Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise…
—-Robert Robinson, 1758 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Psalm 146: 9 The Lord watches over the strangers; God upholds those who are in need. Prayer Augustine of Hippo (354-430) O loving God, to turn away from you is to fall, to turn toward you is to rise, and to stand before you is to abide forever. Grant us, dear God, in all our duties your help; in all our uncertainties your guidance; in all our dangers your protection; and in all our sorrows your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day Bruce Springsteen sings “This Little Light of Mine.” Rejoice and pray! Reading of the Day: Romans 1: 16-25 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for those who notice both the resurgence of the virus and the relaxed attitude toward distancing, and who worry about a true crisis. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous and strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Amen.
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Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace…
—-Robert Robinson, 1758 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Isaiah 12: 2 Surely God is our salvation; trust in the Lord and do not be afraid. Prayer Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) Most strong God, who is able to fight against you? I want you to help me fight against the flaming dragon of sin within me, that eats away my very soul. I want to have the strongest sword in my hand, fashioned by you, with the sharpest blade that will cut through the dragon’s scales. And when I have slayed the dragon within myself, I want to offer a safe refuge for all who, like me, are frail and vulnerable. I will give them a sword to slay their own dragons, so that together we may live in joy and peace. Amen. Hymn of the Day Amazing Grace, by Ralph Stanley. This form of singing is called “lining out,” and was done in the early Scottish churches. It is still common in Old Regular Baptist churches and other churches in Appalachia. You can almost imagine yourself out in a small mountain church as you listen and pray. Reading of the Day: Romans 1: 1-15 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, 10 asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish 15 —hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for churches who are cautiously opening their doors to worshippers this week, that all who gather would stay well. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous and strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Amen. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure…
—-Edwin Hatch, 1886 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences 1 John 4: 16 God is love, and those who abide in love, abide in God, and God abides in them. Prayer Book of Common Worship, PC(USA) Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that the barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease, and that, with our divisions healed, we might live in justice and peace; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day “Farther Along,” sung by Johnny Cash. May God speak to you as you listen to this song of comfort. Reading of the Day: Galatians 5: 16-24 16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Prayers for self and others Please pray for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for those who grieve the 113,000 children of God who have died from the virus in the United States. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: May the blessing of the triune God-- holy, holy, holy Lord-- be with you now and always. Amen. That I may love what Thou dost love, and do what Thou wouldst do…
—-Edwin Hatch, 1886 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Isaiah 6:3 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of God’s glory. Prayer Book of Common Worship, PC(USA) God of ages, in your sight nations rise and fall, and pass through times of peril. Now when our land is troubled, be near to judge and to save. May leaders be led by your wisdom; may they search your will and see it clearly. If we have turned from your way, help us to reverse our ways and repent. Give us your light and your truth to guide us; through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of this world, and our Savior. Amen. Hymn of the Day “You Do Not Walk Alone,” by Elaine Hagenberg. Listen to this traditional Irish blessing, and pray as you listen. Reading of the Day: Ecclesiastes 9: 11-18 11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. 12 For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them. 13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.” 17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for those leaders in our area who are preparing for hurricane season, which compounds the difficulties of the pandemic. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: May the blessing of the triune God-- holy, holy, holy Lord-- be with you now and always. Amen. Breathe on me breath of God, fill me with life anew…
—-Edwin Hatch, 1886 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 God’s grace is sufficient for us; in Christ, the weak are made strong. Prayer Basil of Caesarea (329-379) Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbour, where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict. Show me the course I should take. Renew in me the gift of discernment, so that I can always see the right direction in which I should go. And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course, even when the sea is rough and the waves are high, knowing that through enduring hardship and danger in your name, we shall find comfort and peace. Amen. Hymn of the Day “Jesus,” by Velvet Underground, 1969. Listen to this beautiful prayer, and pray as you listen. Reading of the Day: Matthew 15: 29-39 29 After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, 31 so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” 33 The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” 34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 38 Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for our medical professionals as they bravely face an increase in the number of cases. May they have the strength and confidence and encouragement that they need. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: May the blessing of the triune God-- holy, holy, holy Lord-- be with you now and always. Amen. I’m gonna live so God can use me anywhere Lord, anytime! —-African-American Spiritual Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences 2 Thessalonians 1: 3 Thanks be to God for your abundant faith. May the love of God continue to grow in us. Prayer Attr. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) God of life there are days when the burdens we carry are heavy on our shoulders and weigh us down, when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies are gray and threatening, when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honor and glory. Amen. Hymn of the Day “It Is Well With My Soul,” by the choir at First Presbyterian Church, Tecumseh, Michigan, and their director Francisco Fernandez, for Pentecost Sunday, 2020. Reading of the Day Ecclesiastes 5: 1-3 5 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil. 2 Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few. 3 For dreams come with many cares, and a fool’s voice with many words. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for those near us and abroad who don’t have access to adequate medical care. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Amen. I’m gonna sing so God can use me anywhere Lord, anytime!
—-African-American Spiritual Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Psalm 104 The Spirit of God renews the earth. Bless the name of the Lord! Prayer Based on a prayer of Jerome (c. 342-420) Lord, the gift of your Word is a light for our path. Help us to study your way and follow your teaching until we know the true Light who has come into the world and will come again in glory: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day Psalm 81- Sing Joyfully to the Lord, by William Byrd, sung by VOCES8. Listen as you pray. Reading of the Day Psalm 81 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob. 2 Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. 3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our festal day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known: 6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. 7 In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. 11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! 14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever. 16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Today please pray for medical researchers who are working to find better treatments, and those who are trying to formulate a vaccine for the virus. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Amen. I’m gonna work so God can use me anywhere Lord, anytime!
—-African-American Spiritual Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Romans 8: 26 The Spirit helps us in our weakness, interceding with sighs too deep for words. Prayer Book of Common Worship, PC(USA), 2018 God our creator, earth has many languages, but your gospel proclaims your love to all nations in one heavenly tongue. Make us messengers of the good news that, through the power of your Spirit, all the world may unite in one song of praise; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Hymn of the Day “Hallelujah,” by Leonard Cohen, sung by Jennifer Hudson and Tori Kelley. Listen and pray. Reading of the Day Galatians 2: 15-21 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. 17 But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Please pray for parents having to drop off their high-risk kids at day care as they head back to work. May they have confidence in the care that they receive, and may their children stay healthy. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Amen. I’m gonna pray so God can use me anywhere Lord, anytime! —-African-American Spiritual Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Acts 2: 17 Remember the promise of the Lord: God will pour out the Spirit on all flesh. Prayer based on a prayer of Patrick of Ireland (c. 389-461) Lord, be with us this day-- within us to purify us; above us to draw us up; beneath us to sustain us; before us to lead us; behind us to restrain us; around us to protect us. Amen. Hymn of the Day Eric Clapton, Luciano Pavarotti, and the East London Gospel Choir sing “Holy Mother,” a hymn of supplication to a nurturing God. Listen and pray. Reading of the Day Matthew 13: 53-58 53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place. 54 He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.” 58 And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Please pray for people in disadvantaged communities, who have been especially hard hit by the virus. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Amen. I’m gonna live so God can use me anywhere Lord, anytime! —-African-American Spiritual Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Rev. 3: 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. Prayer based on the Gelasian Liturgy (8th century); Presbyterian Book of Common Worship (1906) O God, light of the minds that know you, life of the souls that love you, strength of the thoughts that seek you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day Alison Krauss plays and sings “Amazing Grace.” Pray as you listen to this beloved hymn. Reading of the Day: Matthew 13: 44-52 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Please pray for nursing home residents who, even as many of us can leave our homes, are still confined to rooms. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction: God has shown you what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Amen. |
AuthorBecky Downs, pastor of John Knox, started writing daily prayers for the congregation at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, to encourage the congregation in their faith during their time of separation from each other. The daily prayers were posted throughout the year. You might want to choose one a day to read, and modify the specific prayers for self and others to fit your life today. Archives
April 2021
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