PASTORAL PRAYER - Plymouth Congregational Church
PASTORAL PRAYER - Plymouth Congregational Church
PASTORAL PRAYER - Plymouth Congregational Church
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July 14, 2013<br />
10:30 a.m.<br />
<strong>PASTORAL</strong> <strong>PRAYER</strong><br />
the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Sartain<br />
Executive Minister<br />
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH<br />
1900 Nicollet Ave.<br />
Minneapolis, MN 55403<br />
www.plymouth.org<br />
Loving God, who has so tenderly cared for us all our lives, we humbly recognize your presence among us.<br />
You are in the light that brightens everything around us and also the light within us. You are the breath that<br />
draws in and gives us life and the breath that releases, expelling everything that harms us. You are the urge<br />
toward wholeness, the inclination toward kindness and the inspiration of beauty. You are the hope that<br />
rises up in desolate places and touches us with grace. You are all these things and innumerable, numinous<br />
blessings, and we thank you.<br />
Mindful of the blessings in our lives, we ask that you would make our lives a blessing to others. Give us<br />
strength of character, earnestness of desire and purity of intention so that we can carry your indelible mark<br />
of blessing with us to be seen and known by all.<br />
Let the neighbor who frustrates us see love before irritability in us.<br />
Let the family members against whose presence we sometimes chafe see love in us.<br />
Let the people driving in the cars—and especially those who drive poorly—see love and forgiveness in us,<br />
and peace of mind.<br />
Let the grocery store clerk, the office custodian, the postal carrier, the waiter and the car wash attendant<br />
see love and understanding in our eyes and the recognition that they are whole people with real lives and<br />
not just cogs in the mechanism of life that serve us.<br />
Let those we fear, whose presence threatens us see love in us and not violence of any kind, bigotry or hate.<br />
Let those we admire, who inspire us, who counsel us and guide us see love in us, and know that we are<br />
grateful. Help us set aside our pride or sense of self-reliance that keeps us from telling them that they are<br />
gifts to us, and we love them.<br />
Let love, like a stream, flow and not be blocked up in us—let us be channels of love and streams of blessing<br />
in this world.<br />
Now we acknowledge, O God, that someone among us aches with heartbreak, and we send our love to that<br />
one.<br />
Now we acknowledge, O God, that someone among us feels alone, and we send our love to that one.<br />
© 2013 <strong>Plymouth</strong> <strong>Congregational</strong> <strong>Church</strong>
Now we acknowledge, O God, that someone among us is outraged at injustice and we send our love to that<br />
one.<br />
Now we acknowledge, O God, that someone is afraid, and we send our love to that one.<br />
Now we acknowledge, O God, that someone wants to cry, and we send our love to that one.<br />
Now we acknowledge, O God, that someone is ill, and someone is worried, and someone is heartsick over a<br />
mistake, and someone does not know where to turn, and we send our love to one another, and trust love’s<br />
power—even in the face of the vast unkindness, prejudice and sorrow that scars your beautiful world.<br />
You have blessed us. Let us be a blessing. In the name of Jesus who walked this way we strive to live we<br />
pray. Amen.<br />
© 2012 <strong>Plymouth</strong> <strong>Congregational</strong> <strong>Church</strong> 2
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