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 9, 2024

Sunday (September 8) Pastoral Prayer


September 8, 2024
Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

This is our prayer today, O God, that you would wash each one of us with your cleansing waters. Wash us from our sinful ways. Wash away apathy. Wash away closed minds. Wash away greed. Wash away gun violence. Wash away partisan politics. Wash away disinformation. Wash away poverty. Wash away domestic violence. Wash away racism. Wash away war. Wash away despair. Wash away hate. Wash away fear.

 

Just as you created this world and called it good, make it new again, O God. Make us new through your cleansing waters. And make us wise as the Book of Proverbs reminds us in what it means to live out our faith in real time.

 

Thank you for the many loving servants here at the Beulah church who cooked meals, set up tables, raised money for local missions, and provided space for our community to gather as part of the Big Grab yard sale these past few days.

 

And thank you for this time of prayer in which we have the opportunity to lift up to you those who are on our church’s prayer list as well as other joys and concerns that are on our hearts and minds this day. May your guiding, comforting, and healing love surround and strengthen them. We especially pray for the people of Winder, Georgia at the recent shooting at Apalachee High School. May our thoughts and prayers lead to more effective preventative measures that will help protect our school communities from such senseless acts of violence.

 

We humbly turn to you this morning for your wisdom in how we might help to make this world more loving, just, and peaceful just as you have always intended it to be. And now teach us to pray these words of wisdom that you taught your disciples and now teach 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.

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