Pastoral Prayer July 9, 2006   

God of Infinite Wonder,

We give you thanks that in music we are carried along by the wind of your Holy Spirit to discover anew the wonder, delight, and profound mystery of life. The song of your Spirit sings in music that takes our hearts and minds to places we had not known or had long forgotten: places of joy, places of depth, places of hope. In the miracle of sound, rhythm and tempo we gain a glimpse of your creative Spirit that is everflowing, infusing all creation with life. We thank you that you reveal your presence in music, calling us to a more profound alleluia.

God, hear our prayer.

God of grace, you know how we live our life in the fast lane. We have no holy motivation, as though we believed that idleness is the devil’s workshop. We are busy, too busy, often compulsively busy. It has become our new path to salvation, as though peace, and joy, and happiness are to found at the end of our To Do List. O God of Sabbath Rest, save us from all false notions of salvation. Grant us no other salvation than the knowledge that we are held within your grace. Guide us find peace and sanity in our daily living.

God, hear our prayer.

Our knowledge of you is incomplete because you are greater than our minds can comprehend.  You are the source of a billion galaxies and the energy that keeps the universe expanding. It is stunning that despite your power and magnificence that you should have such complete and intimate knowledge of each of us. You count the hairs on our heads and anticipate each word before it is spoken. We rejoice that such knowledge is motivated by love, not suspicion. Grant us the grace to rest within the knowledge that what happens to us matters to you and is a source of your concern.

Come to the aid of those long for the healing of their bodies. (Especially, ….)

God, hear our prayer.

As this congregation moves into the future, give us the adventure of exploring the new territory of what it means to be church. Inspire our imaginations with new alternatives for our life together. Guide us by your Spirit to discern the outlines of the future you are drawing and the life you are seeding. Save us from playing it safe, holding on to what is comfortable and turning it into an idol.

O God, we know you as a mother who cannot forget her nursing child and as our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name…  Amen.