Sunday Pastoral Prayer (July 14) Athens First UMC

[The sermon focused on how our church is planting seeds of the gospel that are bearing fruit. For the sermon, click here. One of the ways that we can be even more equipped to bear fruit is by participating in the Faith Builders training event that will be held at our church one month from now. This was mentioned in the sermon. See information below on event information and how to register.]

Led by Rev. Jeff Motter, Senior Pastor Saint Andrews UMC, Findlay Ohio

Friday, Aug. 16, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm (Dinner Included)

Saturday, Aug. 17, 8:00 am to 2:30 pm (B-fast & Lunch Included)

$10/Person  Registration begins Sunday, July 14. Email jan@firstumcathens.org.

Please include your name and contact information. Checks can be made payable to Athens First UMC. For more information call the church office 740-593-3977 ext 10.

O God, thank you for giving us seeds of your good news to sow and bear fruit in our community and world. The garden of your kingdom is blooming all around us through acts of compassion, mercy, and justice. Thank you for our summer mission team as they plant seeds of your good news in Honduras this week with the people they serve.

Bless all of our loving faith, learning faith, and living faith ministries that they may continue to bear fruit through our church. We pray a special blessing upon the August Faith Builders training event and Rev. Jeff Motter who will be leading us. O God, what a joy and privilege it is to sow seeds of your kingdom!

May our prayer this morning sow seeds of your comfort, healing, and love in the hearts of those who are grieving over the loss of loved one, who are facing medical challenges, who are going through a time of transition, who are struggling to make a living, and who are without hope. O God, let all who are in need of your love know that you are a God who cares about all of our needs, heartaches, anxieties, pain, grief, hopes, and joys.

Thank you, O God for the seeds of your beauty that you plant in our hearts. Like beautiful sunsets and sunrises. Like spending time with a good friend you haven’t seen for a while. Like going on a retreat and planning out a year’s worth of sermons. Like coming to church and being drawn closer to you.

For all of these seeds of hope and beauty, we give you thanks, O God even as we pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray together,

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”