Prayers of the Church, 5.30.10

The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he!
Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity.
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Extol the LORD our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he!

We are your creation, made in your likeness. Your plans, your grand designs, were perfection. Yet you loved your people so much that you gave them…you gave us, the ability to think, choose, and decide for ourselves, what to believe in and how to act. You gave us the gift and responsibility of free will.

In our weakness and in our sin, we moved away from you and your teachings. In our weakness and in our sin, we let evil take root in our lives.

Even as ugly and vile as we, your children, became, you never stopped loving us. So great was your love that you gave us the chance to be reconciled with you. You offered atonement. You offered the chance of salvation from our inequities and you were willing to sacrifice what you loved most…for us.

Your son cried out on the cross, as the sins of the world rained down upon him, as the sins of the world engulfed him, as the sins of the world buried him.


By the blood of the Lamb, you cleanse us.
By the blood of the Lamb, you make us righteous.
By the blood of the Lamb, you return us to you, purified and whole.

Forgive us when we turn to the wisdom of the world. Forgive us when we don’t think we need reconciling. Forgive us when we think we can overcome wickedness and evil by our sheer will or even extreme goodness. We don’t have the strength.

Instead, God, shine the light of goodness on us, and help us work to bring your peace, fullness, and abundance to all of creation. Show us the way.

Bless our enemies, Lord, those who despise us, but even more, those whom we despise. Give us the maturity to seek reconciliation.

In the silence, Lord, hear our words of penitence, hear our words of joy. In the silence, Father, hear our cries of pain and sadness. Hear our words of wonder and thanksgiving at the grace you shower upon us.


Father, we ask your blessing on Higher Ministries. Guide them as they provide counseling and support for ministers, their families, and the churches they serve. Thank you, Lord, that you healed their founder and our brother, John Marr, in his recent battle with leukemia.

And now, we pray together as Jesus, our atonement, taught us to pray: