God
of the morning sun and the evening stars,
you
are so accustomed to the ever changing universe.
But
many of us are in a season of transition and we ask your strong presence and
kind guidance as CHANGE can often be difficult for us.
Children
have headed back to school and our casual summer has turned into a
schedule-heavy fall.
Be
with our families in this transition of seasons …
grant
extra measures of patience and strength for parents and those who deal with
managing busy schedules …
inspire
a spirit of bravery and cooperation in our children and ourselves.
Some
in our midst are experiencing times of great sorrow and we ask your blessing
upon the Keenan and Schneider families as they transition into a new phase of
life without the earthly presence of beloved parents and spouses.
Other
families are dealing with mental illness, addiction, anger, and stress …
we
pray that your constant love and grace be welcomed into the hearts of those
dealing with the brokenness of individuals and families.
Help
them to see a hopeful future, and give them strength to transition into new
lives of wholeness and peace.
Lead
them to reach out to others for support and guidance as this is a difficult
road to walk alone.
God
of our beginnings and endings, grant each of us peace in our aging
processes.
Some
of us are feeling our age and joints and bones are not as strong...
minds
and memories are not as quick ...
and
transitions are more difficult.
Help
us to be patient and loving to ourselves as we realize the ever-changing nature
of our lives, bodies and spirits.
Guide
us in finding comfort in knowing that you are our God and we are your children
and all of these changes are part of your plan.
As
a church we are excited for the arrival of Jessica this week. Help us to provide a loving and welcoming
home to her this year,
allow
us to walk alongside her as she serves God in our midst ... assisting in
worship leadership and expanding our thoughts about serving others with
Outreach.
Thank
you God for the continued healing of Don Jones ... allow Don the will to do the
complete healing that is necessary
before he returns fully to life.
Give us wisdom to know how to help Don and Cardy in the best ways.
Loving
God who watches over and loves the seven billion souls created on this planet …
we
know that we have changed this planet from the YOUR kingdom, to a Kingdom of
our own creation.
We
have let wars, conflicts, famines and poverty spread over your creation.
Give
to each of us AND to our leaders ... your wisdom
Give
us strength and the guidance to turn away from the human ways of self-interest,
oppression , greed and power struggles …
Help
us to walk on Holy Ground and turn us to the Godly ways of compassion, sharing
resources and uplifting the lives and spirits of others.
We
all long for a world where no mother or father needs to worry when a child
leaves their home.
Where
no parent is afraid that their daughter or son won't return from a walk to
school or a simple bike ride to a friend’s house.
Inspire
us to work peacefully for solutions to the violence children and families experience daily.
We
each have joys and concerns that lie on our hearts.... We silently offer these
now to you, our God...
Loving
God, through all the transitions and seasons of change we know that the one
constant is YOU.
Your
deep and abiding love sustains and nourishes us. We know that WITH YOU, and each other, we can
do far more than we can alone.
We
know that you are with us and together we pray the prayer we received from your
son ...
Our
father …
