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, January 8, 2018

Pastoral Prayer (Jan. 7) Athens First UMC


[This past Saturday (Epiphany Day) marked the conclusion of the twelve days of Christmas season. This meant that we needed to take down our Christmas decorations after each worship service yesterday. Pictured above is our new Welcome Center "Be Free" Christmas tree before it was taken down and packed away. During the season of Advent, people had placed tags on the tree with things they wanted to give over to God. Our Tuesday morning prayer team will pray over these several tags when they gather this week. We are now in the liturgical season called "The Sundays After the Epiphany" which will continue until we get to February 11 (Transfiguration Sunday.) 


Merciful God, shine your light in and through us. Shine your light in the conversations we have with our neighbors, with our co-workers, with family members, and with the people we see throughout the week.

Shine your light so that we will be open to those opportunities where we share how you are at work in our every day lives. Shine your light so that people will find, encouragement and hope through our words and actions. Shine your light just as brightly as the star that led the Wise Men to the Christ Child. May we shine brightly so that people will be led to Christ as well.

O God as we transition from Christmas into this New Year, we are mindful of people who are in need of your light this day.

May your light shine upon those who have questions about their faith.

May your light shine upon the family looking for a church home.

May your light shine upon students returning for a new semester.

May your light shine upon those who are in need of healing.

May your light shine upon those who are struggling to make ends meet.

May your light shine upon the homeless, the hungry, and the downcast.

May your light shine wherever there is darkness, O God, and may your light always shine through us to be a blessing to others.

We pray this in the name of the light of the world, Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together saying, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

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