Pastoral Prayer (March 13) - Athens First UMC

How can we not say “yes” to being your witnesses after hearing that inspiring anthem, O God!

Yes, we want to be your witness and share our faith! Yes, we want to be your witness and serve others. Yes, we want to be your witness by offering our presence! Yes, we want to be your witness by offering our prayers! Yes, we want to be your witness by offering our very best gifts toward our upcoming Capital Campaign! Yes, Lord, we want to be your witness.

We thank you for those early setters in the early 1800s who said yes to being your witness here in this area of Ohio.

We thank you for the Methodist Circuit Rider preacher, “Rev. James Quinn,” who said yes to being your witness and helped to establish our church.

We thank you for former pastors of our congregation, like Rev. Dan Kiger who said yes to being your witness and is here today to again say, “yes, I continue to be a witness.”

And we thank you for church members who have said yes to being your witnesses by offering their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.

Today, O God, we prepare for Commitment Sunday, may we say yes, to being your witnesses in this particular time and place of our church’s history.

As your church family, we lift up those who are facing loneliness, discouragement, and medical challenges. We also pray for those who are in need of your guidance and direction as they are facing a time of transition in their lives.

O God, help us to be the church you are calling us to be, even as we join in praying together… “Our Father, who art in heaven…”