Pastoral Prayer (July 26) - Athens First UMC

O God, even in the middle of these summer months with many of us traveling and enjoying a slower pace, you continue to call us to grow in our faith. While most of the year is filled with holidays and the school season, you give us this time to slow down and spend more time reflecting on what it means to follow you in our everyday lives. Thank you for this long season of growth as we seek to be your faithful disciples.

As the pace of life takes on a different feel this time of year, help us to use this time of reflection to sense your presence in our lives and through the people we meet.

We were able to see you this past week during our Wonderful Wednesday program as we made birdhouses to give to Habitat for Humanity. We were able to see you when we served a meal to those who attended the Monday lunch outreach here in our church. We were able to see you when we helped someone find an AA meeting that was being held here in our building. We were able to see you when we met a neighbor for the first time and invited them to join us for worship.

In all these ways, and so many more, we have encountered your presence and experienced these “thin place holy moments” all because you have helped us to slow down and become more aware of your presence at work in our lives.

Help us to have a varsity level faith where we letter in worship, unity, and growing in our faith.

As we think about the high school varsity jacket of our District Superintendent, Rev. Dennis Miller, we think of the trip that he will make on August 1^st as he travels by motorcycle all the way to Alaska to raise money for Imagine No Malaria.  Bless Dennis and surround him with your presence as he prepares to make this trip.

We also pray for those who are facing medical challenges, who may be grieving, or who may be going through a difficult time in their life. Remind them that they are not alone. Remind them of the Apostle Paul’s prayer from our Ephesians scripture reading this morning that is meant for each and every one of us.

“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

And now, as God’s people who are seeking to grow in our faith, we pray the words that Jesus taught his disciples, “Our Father, who art in heaven...”