Daily Prayer for Friday, July 17, 2020

“Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore, till suns shall rise and set no more.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!”                
                                                     —-Isaac Watts, 1719

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 130: 1-2
Out of the depths we cry to you, O Lord:
Hear our voice and answer our prayers!

Prayer                                                                                      George Appleton
O God of many names,
Lover of all nations,
We pray for peace
   in our hearts,
   in our homes,
   in our nations,
   in our world,
the peace of your will,
the peace of our need.      

Hymn of the Day
Still, violinist Jennifer Jeon, accompanied by You Shin Kim.   Listen and pray.  Here are the lyrics:

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
Within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God
​
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

Reading of the Day                                                              Joshua 4: 19-24
    19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, 21 saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Prayers for self and others
Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19. Please pray for Mark Sabala, working with Covid patients as a nurse, Marcy Szeliga, working as a case investigator and contact tracer, for the Howell family, the Pena family, Mario’s friend Leah, her mother and her daughter, Carolyn Feigh, and for all others who have been recently diagnosed with- or are recovering from- the virus.  Today pray employees at bars and breweries, recently re-closed, that they may be sustained and strengthened in you, and find new work.  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 God in endless mercy
bring the whole church,
the living and the departed,
to a joyful resurrection
in the fulfillment of the eternal kingdom.  Amen.