Tag: prayers

2026.01.25 Prayers for the World

Here are the Prayers of the People I offered in worship on Sunday January 25th, 2026 at Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur, GA, USA.

God of love, compassion, and justice,

We thank you for people and technology that helps us to remain connected in the unity of worship today. 

We ask that you would keep us safe and warm this day and help us to remember our un-housed neighbors and friends. 

We pray for the many needs of our community and for all those on our prayer lists. At the church and for those we are remembering in our personal prayers today.

We come to you today with much on our minds and hearts as there is so much turmoil and animosity in our world. 

We pray for all those experiencing violence in the world remembering the people of Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Venezuela, Ukraine, in our nation in Minneapolis, and here at home.

Keep us safe from harm and keep us safe from doing harm by our actions or inactions, by our words spoken or not spoken. 

We lament the injustices of the world and in our own nation. We pray for the families and friends of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — whose lives should not have been ended.  

We pray for little children and families who have been separated in ways that lessen their humanity and lessen our own humanity. 

We pray too for the officers, political leaders, and all those who would use words and actions to justify or cause the inhuman treatment of people, citizens or not. 

May your Spirit convict their hearts and minds -and ours -and help us all to see the humanity of others. 

Teach us to lament the actions and language of violence and the Dehumanization of people who are made in your image. Help us to honor the dignity and worth of all people. 

May we not grow cynical or numb to the realities of others and may you help us to not simply turn away because things are too difficult to look at —create in us clean hearts that seek understanding, honesty, and compassion. 

May we not give in to the temptation to worship the idolatry of power, but, as Jesus teaches us, may we seek to care for the weak, the downtrodden, and the outcast as our actors of worship by loving our others and you O God. 

Remind us that we are called to be part of the good in the world — help us to know that we are not alone and that together, we can work for your beloved community to be made here on earth as it is in heaven.

Help us to live into the prayer your son taught us, saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

“Why Stand So Far Away My God”

“Why Stand So Far Away My God” — my homily in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting and devastation in Puerto Rico — with musical selections of “Why Stand So Far Away MY God” (Ruth Duck) and Prayer of St. Francis (Trinity Anglican) with Atticus Hicks. The homily was given on Oct 8th, 2017 at the MidWeek Communion Service (Weds at 5pm) at Oak Grove United Methodist Church (ogumc.org).

Our continued prayers with the people of Las Vegas and Puerto Rico and friends Glen and Bill and their teams serving and working there.

chords & lyrics:
Why Stand So Far Away My God (fws 2180) by Ruth Duck
Prayer of St Francis (G) by Trinity Anglican

 

Prayers of the People 2014.08.03

2014.08.03 Prayers of the People
written for The Gathering at Glenn UMC

“In order to see we must first admit we have been blind…”
-Rev Josh Amerson

God who leads us, loves us, and heals us,
we have come here today seeking you–
Open our eyes through music, fellowship, song, and scripture;
we pray that the Holy Spirit continues to teach us,
that we might know your healing touch,
See you at work in the world,
And be surprised and changed by encountering YOU.

We all come today with concerns:
with questions, with prayers, with longings;
we pray that your Holy Spirit would stir up in us
the courage to listen, to hear,
to challenge, and to be changed.
We pray today for people–
–people both near and far from us–
who need to experience your love and care:
for those who are fighting cancer,
sickness, and mental illness,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
and be your healing hands.

for people who are in the midst of
injustice, war, and violence,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
and be instruments of peace .

for survivors of every kind of abuse,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
and be compassionate, listening souls and shoulders.

for people who are caught up in systems
of oppression and economic injustice,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
and be agents of justice and change.

for people who are blinded and consumed
by consumption and materialism,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
and live out of your abundant economy.

for people who lead our
nations and local communities,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
and be compassionately engaged, civil, civil servants.

and for those who appear to be near to you
and those who appear to be far off,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
And help us recognize and behold you among us.

May we, all your people, know your healing touch–
and, by the power of your Holy Spirit,
may you open our eyes that we might see,
And GO to be the servants of your kingdom
with, and to, the hurting, broken, and surprising world. Amen.