Prayer: Our Small Difference

Here’s a thoughtful prayer from John van de Laar.

Our Small Difference

We may not be able to confront queens,

or challenge presidents;

We may not have the capacity to divert resources,

or uplift communities;

We may not have the voice to silence the noise of war,

or the words to negotiate peace between armies;

But, as we follow you, O Christ, we are able to do something.

And so, we pray that you would inspire us

to commit to and act on

the small difference we can make:

May we bring peace

through small acts of gentleness

and reconciliation;

May we bring wealth

through small contributions

and collaborations;

May we bring safety

through small acts of consideration

and acceptance;

May we bring wholeness

through small acts of care

and service.

And in the small ways, O God,

may our small difference make a big contribution

to your saving work in our world.

Amen.

~ written by John van de Laar.  Posted on his excellent Sacredise.com website.

Prayer: Come, Spirit of God

Here’s a prayer of invocation and petition from the Third Space website.

Prayer for Justice

God the Holy Spirit,

You are the restless breath of love that sweeps through the world.

You move where you will, breaking down barriers,

Stirring hearts to change, making all things possible.

Inspire each one of us to hunger and thirst for justice!

Come, Spirit of God,

Sweep through our world bringing great change.

May the bounty of your goodness be shared more justly,

So all may share in the rich blessings of your creation.

And, for us, bring transformation in our praying and living,

So that we may act justly, love mercy,

And walk humbly with you all the days of our lives. 

Amen.

~ posted on the Third Space website. http://third-space.org.uk/blog

Prayer: Children of Abram

Here’s a prayer of petition and intercession from John van de Laar at Sacredise.com.

Prayer

(inspired by events in Genesis 12-18)

Long before the change of name,

before the first signs of new life

showed the beginnings of promises fulfilled,

You asked Abram to make his home among foreigners,

and share the blessing that was to come.

And now, O God, you ask the same faith of us:

The faith to count ourselves among the least,

to find our place alongside the poor and broken;

The faith to trust in your mercy and your promises,

and to share what we have received;

The faith to wait expectantly for your reign of justice and equity,

together with those who most need its gifts.

Teach us to be children of Abram, sharers of the blessings we enjoy:

The blessing of plenty shared with those who have need,

The blessing of healing shared with those who are sick and wounded,

The blessing of joy shared with those who celebrate

and of tears shared with those who grieve,

The blessing of friendship shared with those who are excluded,

and of solidarity with those who fight injustice,

The blessing of peace shared with those in conflict,

and of confrontation shared with those who bring harm;

And in some small way, may our faith and our sharing,

help to bring your promises into being

in our world.

Amen.

~ written by John van de Laar and posted on Sacredise. http://sacredise.com/prayers/type/intercession/children-of-abram/

Advent Prayer: For Justice

Here’s a pastoral prayer for Advent from Paul G. Janssen.

Advent Prayer

(inspired by Luke 1:39-45, Amos 5:24, Isaiah 57:7)

Lord our God,

you have revealed yourself as One

who wishes to bring about justice and true peace among people;

In a world that looks away from injustice,

You cast your eyes on the destitute, the poor, and the wronged;

You have called us to follow you,

to preach good news to the poor,

to proclaim release for the captives

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed

and to proclaim the time of your blessing.

Be present with your church, Lord,

as we respond to your call.

Open our eyes to the downtrodden.

Fill us with compassion for the plight of the alien,

the refugee, and the immigrant.

Lead us into ministries that help orphans and widows.

Give us courage to block the paths of the ungodly

who exploit the poor.

Set us free from pious exercises

that prevent us from the true worship you choose:

Sharing bread with the hungry,

Sharing homes with the homeless,

Sharing clothes with the naked,

Sharing hearts with our own kin.

So may your justice roll down like waters,

your righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Lead our footsteps to stand with the poor,

that we might stand with you.

Have mercy, O God:

Scatter the proud,

Put down the mighty,

Lift up the lowly,

Fill up the hungry,

And send the rich away empty-handed.

Our Father, etc. ...

~ Paul G. Janssen, and printed in Prayerful Preparation: Living God, Renew Us. Published by the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and posted at http://wcrc.ch/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GC2017-PrayerfulPreparation-English.pdf. 

Call to Worship: Radical Love

Here’s a call to worship from Richard Bott’s Sharing Liturgy website.

Call to Worship

In a world that cries out, “Fear me!”
We will listen to Jesus’ words,
“Don’t be afraid!”

In a world that wants us to hate the other…
We will live Jesus’ call to,
“Love God.

Love your neighbour, as you love yourself.”

In a world that radicalizes…
We, too, will be radical.
Radical with our hospitality.
Radical with our hope.
Radical with our love.

Then come to this place,
ready to be who we are called to be.
Let us gather together
and worship God. 

~ written by Richard Bott, and posted on Sharing Liturgy. http://liturgy.richardbott.com/

Prayer: Mark 10: 24-25

Here’s a prayer of confession and dedication from Jan Berry’s collection of prayers, Bread of Tomorrow. It came to mind when working through the gospel reading for Proper 23B:

“But Jesus said to them again,

‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’” Mark 10:24-25

Prayer of Confession and Dedication:

Spoiled Children

God, You heap your love upon us

like a parent providing for a family’s needs,

embracing a child with tenderness.

Forgive us

when, like spoiled children,

we treat Your generosity as our right,

or hug it possessively to ourselves.

Give us enough trust to live secure in Your love

and to share it freely with others

in open-handed confidence

that Your grace will never run out.  Amen.

~ Copyright © Jan Berry, England, in Bread of Tomorrow: Prayer for the Church Year, ed. Janet Morley (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1992), p. 147. Used by permission.

Trinitarian Prayer: Called to Community and Unity

Here’s a Trinitarian prayer from Rev. John Creasy of The Open Door Presbyterian Church, a missional church community in Pittsburgh. It was written, “for this particular time of COVID and racial injustice.”

Prayer

Christian trinitarian theology may be the most unique aspect of our faith. We believe in one God who is communal in nature. We believe in one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe in one God who is three as much as one. We believe in one God who is drawing all of creation unto God’s self, bringing community and unity through love.

In this time of racial injustice and unrest we pray that we might experience the grace and humbleness of God the Son. Help us to humble ourselves, even unto death, for the sake of our siblings. Lord, teach us to not strive for anything, but in all things humble ourselves, as you did through the incarnation and in your crucifixion. Give us your grace that we might always extend grace to others.

In this time of pandemic and calls for racial justice we pray that we might be like God our Divine Parent, Father and Mother, loving beyond our comprehension. Through this love you birthed the universe, the vastness of galaxies and the preciousness of infants. Father God, teach us to embrace our siblings with the love that only a parent knows. Mother God, give us your patience to never give up on one another or the causes of justice in our world.

In this time fear and anxiety, Holy Spirit, commune with us. Equip us, strengthen us, convict us and encourage us toward becoming a more holy and complete church. We confess that we have pushed you aside, squelching your work within us because we are afraid of what a Spirit driven life will mean. We ask, Holy Spirit, that your power would be made known in your church and in your people. We pray that you would build the beloved community of God here in our midst.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, give your church and all of your people, the community made known in the trinity. Help us love one another as we would have them love us back. Help us feed the hungry as we would want to be fed in our time of need. Help us comfort the mourning as only a loving parent can comfort. Help us heal the sick and lift up the broken-hearted, as you, the great physician of body and mind, would do.

~ written by Rev. John Creasy, The Open Door Presbyterian Church (https://www.pghopendoor.net/) and Garfield Community Farm (http://www.garfieldfarm.com/)