Pastoral Prayer

—

Holy God, we come before you in prayer,

lifting to you the joys, the concerns, and the longings of our hearts. 

May we be open to your still, small voice.

Enable us to see with new eyes, and hear with new ears,

the hopes and dreams you have for us as individuals and as a church community.

Merciful God, 

We ask your forgiveness when we have failed to love you with our whole heart and have failed to love others as ourselves. 

Remove from our minds all the thoughts that keeps us from you.

Break down the walls,

push aside our pride,

and help us to trust you anew.

O God, hear our prayers for those who are struggling today —

those who are in pain, those who are ill, those who grieve. 

May they feel our support and love, not only through our prayers,

but through our actions as well.

May they feel the assurance of your presence and your peace,

and know they are not alone.

Guide us, bless us, uplift us, and hold us,

for we are your children called to your purpose in your world. 

Hear our prayers, those spoken and those hidden in our hearts,

we pray in the name of Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

---

Beth