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, March 25, 2019

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (March 24/Lent) Athens First UMC


[We were blessed to have The Company of Praise, a youth choir from Stewartstown, PA offer several anthems during our 10:30 worship service. They were here since Wednesday to do mission work at Good Works, Habitat for Humanity, the Food Pantry, & Rural Action. They also performed concerts at Morrison-Gordon Elementary, the community building in Stewart, and were part of the Ohio University School of Music concert held here at our church. Thank you, Company of Praise for showing us what it means to be fruitful rather than fearful in living out our faith. For Sunday’s sermon on fruitfulness, click here and for three songs from their concerts, click here.]

Quiet our souls, O God. Quiet our souls.

We’re really good at being busy but not so good at simply being still and knowing that you are God. And then we wonder why we get so anxious. Maybe we just need to slow down, take a deep breath, and simply be in your presence. 

I’m going to try something really different with the pastoral prayer this morning, dear God. Instead of me talking, I’m going to encourage us to simply listen to what you want to say to us. What do you want to say to us?

In these next few moments, O God, quiet our souls.

(Moments of Silence)

In these next few moments, O God, what is it from our gathering in worship this morning that you are calling us to allow to continue to settle in our hearts and minds? Maybe something from the awesome music we have heard or the reading and proclamation of your Word. We are listening, O God…

(Moments of Silence)

In these next few moments, O God, what is it about our past week; maybe a situation we faced, maybe someone we met, maybe a new experience we encountered that we are still processing? We are listening, O God…

(Moments of Silence)

In these next few moments, O God, how are you calling us to be fruitful rather than fearful? We are listening, O God…

(Moments of Silence)

We are listening, O God, we are listening, O God,

Even as we pray together, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

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