"O Father, who sends sun and rain" - 27 September 2015 AM and PM


Sunday Morning:
O Father, who sends sun and rain on the just and the unjust, who provides food for the good and the evil, who shows repeated compassionate kindness on all people, give ear to our prayer for friends, family, neighbors, this world and your Church.

Please bring us the rain and showers we still need. Our lives, living and livelihoods depend on your kindness and goodness.

O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the whole heavens adore; let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you; and men, women, girls and boys everywhere love you and serve you in peace.

We pray for your church here and throughout the world; including the Church of the Nazarene, the Orthodox Church in America, the Churches of Christ (in all their varied flavors), and the Evangelical Free Church. Give strength, aid, strong love, sturdy commitment, solid godliness, and sound doctrine. Where your people may have moved away from the centrality of the Gospel of Christ and off into the weeds of self-righteousness or sanctimoniousness, compassionately steer them back to the ancient paths, where the good way is; that they may walk in it, and find rest for their souls (Jeremiah 6.16).

For our soldiers, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen and marines, protect them as they pass through harm’s way, strength to exercise honor and integrity, and hope in the darkest and bleakest moments.
Father, we know our nation is not spotless, we confess and acknowledge that the United States of America is neither the kingdom of God nor the Church of Jesus Christ; nevertheless, Father, we love our country. It’s a blessing to be here, and for that we thank you. Please restore moral sanity to our people, civic sensibility to our governmental leaders, and grant our country safety from all enemies foreign and domestic.

Pour out your merciful kindness on all nations, that order, stability, and tranquility may be established for the good of all people, and for the sake of your Church.

Our great God, who is not restricted by our diseases, ailments, depressions, or mental and physical afflictions; we ask you to be with these …..raise them up from their misery and misfortune, granting them unlooked for strength and hope, that they may spend the rest of their lives serving, glorifying and enjoying you.

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Sunday Evening:
Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation (Psalm 149:1-4).

Mighty Ruler, along with us, you hear all the publicity from our presidential aspirants; but unlike us, you know what’s real and genuine, and what’s phony-baloney. Please give the people of this land the insight and acumen to cut through the hype and hysteria to the honest and authentic. We ask, even now, for the right folks to be voted into office, men and women who will work for the common good; who will themselves have the astuteness to stimulate real righteousness and fairness in this Republic; and invigorate industry and ingenuity. O Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for your Church throughout the nations, including Church of the Resurrection; St. Augustine of Canterbury; St. Christopher’s; St. David’s and St. James Episcopal Churches; Lord God, we pray for churches that are in trouble, either from within or without. May your Spirit guide them into all truth, fortify their resilience in being faithful to you, and correct their steps and actions that they may return to your ways. For those churches that are growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, may they continue to do so with joy and delight, finding their every satisfaction in glorifying you and enjoying you forever. O Lord, hear our prayer.

For this congregation we give you thanks and we pray. We thank you for the rich friendships and relationships that have been bred here, for the love that has grown, the desire to reach other people with the Gospel that is maturing, and for the increasing number of those giving their time in mercy ministry. We pray for both our short-term and long-term direction. As plans are being made for the new care groups, as new families find us and become steadily involved, for the many who are in the new members’ class, those who will be engaged in the leadership class, and for the bigger involvement between the deacons and elders; we ask you to guide us through each of these for the good of the congregation that we may bear good fruit, fruit that will abide, so that you – Father – may be glorified in your Son by the Holy Spirit.  O Lord, hear our prayer.


Finally, we pray for the weary, the weak, and the wayward … show yourself mighty on their behalf; reignite hope in their hearts; replenish them with strength; and restore health to their bodies and minds. O Lord, hear our prayer.

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