A Prayer of New Beginning

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The day unfolds, Almighty God,

And we can sense the newness of this moment.

You, who makes all things new, are creating, innovating in us.

Let our lives be canvases,

So that others may see your majesty and know your love.

Transformation is change,

But through your constancy, we have nothing to fear.

May our voices rise to heaven in worship.

The sounds of our music permeate the veil,

And all creation will resound with cries of adoration.

Redemption emerges from the depths of our sinfulness.

We have been bought back from death.

Help us live as people of new beginning,

And invite others to discover its riches.

All for your honor and glory.

All for your praise.

In love and thanksgiving, we pray.

Amen.

A Prayer from Broken Vessels

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Come, fill your people, O God.

We are fractured, broken.

Yet you are able, capable of repairing that which has been shattered by sin.

Fill in the fissures,

That we can hold your love.

Restore us from this fallen state.

We were created to reflect you, our Creator in all your glory.

So your people cry out, calling for your grace.

Let us eat the Bread of Heaven.

May we drink the Living Water, and thirst no more.

Let the offering of Christ himself seal us,

And break the power of sin in and over us.

Remold us for your holy purpose, fit us to your will.

We are those who shall bear Christ.

We are those who shall testify with every breath.

As it is in heaven, so may it be on earth,

All honor and glory, given to you.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we pray.

Amen.

Cries from the Streets: A Prayer

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O Lord, Master of all that is,

The streets are filled with violence;

They are paved with blood.

People gather there to rage against the same society that built the roads.

We cry out over the injustice of this world.

We mourn the loss of human life because of human sin.

We yearn for another way, a path of peace,

But that street is not paved.

It is difficult, and rough to traverse.

It is surrounded in darkness, and only the path itself is illuminated.

Help us be bold enough to walk in the light of Christ;

To tread by faith alone.

As the hatred in human hearts grows,

The ripple effects of the evil we birth in the world expand ever outward.

Only through your mercy and our faith,

Can we overcome, triumph over the darkness that consumes.

Let the lessons of love from Christ’s own lips be on ours,

And embedded in our hearts.

May our street be cleansed through grace,

And may we turn the tide of anger and wrath.

There is great injustice, and the victims’ cries rise to the heavens.

Send us as vessels of your comfort, and conduits of your change.

Until Christ comes again to complete the transformation of this world,

We, your people and children, shall labor for you.

Bless our work, that we may serve you as you will.

Amen.

A Prayer from the Midst of the Struggle

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Out of the raging storm, I cry out to you, O God.

Hear my fears, respond to my concerns.

All around me are obligations, conflicts and needs.

I struggle to stay grounded, keep my feet on the floor.

There is this up-welling of anxiety,

And then I remember your peace.

It comes from trust in you,

And the grace of the cross.

No matter what I do, nothing can separate me from you.

In the midst of my struggles, you are here.

On my darkest day, you are the light that illuminates in hope.

Help me to hold fast to you.

Let this assurance of your grace keep me buoyant when I feel I’m sinking.

No matter what comes, with you, I can overcome.

In deepest gratitude, I will sing your praises,

Even when I am afraid, even when I am concerned.

You are what keeps me going,

And because of you, I will go on.

Amen.

A Prayer to be Vessels of Edification

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Christ, the foundation of our faith,

The cornerstone of Christendom,

Rebuild your Church from the inside.

Reshape us, molding us into those who serve first,

And are edified in our service.

Teach us your ways of building up others.

Forgive us when our words tear down,

When we are quick to berate.

Grant us your grace to grow and discover our place,

Upholding your Gospel of truth and love.

Eradicate our sinful desire for our own glory,

So that we can more fully give glory to you.

May others come to know your transforming love through us,

And discover that all are invited to embrace this grace.

Until the entire earth rings with your praise,

We will plow the fields and search out the lost of your flock.

Give us the perseverance to stay the course.

All honor for your mighty acts and to your sacred name.

Amen.

A Prayerful Petition from God’s People for Peace

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“And I will grant peace in the land” (Leviticus 26:6 NRS).

Remember your promise, O God.

Creation cries out from violence and bloodshed,

From evil words and hatred embodied.

We wound each other, cutting past the bone,

Until the spirit bears the scars of our sin.

Help us.

Deliver us into your peace,

One that lasts and heals our world.

Wars cross continents.

Terror fills our heads and pervades into our hearts.

Blood paves the streets.

We lift up our cries to you,

For you alone can save us.

You alone can end this strife.

We clasp our hands together and pause to pray.

We fall to our knees and still ourselves before you.

In the stillness, in the silence we get a taste of your peace.

We crave more, we yearn for the harmony we discover with you.

Cultivate in us a passion for the ways that lead to reconciliation.

Let us put aside weapons and words of war.

Hammer our hearts, remold them into vessels of tranquility and Christ’s truth.

We wait for the day when we will gather together with you;

When all acts of evil will cease,

And there will finally, eternally be peace.

May this be done in accordance with your will and your word.

Amen.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for New Possibilities

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Gracious God,

You are so good to me,

So much so that I am ashamed to not have told you sooner.

Out of my brokenness, you have given me healing.

Out of my weakness, you have provided your strength.

I am becoming something new and holy,

Because your grace is at work in me.

Transform me from my sinful self,

And create in me a heart like Jesus.

I want to leave all bitterness and anger behind,

To walk into the future with open arms,

And a heart ready to love more fully.

You open doors through the path of discipleship.

I used to see them as gates,

But now I see that they are sanctuaries.

Each door your Spirit opens before me,

Leads me farther from my painful past and into a hope-filled future.

In you, I find hope and healing.

Through you, I receive love and life.

May I never look back, even when I stumble on this path.

I want to keep my eyes on you,

So that I may see possibilities and journey towards them.

Thanks be to you, for all you do.

Amen.

A Prayer for Those Naked Vegetarian Moments

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This prayer comes from a sermon series I start today on the second creation story in Genesis: the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.  They began as innocent, naked vegetarians, but are quickly lured by the promise of being more, but by their will rather than God’s.  So I offer this prayer in tribute of their trial, and from our need to find another way.

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Lord,

You created me,

And in the very beginning recognized the temptations that be.

Forgive me when I am weak,

When I fall to my heart’s desire,

Rather than enacting your will.

When those time arise and I feel the inclination to pursue my ends,

At whatever means and whatever cost,

Send your Spirit to gird my eagerness to serve you first.

Help me to abstain from sin.

Lead me away from that which distracts and draws my eye,

And help me to focus on you, the core of my being and the sanctuary of my heart.

May I live anew in the grace of Christ,

To live and breathe without condemnation,

Basking in salvation and your love.

Clothe me in righteousness,

And lead me past the fruit that would cause me to stumble.

In your name I pray,

Amen.

A Prayerful Petition for Guidance Along the Way

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Out of the safe, quiet harbor of my heart,

I call out to you, Almighty God.

As I respond to the invitation of Christ to follow in his footsteps,

I pray for guidance and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Created by the Father, I am a reflection of your will and imagination.

With each step, I leave my comfort zone,

And I go further into that unpaved path of your will for me.

I know I should not fear, but concern creeps into my consciousness.

I know that you are with me, but I welcome those tangible reminders that uphold me.

Show me where you would have me go.

Tell me what you would have me speak.

Help my hands find their place in your service.

Bless me with your illumination,

And I will share it with others.

I will be a vessel of your light for all people.

From this day and forever more,

I journey with you to the gates of the Kingdom to come.

Thank you for going forth with me, and working within me.

Amen.

In Need of Presence, But Taking All Prayers

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Today marks the beginning of the Virginia Annual Conference gathering of 2014.  Laity and clergy from all over the Conference and state of Virginia will gather to do the work of the Church, order the life of our Conference, and address what the future may hold for us.  It should be a time of celebration and joy, but there is much apprehension and concern.  We are entering into a time of decision about the Church and its core beliefs, how we live them out, and what it may look like years into the future.  We are confronted with the possibility of a break in the Church at the next General Conference gathering in 2016, but the indicators of this may be revealed over the course of this weekend, and many of us mourn that possibility, much less its reality.  So we humbly and with great sincerity ask for your prayers.  We would love your presence, but realize that it may not be possible, so let us be connected through God in prayer:

Lord of all that is and what has yet to emerge,

Fill your people with a longing for unity.

Help us see the possibility of a future where we stay united,

Committed to you and the Gospel of Christ Jesus.

Enable us to see the glory in being together as the Body of Christ;

A Church for moving beyond ourselves and into your grace.

Let your Spirit enter into our midst once more,

Calling forth growth and action where debate and lethargy threaten to overshadow.

Pour out your love upon all those who gather for holy conferencing.

Let us feel that tangible connection to you,

And then enact it with one another.

May we be enriched, enlivened, and edified by our faith in you.

May this time be as sacred as any Sunday,

And as amazing as that first time the Holy Spirit touched your people on Pentecost.

For your honor and glory, always and everywhere,

Amen.