Spirit of light and love, Creator and Sustainer, God of many names, we are grateful that you promise to hear us when we pray. Guide us by your Holy Spirit that our prayers for others, for ourselves and our community may serve your will and show your steadfast love.
We pray for the whole creation so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made. Break down the walls of hostility that divide us and send peace on earth. Remove hate and prejudice from us and from all people. Look with compassion on those who are sick; cheer them by your word and bring healing as a sign of your grace. Stand with those who sorrow that they may be sure that neither death nor life shall separate them from your love.
We pray that your church throughout the world would be a community of grace and forgiveness. We ask that our church here in Kenilworth be a place of encouragement where we are inspired to give genuine hospitality to all who come through our doors. Help us to realize that our hope as a church family is in your incomparable and incredible great power which is available to us.
God, we pray for discernment to seek your leading and direction as we seek to follow your ways...not trends, traditions or personal agendas. We pray that negative thinking, stress, being overwhelmed, the ways of the world, the tyranny of the urgent, being overcommitted or over busy, fatigue, compromise, pressures, not lead us away from you. We pray for our church in this time of transition. May we be faithful in prayer and generous in love remembering that you go with us into the future.
Sometimes the burdens we shoulder feel like more than we can bear. As we struggle with fears and uncertainty, uplift our hearts. Rekindle our faith. Make us mindful of our many gifts, so that we don't become overwhelmed by the threats to our well-being, or forget those gifts or forget you. We pray for Ben as he leaves his ministry here with us. We thank you for his loving presence with us and for all he has given to this community over the past six years. Give him the eyes of faith to see you as you walk with him on his way.
O God, you call us to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord who taught us to pray....