Daily Prayer for Friday, May 15, 2020

Silently now I wait for thee, ready my God, thy will to see…                  
                                                                        —-Clara H. Scott, 1895

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 Cor. 5: 7-8
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!


Prayer                                                   Archbishop William Temple (1881-1944)
Almighty and eternal God,
so draw our hearts to you,
so guide our minds,
so fill our imaginations,
so control our wills,
that we may be wholly yours,
utterly dedicated unto you;
and then use us, we pray, as you will,
but always to your glory
and the welfare of your people,
through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.   


Hymn of the Day
Oh Mary Don’t You Weep, performed by the great blues musician Mississippi John Hurt.  Listen and pray.  


Reading of the Day:                                            Psalm 138
1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
    for you have exalted your name and your word
    above everything.
3 On the day I called, you answered me,
    you increased my strength of soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5 They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
    but the haughty he perceives from far away.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
    and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.


Prayers for self and others
Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19, including Mark Sabala and Marcy Szeliga in their work as nurses, Linda and Mario Berrios and their family, Debbi’s neighbors and all others who are out of work, Star Sims’ family and Donna Ardell’s family, as they grieve the loss of their loved ones, for Connie’s Aunt Bonnie and her two cousins— Bonnie is hospitalized with the virus, and for Art Eberle, husband of Mary Margaret Crestani Eberle, in ICU with a serious infection and being tested for Covid. Please pray for pastors and church leaders who are considering new possibilities for how to be the church in the coming months.  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 God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that you may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.