Pastor’s Prayers

ALMIGHTIE God, whiche haste knitte together thy electe in one Communion and felowship, in the misticall body of thy sonne Christe our Lord; graunt us grace so to folow thy holy Saynctes in all virtues, and godly livyng, that we maye come to those inspeakeable joyes, whiche thou hast prepared for all them that unfaynedly love thee; through Jesus Christe.

–Thomas Cranmer (the 1549 Prayer Book)

Dear Lord,

Help me to expect miracles.

Help me to get past the borders of my eyes,

the roadblocks of my mind,

the narrow door of my heart.

May my soul embrace the mystery of Your magnificent love!

May my heart rejoice over the unexpected and undefined!

May my mind and body sigh with the sheer awe of it all.

Amen.

Dear Father in Heaven,

May Your Name be always revered as holy!

May You Reign Victoriously on Earth and may Your Logos be seared upon Every Heart, even as Your signature adorns the Heavens and All You’ve Created!

We ask that you feed us each and every day with the true substance of your love and compassion, the sustenance we need to keep you first in our lives.

Forgive us our missteps, the times when we hold you at a distance, the times we mess things up,

in the same measure that we have forgiven others who have mis-stepped, distanced, messed everything up in their lives and with you.

Help us resist the temptation to follow the wrong leaders, go in wrong directions, do things we know we shouldn’t, stray from you.

And when we slip and do these things, please rescue us from ourselves and everything that pulls us away from You, your holiness, and wholeness. Bring us back into your loving arms and back on the straight and narrow path.

Because we know you can. 

Because, You and only You have the power to keep us safe, to keep us straight and narrow, to hold us steady, to keep us close

always and forever,

Your Disciple

For a friend’s unexpected call,
for a letter unforeseen,
for the sunlight bursting through thick clouds,
for a porpoise frolicking in the water,
for seals basking in the sun,
for an invitation to dinner on a lonely eve,
for a request to “come along”;
for all the wonderful surprises of life
we give you thanks, O God of joy. Amen.

–Vienna Cobb Anderson

(Beliefnet.com)

Wondrous God of infinite love and boundless compassion

Mark our hearts with the seal of your handiwork

Create within us the joy of being in your presence.

Stitch into our souls the desire to serve,

the power to heal,

and the capacity to love deeply and genuinely.

Mold us into reservoirs of hope,

that we might pour out your bountiful blessings

upon all of your people.

May this time we partake of the body and blood of Jesus

unite us in the community of saints who know your love and proclaim your Son with fervor and grace

to a broken and hurting world.

May your healing hands be the salve for ending hurt and violence in this world, even as we prepare for the next.

In the holy Name of Jesus.

Amen.

Oh Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me!

From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me Jesus!

From the desire of being loved.

From the desire of being extolled.

From the desire of being honored.

From the desire of being praised…..