The Reverend Christine V. Hides
Holy God, our guide through this season of Lent,
You are the sunrise after a troubled night,
The roadside oasis for the weary traveler,
The safe harbor in the storm,
The guiding star for the searching pilgrim,
The quiet peace of snow-deep winter, and
The touch that heals our unseen hurts.
Through your son Jesus Christ,
you stretch out your hand to the invisible.
You treasure what has been cast aside.
You save what is lost.
You reassure the anxious,
Mend the battered and remember the forgotten.
You comfort those who grieve, especially the families of those named today.
Holy God you bless us with leaders who gather us together,
In place like last night’s Outreach Benefit,
Where we find joy in our friendships,
and use what you have given us to
brighten our small piece of the world we call home.
Trusting that you hear us and
your Spirit intercedes with sighs deeper than words,
We pray for this warring world,
For the violence that consumes us,
And the disdain for others we cannot shake.
We seek the unity of Christ that
we know is elusive in our world.
Mend our fractured ways, bring civility, respect, and dignity.
Give us brave and faithful leaders in our homes, schools, communities, and nation.
We pray for the battered corners of this world,
Places reeling from earthquakes, train derailments,
The perilous seas and deserts crossed by migrants and refugees,
And desperate situations where even children
lack access to food, water, and shelter.
Merciful God, help our troubled hearts find rest in you. Gather our prayers and shape them to your purpose, we pray in the name of Jesus, who teaches us to pray… Our father….
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