomon 2:11-12a (NRSV)
Over the past few weeks I
have been on the road, traveling from one region of the
country to another. I have been struck by the unfolding of
spring. In some areas of the country, spring has draped the
land in its fresh colors of green, white, pink, purple. In
others, there is just a creeping of color into a land still
winter-tinged. This visual of the earth's renewal reminds
us once again of our spirit's renewal as we proclaim as a
people, "Christ is Risen. Christ is Risen Indeed!"
Gracious God: It's hard
to have a heavy heart when all around the earth is waking
again in the rhythm set by the power of your creation.
Thank you for the reminder of new life, of new beginnings,
of new hope. And even when that's the case, we find it
difficult to see the buds of spring when we hear of those
killed by roadside bombs, by others who call upon you just
as we do yet seem to be about death and dying instead of
hope and peace. It's hard to find the beginning of the
greening of the earth when colleagues we cherish lose their
jobs, are faced with illness and death in their families and
in their communities, or struggle with seeing their place in
ministry when every dollar feels as if its been taken away.
It's hard to feel the warmth of the son
when we know our brothers and sisters in other parts of the
world have such a daily struggle to simply make it through
another day. Help our heavy hearts O God. Hear our pain
and our struggles. Help up know and feel the arms of your
love surrounding us. Help us claim the promise that we are
not alone.
And now,
O God, help us accept the challenge of bringing hope to the
hopeless, of bringing food to the hungry, of bringing
community to the lonely, of bringing health to those sick in
mind and sick in body, of bringing sanctuary to those in
harms way. We do see the renewal of life and know that the
life of spring is ours as well when we join ourselves to
your vision for a kingdom of peace, of justice, of
righteousness, of hope.
We ask for prayers this
day for our work ahead. We pray for our work in each of
those places where we are employed. And we pray for our
common work together through those committees and groups who
will be meeting this month:
We pray for those special
days that occur this month:
We pray particularly for Patrice Rosner. We celebrate her
commitment and service to ELMC and we send her with prayers
to her new position
as she leaves this current one on May 19.
We ask for your guidance on behalf of the Deaf Ministries
Committee as they seek an independent contractor to help
rejuvenate this very important ministry.
We also pray with heavy hearts for colleagues whose
positions have been cut as the Presbyterian Church USA seeks
to reshape its ministry in light of financial issues.
And knowing that you are the source for making all things whole, we pray for continued healing for Stephany J., PCUSA, for Greenway P., father of Mary Jane P., and for others who seek your healing touch.
Now, O God, lift our eyes from the paths we trod, so that we
see clearly those around us and pledge ourselves once again
to live in such a way that we reflect our love for you and
for all of your people. Amen
April 2006
Friends,
Our colleague, The Rev. Mayra
Castañeda, member
of the Committee on Justice for Children and their Families,
transitions from her position as National Christian Education
Coordinator for the National Ministries of the American Baptist
Churches, USA today. We pray for her during this period of
transition and discernment, asking God to open up new paths of
ministry that will continue to give God glory and her fulfillment
and purpose. Although she will not be engaged in our shared
ministry of ELMC in the same way that she has been in the past,
she offers a beautiful farewell gift through her prayer offering
for April.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dearest wonderful God, Receive all honor, praise, and all glory. As we walk through the shadows of the dusty, rocky path of the cross, And as we look to the glory, splendor and victory of the resurrection, We pause at the transition of our own humanness. We are mindful of how fragile we really are and how much we need you to help us carry our cross even as we walk through our own shadowy, dusty, winding and often steep path. We pause to listen and to be still and to know that you are. We pause to discover again and again that we are never alone. We pause to discern the Shepherd’s voice calling our very name and leading us to still waters and restoring our soul. We stop to be in your presence where we are received, where we are fully known and fully loved. Loving God, we want to be able to bask in your love and acceptance. Loving God, let our heart be filled only by you. Loving God, we plead for the penetrating energy and power of your spirit to infuse our souls with your love so that compassion, mercy and grace become our presentation cards. Accepting God, in your love help us not to wait for others to do what is just, what is right and what you have mandated your children to do. In your love help us not to be complacent and satisfied with our own comfortable standard of living while others suffer not having enough for their daily bread. In your love we feel the stress, the chaos and the loneliness in our surroundings and in faith and in action you send us forth to be your agents of change, walking with others, forming community. And so we pause, no we stop—stillness! We breathe in You- renewing and refreshing! We praise you for your everlasting love. We praise you for your everlasting peace that surpasses all understanding. We praise you for your grace and forgiveness. We praise you for your creation. We praise you for your power and might. We praise you for holiness. We lift our voice in praise. We lift our hands in praise. We lift our souls in praise. We lift all of who we are in praise for you are the Alpha, the Omega. Our hearts, our minds, our bodies praise you. Praise the Lord all my soul. And now we lift up to you our colleagues and our friends, and we commit unto you the plans and decisions set before you. ELMC Concerns:
ELMC Meetings:
Concerns and Observances:
A M E N
January 2006 Friends,
It's hard
to believe that it is 2006!!! Where did 2005 go? Happy New
Year to you. We trust that your Christmas was wonderful (for
those who have already celebrated Advent and Christmas) and your
new year will be filled with blessings and joys of the Christ
Child. We begin this year's prayer offerings with a prayer
written by Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC Associate General
Secretary for International Affairs and Peace, a layperson from
the Greek Orthodox Church. It is a prayer for the new year.
Additionally, in these first days of the year, we pray for:
ELMC
Meetings:
Other
Gatherings:
Prayer
Concerns:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Prayer for the New Year (2006) By Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos
Our Father in heaven Lord, sometimes we forget that you created us, and that you watch over us from above, and from within our hearts. Is there any doubt as to why we sometimes go astray?
Hallowed be your name. Holiness is something foreign to our everyday reality, Lord. Perhaps this started when we began to abuse the earth you gave as a gift to sustain us, and in which we once readily beheld your wonder. How do we recover this sense of awe?
Your kingdom come, Your presence, Lord, is the very meaning of peace: in our hearts, in our communities, in our world. Your scriptures continually remind us of this blessing. Now that you have engaged us through faith, do we have a responsibility to help establish peace?
Your will be done Lord, your will is to see justice done among your people. Today, we hear that torture is committed against those we perceive as our enemies. How can we reconcile what you expect with what we do?
On earth as in heaven. Iraq would be a good place to start, Lord. So many conflicts in the world are evidence of our denial of your will. At least we can stop the war in Iraq. Do we have the will to do so?
Give us today our daily bread. You know, Lord, that the survivors of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the hurricanes in the U.S. Gulf Coast, the mudslides in Central America, and the earthquake in Pakistan, could certainly use such basics as food, shelter, and medicine. How far must we go to help restore them to well being?
Forgive us our sins Often we read, Lord, of your love for the poor and the oppressed. Just as often, thankfulness for our own comforts leads to our neglect of those in need. How can we help them most?
As we forgive those who sin against us. This is a tough one, Lord. We all have shortcomings, we all have contradictions. We all need mercy, and yet we don’t always remember that it is up to us to also show mercy. What is it that we need to do to see that self-righteousness only breeds arrogance toward others?
Save us from the time of trial, We are always afraid of how we might be judged by you, Lord, especially when we say one thing and do another. Genocide is taking place in Sudan; we know it, and we haven’t done much yet to stop it. Could this be the test of this generation?
And deliver us from evil. Terrorism is a terrible thing, Lord, for the violent death it seeks to bring, often in your name. Certainly human dignity requires only respect, love and understanding for one another. How do we stop this insanity, and our inclination toward vengeance?
Amen. Lord, to say “Amen” means we agree with what has been prayed. Our eyes are now focused on you and your desires. They are a challenge, a mighty challenge. Can we, individually and in unity, begin to tackle them in the coming year?
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