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Prayers

The Lord's Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kindgom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Prayer of Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
...where there is injury, pardon;
...where there is doubt, faith;
...where there is despair, hope;
...where there is darkness, light;
...where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

...to be consoled as to console;
...to be understood as to understand;
...to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

...it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
...and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Litany of Thanksgiving and Dedication

Leader: The earth is the LORD’S in all its fullness, the world and all who live in it. Let us thank God together. God of justice and mercy, you who give life to your creatures and hope to humanity, hear our prayers, accept our thanksgiving, and empower us to rededicate ourselves to Jesus the Christ.

People: We pray that your Spirit will deepen our thanksgiving into heartfelt gratitude that moves us to trust you with our lives, to gain hope from your promises of salvation and wholeness, to become free and generous in our attitudes toward time and possessions, and to live more fully.

Leader: As we recommit ourselves to being Christ’s church in the world, we ask you for the gift of empathy. Free us from being self-absorbed and defensive, so we can work at understanding other people. Teach us to look beyond our prejudices and suspicions, so we can achieve mutual understanding and respect.

People: In Jesus, you know how it feels to be one of us. He shared our joys and griefs. He learned humility, and even allowed himself to be put to shame. In him, you—the one we call the Almighty—know what it means to be helpless. Forgive us for not letting ourselves care more about other people, and for imagining our callousness to be strength. Remove the callous from our hearts.

Leader: God, the world needs you, the church needs you, and each of us needs you.

People: Draw us closer and closer to yourself. Teach us the ways of faith, hope, and love. Equip us to follow Jesus and serve him, together as his church and separately in our personal lives. Show us how to make your grace the way of life in our families.

Leader: We bring you our hopes, worries, and fears for people in special need of your grace, your healing touch. We pray this morning for . . . . Be the life and salvation of all who cry to you.

People: Be also the hope and salvation of our country and our world. Lead us away from the arrogance of power, the pride of empire, and the demonic hypocrisy of using religion to inspire killing and terrorism. Deliver the world’s people from economic oppression, the children from enslavement, and all from the cycles of revenge that keep peace from taking hold.

Leader: We pray to you in the name of Jesus, whom you have made our Savior and Lord.

People: Amen.

Prayer of One Who Is Addicted (Taken from Psalm 69 in the NRSV)

Note: Psalm 69 is not presented in the Bible as the prayer of a person who is addicted. I have edited the psalm, not by changing words, but by omitting parts, as you can easily see if you compare what is printed here with the full text of the psalm. I came upon this psalm while looking for a call to worship for Sunday, November 11, 2001, which was designed on our program calendar as the start of "Addiction Awareness Week." The words that struck me were, "For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds."

From Psalm 69 (NRSV)

Save me, O God,

for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
I am weary with my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done
are not hidden from you.

Do not let those who hope in you
be put to shame because of me,
O Lord GOD of hosts;
do not let those who seek you
be dishonored because of me,
O God of Israel.

I have become a stranger to my kindred,
an alien to my mother's children.

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help rescue me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
Do not let the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the Pit close its mouth over me.

Answer me, O LORD,
for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
Do not hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress --
make haste to answer me.
Draw near to me, redeem me,
set me free because of my enemies.

You know the insults I receive,
and my shame and dishonor;
my foes are all known to you.
Insults have broken my heart,
so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none;
and for comforters, but I found none.

But I am lowly and in pain;
let your salvation, O God, protect me.

I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
For the LORD hears the needy,
and does not despise his own
that are in bonds.

Amen.

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