Pastoral Prayer (August 27) - Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

August 27, 2023

O God, we give you thanks for this day of the week where your church can gather and offer prayers for those who are on our hearts and minds this day. And so, we lift up to you the joys and concerns that we have shared as well as those that are on our prayer list. 

 

Thank you for this time in our worship service that always reminds us to be still and know that you are God. Take our distractions, our mental to do lists, our worries, our fidgetiness, and our clumsiness with silence, and replace all of that with your peace that passes all understanding. (SILENCE)

 

We pray that this same peace would surround all of those who we lift up to you in prayer. For those who are recovering from illness, suffering from chronic pain, grieving the loss of a loved one, facing a difficult decision, getting adjusted to a new school year, facing stress at work or at home, feeling lonely, or who may be in need of guidance and assurance, Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

 

We pray for the homeless, the marginalized, those seeking employment, and those who are facing food insecurity. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

 

We pray for your peace to be with leaders in our community, in our nation and throughout our world that they would be guided by wisdom, compassion, and justice. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

 

We pray for your peace to be with our District Superintent, Rev. Fran Elrod and with our Bishop, Jonathan Holston as they provide spiritual leadership for the South Carolina Annual Conference. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

 

And last but not least, we pray for ourselves, that you would increase our capacity in having open hearts, open minds, and open doors to becoming more like Jesus in all that we say and do. Help us to be aware of the spiritual gifts you have given to us and to use them in such a way that others may see your love in us. Little by little, take our lives and let them be consecrated Lord to thee. We pray this in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray together… 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.