Pastor’s Prayers

 Ah Lord, with trembling I confess,

A gracious soul may fall from grace;

The salt may lose its seasoning power,

And never, never, find it more.

Lest that my fearful case should be,

Each moment knit my soul to thee;

And lead me to the mount above,

Through the low vale of humble love.

–Charles Wesley

We ask you, Master, be our helper and defender. Rescue those of our number in distress; raise up the fallen; assist the needy; heal the sick; turn back those of your people who stray; feed the hungry; release our captives; revive the weak; encourage those who lose heart. Let all the nations realize that you are the only God, that Jesus Christ is your Child, and that we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.

–1 Clement (c 96 ce)

The task thy wisdom hath assigned,

O let me cheerfully fulfill;

in all my works thy presence find,

and prove thy good and perfect will.

Thee may I set at my right hand,

whose eyes mine inmost substance see:

and labor on at thy command,

and offer all my works to thee.

Give me to bear thy easy yoke,

and every moment watch and pray;

and still to things eternal look,

and hasten to thy glorious Day.

For thee delightfully employ

whate’er thy bounteous grace hath given;

and run my course with even joy,

and closely walk with thee to heav’n.

Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems (1749)

God and Father,
  to those who go astray
  you reveal the light of your truth
  and enable them to return to the right path.
Grant that all who have received the grace of baptism
  may strive to be worthy of their Christian calling
  and reject everything opposed to it.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
  one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

–Ending Prayer of the Morning Laud from the Jerusalem Bible

Have mercy on me, O God, according  to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my  transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my  sin.
      For I know my transgressions, and  my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what  is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless  when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother  conceived me.
      You desire truth in the inward  being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and  I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and  gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my  sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
      Create in me a clean heart, O God,  and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your  presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of  your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
      

–Prayer of the Psalmist (51)

“O that we may all receive of Christ’s fullness, grace upon grace; grace to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities; to justify our persons and to sanctify our souls; and to complete that holy change, that renewal of our hearts, whereby we may be transformed into that blessed image wherein thou didst create us.”

–John Wesley