Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (1)
Prayer
Gentle Words In A Raging Storm
Prayers for all occasions
Great God of Love, your abundant grace makes our lives
graceful -- freely lived and freely given.
We claim our adoption as sons and daughters of God
not because we are worthy but because you give us
worth.
You unfasten the bonds that hold us back from becoming
a child of God,
a disciple of Christ,
a friend to those who suffer,
those who are afraid,
those who have lost hope.
You shatter the illusions of our self-importance
and challenge us to do something truly important:
to help a hurting child,
to listen to a broken heart,
to visit a person of age confined to a coffin-like room,
to hold the hand of a person sick and dying,
to hand a bowl of soup to the hungry and homeless.
For you have given us the grace of love,
the word of liberation,
the promise of re-creation,
the power of healing.
You are the God who not only dances with us in the
meadow and kisses us with your morning sun
but sits with us in the darkness,
stays with us in our despair,
shivers with us through the cold, troubled night,
stands beside us in our pain, grief, and sorrow.
O Giver of Life, may we pass along your gift of love.
Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (2)
O Generous God, your gifts abound and, at times,
overwhelm us with the weight of their love.
How often, O Lord, we have come to you with our empty
cups that have been poured out to others
and you fill them to overflowing with compassion,
renewed strength, continuous courage, healthy hope,
the will to go on.
Forgive us, O Lord, for our faltering faith;
fearing that by releasing some of our resources we
will jeopardize our future.
Help us not to be captives of the obsession for
security but to put our trust in you, Giver of all
great gifts!
For we know, Lord, though we do not always receive
what we want, you continually supply what we need.
And for that we are thankful!
We celebrate the joy you place in our hearts
as we participate in the divine act of giving a cup
of cool water to the thirsty. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (3)
O Great Composer of our lives, Conductor of the
symphony of spirits, we sing our praise to you.
From the "Gloria in Excelsis" of the Bethlehem angels
to the final "Amen" of human suffering,
we have heard your song rising like a crescendo in
our hearts.
O Lord, you have taught us to sing a new song,
a song of love and joy,
but the world has wandered off key.
Our voices have become flat and listless in our song
of justice
and too sharp and shrill with self-concern.
We would rather sing solos
than harmonize with your choir.
How patiently you tutor us!
How persistently you rehearse our song until it blends
with your divine anthem.
Your grace is so generous,
your love so gentle that our hearts burst with
"Alleluias" and our voices sing out your timeless
prayer. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (4)
God of our fathers and mothers,
Lord of our sons and daughters,
you roar like a lion
and speak with a lamb's voice.
Sometimes you murmur something to our minds.
Sometimes you converse with our hearts.
But we know when you have been near.
For suddenly, we are struck with an original thought,
or we glimpse a bold, new vision,
or the solution we have sought so long becomes
apparent.
You work secretly and quietly in the deepest regions
of our consciousness until, just at the right moment,
you reveal a new insight, a fresh concept.
We think it is our own
and you let us enjoy our self-deception.
But have you ever chuckled with parental delight at
our excitement in discovering a brilliant, unique
idea lurking in our heads?
O Lord, you are the Word that informs our words,
that gives them life and lift.
When you speak, the whole world shimmers with creative
energy and sparkling expectation!
When you listen, the overburdened find relief,
the lost find their way,
the confused discover clarity,
the lonely find a friend.
Teach us to speak softly and listen with love.
Teach us to hear the silence of your presence and
to recognize your voice.
And teach us to pray the words that create community
and bring new life. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (5)
Holy God, Lord of Love, you know us better than anyone,
even better than we know ourselves.
When we were being formed in the womb,
your creative energy supported us.
As we were born into the world,
you breathed the breath of life into us.
You watched us grow through childhood
like a devoted mother, keeping us within your protection.
We are your children.
You call us by name.
Even as our legs grow long and our hair grows gray
we remain children of God, progeny of your patience
and long-suffering.
O God of grumpy grandparents,
possessive parents,
taunting teenagers,
careless children,
and bawling infants,
you love us just the way we are
while encouraging us to become more than that.
O God, if you never overlooked our selfishness, pride,
and greed, could any survive?
But you do forgive us and for that we are grateful.
Your tears of sorrow wash away the sin of our past.
Your smile brightens our morning with renewed hope.
We hope that, perhaps, today we will find the courage
to forgive those who have wronged us.
Perhaps, today we will feel the warmth of compassion
instead of the heat of contempt.
Perhaps, even today we will be able to love ourselves
as you love us
and so love our neighbors as Jesus taught us. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (6)
O God of all good gifts, blend your love and justice
into our lives.
Make your will known to us in personal ways at special times.
Help us to discover the unique gifts you have bestowed
on each of us to use in your service.
For we know some of us are called to be preachers,
teachers, elders, and deacons.
But some are called to engineer policies and procedures
that are fair and faithful.
Some are called to examine our stewardship and to
find ways to stimulate its growth;
some are called to welcome people at the doors of
our sanctuary and to assist them in finding their way;
some are called to dream dreams of ambitious projects
for extending and deepening our ministry to people
near and far;
and some are called to design strategies and organize
people to carry out those dreams.
Some find their place in calling on the sick,
hospitalized, and imprisoned;
some are called to a ministry of art and beautification;
some are called to spread the excitement of a growing
church with friends and neighbors;
and some are called to prepare the banquets and the
meals that enliven and enrich our fellowship events.
Some are called to sing loud and joyfully, even when they miss
the key;
some are called to listen to another's sorrow, to
encourage a faltering soul, to create a warm, positive
environment wherever they walk.
May we celebrate our differences as we give honor
and dignity to each part of Christ's body.
For we all worship one Lord, celebrate one baptism,
and rejoice in the birth of the Spirit in our hearts
and in our community of faith. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (7)
Wonderful Creator,
God of our lives,
create in us a clean heart and a clear head.
Breathe into us the pure breath of your Holy Spirit --
the Spirit of truth,
the Spirit of love.
Mold us by the mastery of your hands into an image
that reflects your grace,
your goodness,
your "good news."
Shape us into your form of faithfulness
dedicated to your word,
destined to your way.
When we crack against the hard surface of suffering,
gather our shattered lives and mend our broken parts.
When we sit too long on the shelf gathering dust,
remind us we were made to be useful,
to be vessels that carry water to thirsty souls,
that pour out compassion and hope to the lonely and desperate,
that bear the buds of new life,
blossoms of color and beauty.
You are the Potter;
we are the clay.
Make us,
mold us into your own creation -- one that is shaped like
the body of Christ. Amen.
graceful -- freely lived and freely given.
We claim our adoption as sons and daughters of God
not because we are worthy but because you give us
worth.
You unfasten the bonds that hold us back from becoming
a child of God,
a disciple of Christ,
a friend to those who suffer,
those who are afraid,
those who have lost hope.
You shatter the illusions of our self-importance
and challenge us to do something truly important:
to help a hurting child,
to listen to a broken heart,
to visit a person of age confined to a coffin-like room,
to hold the hand of a person sick and dying,
to hand a bowl of soup to the hungry and homeless.
For you have given us the grace of love,
the word of liberation,
the promise of re-creation,
the power of healing.
You are the God who not only dances with us in the
meadow and kisses us with your morning sun
but sits with us in the darkness,
stays with us in our despair,
shivers with us through the cold, troubled night,
stands beside us in our pain, grief, and sorrow.
O Giver of Life, may we pass along your gift of love.
Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (2)
O Generous God, your gifts abound and, at times,
overwhelm us with the weight of their love.
How often, O Lord, we have come to you with our empty
cups that have been poured out to others
and you fill them to overflowing with compassion,
renewed strength, continuous courage, healthy hope,
the will to go on.
Forgive us, O Lord, for our faltering faith;
fearing that by releasing some of our resources we
will jeopardize our future.
Help us not to be captives of the obsession for
security but to put our trust in you, Giver of all
great gifts!
For we know, Lord, though we do not always receive
what we want, you continually supply what we need.
And for that we are thankful!
We celebrate the joy you place in our hearts
as we participate in the divine act of giving a cup
of cool water to the thirsty. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (3)
O Great Composer of our lives, Conductor of the
symphony of spirits, we sing our praise to you.
From the "Gloria in Excelsis" of the Bethlehem angels
to the final "Amen" of human suffering,
we have heard your song rising like a crescendo in
our hearts.
O Lord, you have taught us to sing a new song,
a song of love and joy,
but the world has wandered off key.
Our voices have become flat and listless in our song
of justice
and too sharp and shrill with self-concern.
We would rather sing solos
than harmonize with your choir.
How patiently you tutor us!
How persistently you rehearse our song until it blends
with your divine anthem.
Your grace is so generous,
your love so gentle that our hearts burst with
"Alleluias" and our voices sing out your timeless
prayer. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (4)
God of our fathers and mothers,
Lord of our sons and daughters,
you roar like a lion
and speak with a lamb's voice.
Sometimes you murmur something to our minds.
Sometimes you converse with our hearts.
But we know when you have been near.
For suddenly, we are struck with an original thought,
or we glimpse a bold, new vision,
or the solution we have sought so long becomes
apparent.
You work secretly and quietly in the deepest regions
of our consciousness until, just at the right moment,
you reveal a new insight, a fresh concept.
We think it is our own
and you let us enjoy our self-deception.
But have you ever chuckled with parental delight at
our excitement in discovering a brilliant, unique
idea lurking in our heads?
O Lord, you are the Word that informs our words,
that gives them life and lift.
When you speak, the whole world shimmers with creative
energy and sparkling expectation!
When you listen, the overburdened find relief,
the lost find their way,
the confused discover clarity,
the lonely find a friend.
Teach us to speak softly and listen with love.
Teach us to hear the silence of your presence and
to recognize your voice.
And teach us to pray the words that create community
and bring new life. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (5)
Holy God, Lord of Love, you know us better than anyone,
even better than we know ourselves.
When we were being formed in the womb,
your creative energy supported us.
As we were born into the world,
you breathed the breath of life into us.
You watched us grow through childhood
like a devoted mother, keeping us within your protection.
We are your children.
You call us by name.
Even as our legs grow long and our hair grows gray
we remain children of God, progeny of your patience
and long-suffering.
O God of grumpy grandparents,
possessive parents,
taunting teenagers,
careless children,
and bawling infants,
you love us just the way we are
while encouraging us to become more than that.
O God, if you never overlooked our selfishness, pride,
and greed, could any survive?
But you do forgive us and for that we are grateful.
Your tears of sorrow wash away the sin of our past.
Your smile brightens our morning with renewed hope.
We hope that, perhaps, today we will find the courage
to forgive those who have wronged us.
Perhaps, today we will feel the warmth of compassion
instead of the heat of contempt.
Perhaps, even today we will be able to love ourselves
as you love us
and so love our neighbors as Jesus taught us. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (6)
O God of all good gifts, blend your love and justice
into our lives.
Make your will known to us in personal ways at special times.
Help us to discover the unique gifts you have bestowed
on each of us to use in your service.
For we know some of us are called to be preachers,
teachers, elders, and deacons.
But some are called to engineer policies and procedures
that are fair and faithful.
Some are called to examine our stewardship and to
find ways to stimulate its growth;
some are called to welcome people at the doors of
our sanctuary and to assist them in finding their way;
some are called to dream dreams of ambitious projects
for extending and deepening our ministry to people
near and far;
and some are called to design strategies and organize
people to carry out those dreams.
Some find their place in calling on the sick,
hospitalized, and imprisoned;
some are called to a ministry of art and beautification;
some are called to spread the excitement of a growing
church with friends and neighbors;
and some are called to prepare the banquets and the
meals that enliven and enrich our fellowship events.
Some are called to sing loud and joyfully, even when they miss
the key;
some are called to listen to another's sorrow, to
encourage a faltering soul, to create a warm, positive
environment wherever they walk.
May we celebrate our differences as we give honor
and dignity to each part of Christ's body.
For we all worship one Lord, celebrate one baptism,
and rejoice in the birth of the Spirit in our hearts
and in our community of faith. Amen.
Celebration Of God's Grace And Love (7)
Wonderful Creator,
God of our lives,
create in us a clean heart and a clear head.
Breathe into us the pure breath of your Holy Spirit --
the Spirit of truth,
the Spirit of love.
Mold us by the mastery of your hands into an image
that reflects your grace,
your goodness,
your "good news."
Shape us into your form of faithfulness
dedicated to your word,
destined to your way.
When we crack against the hard surface of suffering,
gather our shattered lives and mend our broken parts.
When we sit too long on the shelf gathering dust,
remind us we were made to be useful,
to be vessels that carry water to thirsty souls,
that pour out compassion and hope to the lonely and desperate,
that bear the buds of new life,
blossoms of color and beauty.
You are the Potter;
we are the clay.
Make us,
mold us into your own creation -- one that is shaped like
the body of Christ. Amen.
