Tomorrow's Offering

This week we lost another one of our saints. Lucille was a fine lady of the church (and of Grandview). If you're keeping count that's three faithful ladies in the past month. Sometimes, when funerals come in quick succession, I find that I haven't really processed the deaths. Thelma, Cookie, and Lucille had been out of the public eye (mainly)for varying lengths of time. I was still visiting them with some regularity, though the Calling Circle was the faithful Grandview lifeline to all three.

They will be missed.

Tomorrow's sermon is the first in a short series. We'll look in on the first Church in Jerusalem this week. In the next two weeks we will travel on to Antioch and then to Athens to learn what we can from the ancient church in those cities.

Here's the prayer:

Prayers of the Church for Grandview
13 April 2008

God of Freedom, we come before you as one body this morning to praise you for the gift of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of the gracious and steadfast love that burns in the heart of our God. Thank you for revealing the patient and persistent adoration of the Father for the Son, and for the Son’s friends. Recipients of eternity, of the river of life that overflows its boundaries, baptizing all who come near, we are passionate in our admiration of you.

May our praise burst forth like the buds and blossoms that this morning proclaim the coming of a season of growth! May our praise be like these hardy heralds of the coming bounty of the harvest!

Please be present as fully as our hearts will allow this morning as we dedicate ourselves to the apostles’ teaching in scripture, to the breaking of bread, to fellowship, and to prayer. Give power to our living of the gospel. Fill our friendships with joy. Make Grandview a blessing to this community, your church a blessing to the world.

Forgive us when we turn away from the instrument of your salvation. Forgive us when we become disgusted with the church and, based upon our own power, give up on your ordained way of joining together to be a light to a world shrouded in darkness. Forgive your church for being so much less than perfect. Forgive our individual sins too, as those sins become a distraction to mission of the body of the Christ.

Today, as we celebrate the gift of children, strengthen this community to be mothers and fathers of discipleship, committed to the rearing of children who understand faith and what is at stake in the kingdom of God, come to earth.

Bless those on our prayer list. We pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering in sickness and disease, give them healing; for those who are grieving and sad, remember that you have promised to send your Spirit of comfort; for those who are finding life too hard and are ready to give up because of addictions or mental illness, send your Spirit of strength, hope, and renewal; for those who are staring at each other over gunpoint; send peace. Protect our sons and daughters who are overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. And, Lord, as people who don’t merit your favor, we dare not fail to pray for our enemies (as hard as that can be). Bless them, Lord. Bless and do not curse. Guide all leaders into the paths of peace—the peace that only you can give; the peace that passes all tribes and nations.

We pray as you have taught us.