Pastoral/Congregational Prayer-3 February 2013


{N.B. Feel free to use this in your congregation's worship. You may also find it a fitting tool in individual times of worship, or in times of family worship.}

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, we come to you by the commission of your Son Jesus Christ. We pray for the Church of our Lord throughout the world, {Westminster Presbyterian Church in Greenville TX, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Paul Hamelryck, his family and their missions work in Zambia; and these churches in our area: Crossings Community Church, Connecting Point Church, Victory Church, Deer Creek Church of Christ, and Deer Creek Missionary Baptist Church}. Because you order all things in both heaven and earth, we humbly pray you to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are truly profitable for us through Jesus Christ our Lord, and lead us in the way everlasting. Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask your richest care, healing touch, and sustaining comfort for all who are ailing, alarmed, and anxious, and to this end we remember {names}…… Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord God, we intercede on behalf of those we know who are unbelievers or having once confessed their faith in Christ have stumbled and fallen away…{names silently mentioned}...we ask for your Spirit to convince them of their sin and misery, to enlighten their minds in the knowledge of Christ, to renew their wills, persuading and enabling them to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to all in the Gospel. We also request your help in soothing, restoring and healing those Christians who have been truly offended by the carelessness of others, as well as those who wear their offendedness on their sleeves and are easily hurt…{names silently mentioned}... Lord, hear our prayer.

We look around at a sick, sorrowful, scornful, scorched world and cry out to You; please shower Your mercy on us and our world, that peace, health, and wellbeing might prevail throughout the nations and our own country, so that Your Gospel may go forward unhindered, Your creation beautifully restored and Your Church in all places prospered. Lord, hear our prayer.

Finally, we implore Your kindness on the Sunday School teachers of our congregation: {names of teachers...}. As they invest time, prayer, sweat and patience into the lessons (both preparation and presentation) and into the hearts and lives of those in their classes, may all increase in strength, joy, holiness and satisfaction. Lord, hear our prayer.

All of these prayers we offer through Your Son, Jesus Christ, as we now sing:
Hear our prayer, O Lord; Hear our prayer, O Lord.Incline thine ear to us, and grant us thy peace. Amen (Trinity Hymnal 729).
-----
Mike

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