A United Methodist Pastor's Theological Reflections

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (nikos) through our Lord Jesus Christ." - I Corinthians 15:57


Monday, September 4, 2017

Pastoral Prayer (Sept. 3/Labor Day Weekend) - Athens First UMC


[For our monthly Athens First Saturday outreach, people in our church assembled 75 school supply kits that will be sent to flooding victims in Texas from Hurricane Harvey. On that same day, we also delivered 13 flower arrangements to the local hospital, made 9 blankets for community organizations, and led a worship service for residents at an assisted living facility. Way to go, church!]


Creator God, thank you for giving each one of us opportunities to be a blessing to others at work, at school, and in the places where we volunteer our time. Help us to always use the skills, the gifts, and the knowledge that you have given us to be a blessing to those around us.

Thank you for teachers, coaches, professors, doctors, nurses, first-responders, waitresses, cashiers, carpenters, farmers, counselors, and anyone who help to make our community and this world a better place. May all of our work be done in love.

Thank you for creating us to take care of your good creation. Help us to offer our very best in all that we do and say.

O God, during this Labor Day weekend, I especially think of one of the rescue workers during the flooding down in Texas who said that he does what he does because he cares about the people he is serving. Bless all of these rescue workers, including people from our own United Methodist Committee on Relief who are offering assistance to the many people who have lost their homes and belongings from the storm.

O God, we also ask your blessings upon the many people in our church who work and serve in so many different ways like the Sunday School teacher who plans lessons for the youth class, the greeter whose smile helps people feel welcomed as they enter our church building, the audio/visual operator during Sunday worship, the Stephen Minister who provides one to one confidential peer support for a person going through a difficult time in their life, and dear God, we are especially thankful for the person who baked a cake that had lots of chocolate icing for last Monday evening’s Worship U service. We offer an extra special prayer of blessing upon that person.

O God, as we seek to be a blessing to others in the workplace, in the classroom, by serving at church, and by volunteering in the community, remind us to always remember the Apostle Paul’s words at the end of I Corinthians when he said, “Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.”


We pray this would be true in each of our lives even as we pray together, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

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