Sunday's Prayer

God of grace and truth, we come before you with hungry hearts – hearts that long to find rest our place you. We gather this day to praise you, for you are God and we are your people. You have given us every good thing – food to nourish our bodies, beauty to nourish our spirits, and your Holy Spirit to nourish our souls. There is nothing good which does not come from you – and we give all honor to you this day.

Through Christ’s love we have been reconciled to you. Jesus has shown us how to love you, so that we might love you with our whole hearts …and we know that the love you call forth in us is as much about our neighbor as it is about you. So help us – help us to be your hands and your feet in this place; help us to be love in all that we say and in all that we do. …Show us how to respond to anger with love; how to respond to fear with love – each action we make is a choice, so help us to choose your loving way.

Lord God, we know through Jesus that we are called to take up our cross. Just as Simon the Cyrene did – we, too, are called to carry our cross; to bear our responsibilities for one another and for this world; to serve where there is a need that you have called us to fulfill. May we each rise to the call of your voice, emboldened by the example of Jesus, and strengthened by your Holy Spirit and our fellowship with one another. And may we know that our loving and our serving help bring healing through your grace.

Your constant presence with us, your steadfast loving of us brings joy to our hearts and purpose to our living. So may all our living be in the way of Jesus Christ.

Amen.