Prayers of the People 2-25-18 -by Crystal
Rev. Crystal Shepherd shared this prayer this past Sunday with the congregation. Please join us as we pray for people both near and far.
God of the covenant,
you call us to be fruitful servants within creation,
and to offer our lives
as the foundation of your realm.
We lay before you the desires of our hearts,
that we may be transformed by their fulfillment.
Hear now our prayers:
For the people of Syria who have faced unimaginable devastation, we pray. As families grieve those who have been killed by such terrible violence, may they find peace and comfort in you. Help them as they seek to find ways to repair what the bombs have ripped apart. Give them strength and courage as they continue to walk in the tenuous silence of the UN-sanctioned cease-fire. May Your peace reign and may you stop our warring madness. May the guns be beat into plows and the bullets broken into seeds that there may be peace on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For our country as we seek to find ways to dialogue about the use of guns in our schools, places of amusement, and houses of worship. Grant us wisdom to know how to provide safety for those who would be victims and care for those who would raise their hand against their fellow human being. Kindle in our hearts a desire for not only justice but for love. Help us to remember, Lord, who is our neighbor. May you give us the hearts to reach out, to listen, and to find the middle way that brings peace and wholeness rather than chaos and division.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the state of Kentucky and its people as the storms leave in their wake devastation and loss. Even as the flood waters continue to rise, remind us, Lord, that you are with us. That the storms of life will not overtake us. Grant those who are displaced, a dry place to rest. Help those who have lost find the resources and the ways to rebuild. As the waters recede, Lord, may you restore the land and heal our hearts. Let us find hope and rest in you.
Grant, O God, that the prayers we offer
may be your channel for new and abundant life
not only hoped for,
but worked for,
through faithful word and deed. Amen.