Tomorrow's Offering

Tomorrow's sermon is on Ephesians 3:1-12, kind of. In some (legitimate) ways the text is a jumping off point to talk about the broader issue of what the church is supposed to be. It is a good sermon, I think, but has had a strange life in terms of preparation.

In my prayer tomorrow I mention Greg and Allison Coley (pictured below), who are missionaries we support in Thailand. I always enjoy being around them and I found out today that they have a new member of the family, Jack, whom they adopted recently. I look forward to meeting him in April when they come to visit us at Grandview.
Now to the prayer:

Prayers of the Church for Grandview
January 6, 2008

Eternal God, you are more ready to hear than we are to pray. You know what is needed before we think to ask. Look upon us, seeking in common prayer your light for our path, your strength for our hearts, and your comfort for most acute pains. Give us, we pray, your listening ear, your responsive will, and bring such answer to each sincere prayer as each of us needs as individuals and as all of us need as one body, knit together in the image of your Son.

Forgive us when we tear the sutures your Spirit has so painstakingly woven between us. Forgive us when we become silhouettes of the body of Christ, moving like shadows through this world with no substance, body, no blood. Put skin and skeleton to this body. Let the fingers of the church move at your will, in concert with the hand and the head. Let the feet of the church follow your paths in faith, with willing legs and watchful eyes.

On this day when we celebrate the adulthood of that baby boy who was born to Mary, placed in a manger, and reared in Nazareth, help us to dedicate ourselves to you and your purposes in this world you have so beautifully provided. Like Jesus rising from the waters of the Jordan, in the hands of John, let our resolution be to persevere in the battle to declare the victory of God over sin and death.

Remember those on our prayer list, O God, and give comfort to those weakened by life, healing to the sick, protection for those in violent situations, holy friendship to those who are lonely, harmony to those who grieve, and a peaceful death to those whose time to die is near.

Lord, hear the supplications we make to you in the stillness of this place:

silence

Bless Greg and Allison Coley while they are on furlough and away from Thailand. May they be refreshed during this time and may their newest son, Jack, be fully membered into their family.

With one voice, we pray as your Son taught us: