Trinity Sunday | Year C

Holy, holy, holy God,
in calling forth creation from the void,
revealing yourself in human flesh,
and pouring forth your wisdom to guide us,
you manifest your concern for your whole universe.
You invite us, as your people,
to gather the world's needs into our hearts
and bring them before you.

O God of the universe, we thank you for hearing us
Regardless of where we are physically:

In places where we hope peace is possible:
Between North and South Korea,
Between Israel and Palestine.
In places torn by war, violence,
And all manner of human atrocities.
Places like Syria, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.
And all places of political unrest.
In homeless shelters, refugee camps, houses of worship,
In cities, on farms, and all the places we call home in between.

Leader: Lord, in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

God of the universe, we thank you for hearing us
Regardless of where we are emotionally:

For those grieving and those celebrating,
Those marrying and those divorcing,
For those being baptized and those being buried,
Those caring for children and those caring for the elderly,
For those laboring and those unemployed,
And all people at a beginning or an end.

God the Son, we thank you for hearing us,
even when we come like Nicodemus;
With a reputation to uphold,
Burning with curiosity,
Hoping to be enlightened in secret.
You know how secretly needy we are.

Send out your light and your truth,
let them lead us;
let them bring us to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

Leader: Lord, in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

God the Spirit, we ask that you continue to bless us
With all we need for the living
of these sacred, ordinary days;
that our everyday lives may be gifted
to experience the depth and vitality of Christian community,
and grant us grace to share Your message of hope,
to reach out to the poor and hurting,
and to bring You glory and honor in our city of Tulsa.

Holy, holy, holy God,
fill us with strength and courage,
with discernment and compassion,
that we may be your instruments of justice
and love in this world,
that it may be on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Day of Pentecost | Year C

Family of God:
As we are gathered here in one place
like the disciples in the upper room,
may we gather our various voices
in prayer to the One who animates us:

Creator God,
when You sent Your Holy Spirit,
You showcased Your irresponsible beauty
by transforming the shame and separation of Babel
into a celebration of diversity and unity.

Today we pray, as Jesus did,
for Your unity in our midst.
Not that "all the colors will bleed into one,”
but that all will refract their true selves,
complementing one another
as an incomprehensible tapestry
of Your glorious design.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Restorer God,
You, who adopted us into Your kingdom,
let us revel in our new identity as Your children.
Give us the strength to acknowledge
our past hurts and failures
and the wisdom and resources
to seek help where we need it.

Where we’ve been broken
by family, by coworkers,
by those in authority,
and by the Church,
bring restoration and healing.
Show us where we need to make amends
and seek forgiveness
among those we’ve broken
and for pain we’ve caused,
so that we may more fully embody You
in our ever-expanding world.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Truth-teller God,
we receive Your Spirit of Truth,
the One who advocates.
We invite Your Truth
to permeate our community.
Let Your Truth flow over those in need:

let lack become provision,
let tragedy become triumph,
let hurt become healing,
let death become life.

Let Your Truth reign in this very moment,
as we each articulate
and add our own prayers,
either silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Easter 7 | Year C

Our Lord Jesus prayed for us that we might be one.
Let us pray as one for the needs of the world, for the church,
and for all with whom Jesus desires our unity.

God, You are our lifeblood and our light,
You show us Your new creation every day.
You feed and clothe us and give us joy in Your good earth.
We praise You—our home and our true blessing.

For those who are recovering from loss
wreaked by historic floods and tornadoes,
we ask for Your restoration.
For those leaders tasked with managing
the situations brought about by this weather,
we pray for wisdom, grace, and rest.

O God, we pray for unity among all peoples—
the body of Christ, rent by conflict, that we may be one;
for people of all faiths to honor one another;
and for the end of religious wars.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for peace
among nations, between tribes,
on school yards, in academic halls,
within legislative bodies,
and around kitchen tables in every home.

We pray for the families and victims
of yet another mass shooting.
May we resist the temptation
to accept this violence as normal,
and join in the cry, “How long, O Lord?” 
For the church’s mission to proclaim the good news,
that the world might know You.
May the New Life possible in faith
break open all people to love one another.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

For all people who cry out to you in this hardened time;
for people who do not have work,
those who have no safety net;
those without dining tables or beds;
those who do not have enough food.

For those concerns we name now silently or aloud . . .

[Silence]

We pray for the saints of all times and places,
by whose faith and hope we have been nurtured
in accord with Jesus’ prayer for his people
and our prayers for one another.
Into your hands, Gracious God,
we pray all these things,
asking You to hear both our thanksgivings
and our pleas,
knowing You hear more than we can say
and will grant what is needed.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Easter 6 | Year C

God of mercy,
we praise You.
We sing for joy to You.
Even when the earth
brings forth an increase
that we did not expect.

We pray for all those affected
by this week’s tornadoes
and historic flooding.
Restore what has been lost
and let us, Your Church,
be You in the flesh to our hurting neighbors.

Where there is despair,
let us speak Your hope;
where there is anxiety,
let us speak Your peace;
where there is fear,
let us speak Your truth.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

God of light,
You shine on all of us equally.
Whether we sense Your light or not,
You shine.

We pray for those who feel
as though they are dwelling in darkness.
Those living with financial lack.
Those sojourning through physical suffering.
Make Yourself manifest in their lives.
Make all things well.
All manner of things.

We pray for those
who have entered their eternal rest.
Both those in our midst
who entered naturally
and those around the world
who have been martyred.
Let Your light perpetual shine upon them.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

God of blessing,
You are a wonderful parent.
You love to give!
We take this moment
to be grateful for all You’ve given us,
including this next breath.

Though we often look
ahead to our existence with You,
filled with Your light and life,
let us also remain grounded
on this earth You gave us.
Let us steward this gift.

Guide our words and actions,
and those of our leaders,
and continue to pour out Your blessings
on Tulsa, this nation, and this world,
and all the people in it.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Easter 5 | Year C

O God, we bring You the concerns we hold in our minds,
and the heartaches we carry deep within our being.
Sift out these prayers,
and let all that is good align itself
with Your love for Your world,
Your creation, Your people.
For the victims of accident, war, disease,
violence, greed and natural disasters.
Let there be hope.

For those who bear their wounds in private,
those ignored by the mass media:
the forgotten minorities suffering oppression,
the humble people who suffer constantly and die obscurely.
Let there be hope.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

O God, we bring before You the Church.
For places where there is persecution;
for church leaders who confront evil authority,
and for our brothers and sisters
who remain faithful through hardship and death.
Let there be hope.

For the political parties we don’t vote for,
leaders we do not trust,
high-profile people we dislike,
and work colleagues who exasperate us.
Let there be hope.

For our neighbors
whose sorrows we don’t know about,
friends with secret wounds and sorrows,
relatives with temptations and anxieties that they hide from us.
Let there be hope.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

O God, we bring before You
church members whom we do not really know.
For those we can’t understand,
some who annoy us,
and others whose beliefs and values
vary from our own.
Let there be hope.

Creator of the universe,
You made the world in beauty,
and restore all things in glory
through Your son, Jesus Christ.
For all places where Your image is still disfigured
by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed,
may the new creation in Jesus Christ
appear in justice, love, and peace.
Let there be hope.

Receive these prayers, O God,
and transform us through them,
that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand
not only what You do on our behalf,
but what You call us to do
so that Your Kingdom will come to fruition.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Easter 4 | Year C

Brothers and sisters,
Sisters and brothers,
Holy siblings in the family of God.
Let us join our hearts and our voices
as we offer our prayers and petitions.

Good Shepherd,
we, Your flock, are all ears.
We're tuned to Your voice;
teach us to hear You
and only You.
Let us follow willingly,
a pasture full of Resurrection People,
guided by Your voice
through deathly valleys
and life-giving pathways alike.

On this day to celebrate mothers,
we honor those in our midst.
Bless them in their work and bring them peace.
For those whose mothers have departed,
whose mothers have abandoned or wounded them,
for all for whom the idea of motherhood
brings nothing but pain and grief,
we pray grace, peace, restoration.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

Gracious Caretaker,
When You speak, we believe You.
We take Your words to heart.
We hold on to them,
sometimes as treasure,
sometimes for dear life.

As we walk through this world of
uncertain futures,
uncertain finances,
uncertain fitness,
we pray You will help us find firm footing
in the resurrected emptiness of Your tomb.
Heal our hearts affected by grief.
Heal our land affected by greed.

We pray for the family of Kendrick Castillo
and all children affected by gun violence.
Restore to them what was taken
and give us courage and a will
to bring about Your redemption.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

Judicious Gardener,
we praise You for Your creativity
in diversity.
Blessing and glory and wisdom,
resplendently on display
among Your people.
Guide our eyes to see
Your strength in each other.

Demonstrate Your power
through the various gifts You gave us,
that we might unite one another.
Resurrected.
You gave us our voices,
and we lift them now to You
offering up our own prayers
whether silently or aloud…

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Easter 3 | Year C

Holy God,
You have called us to follow in the way of Your risen Son,
and to care for our companions,
not only with words of comfort, but also with acts of love.
Seeking to be true friends of all,
we offer our prayers on behalf of the church and the world.

We pray for all those who are persecuted for their faith,
both domestically and abroad.
Give them freedom, peace, and safety as they worship
and bring the light of Your truth into the darkest places.

We pray for all those who breathe curses and threats.
Give them new hearts and new lives.
Transform them with Your love
that they may extend compassion instead of cruelty.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for all who suffer in sickness and in grief,
for those wrestling with the loss of those they love.
“‘Tis a fearful thing to love what death can touch,”
but still we love, and love bravely, because You are with us.

We pray for those who work by day and night;
may they find satisfaction in the labor, and give them rest.
You invite us to Sabbath and rest well.
May we all receive Your invitation today.

As millions paused this week to remember the Holocaust,
we pray for an end to racism, bigotry, and xenophobia.
We pray for peace in places of unrest
and ask for an end to conflict.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, help us to hear Your words,
“Feed my sheep” and “tend my lambs,”
that we may faithfully lend our time,
talents, and resources to Your service.

We pray for the recently departed,
especially Rachel Held Evans and Anne York
and those we remember now in silence...

Guide us in the path of discipleship,
so that, as You have blessed us,
we may be a blessing for others,
bringing the promise of the kingdom near
by our words and deeds.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Easter 2 | Year C

Eternal God,
You who are both the beginning
and the ending,
and everything in between,
to You we lift our voices:

We revel in Your resurrection!
You had died and
all seemed lost.
Darkness had its reign…
…and then You rose again!
The darkness fled;
the shadows scattered.

May Your resurrection light
flood every corner of our lives
and bring restoration.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

All who draw breath
praise You.
That means us!
You breathed the breath
into our lungs;
may we always use it
to honor You.

You are woven into the fabric of all.
You, the God who was,
who is,
who is to come.
You invite us into Your mystery.

Give us courage to embrace You
in times of both difficulty and delight.
When we are tempted to ask "Why?"
guide us instead to ask "What now?"
So that we may serve You
as You serve us.

We pray for those in a San Diego synagogue,
whose lives were shattered by violence yesterday,
and all who are affected by any form of intolerance
against any faith, race, or ethnicity.
Bring comfort and safety to all in need
and lead all communities to reject hatred.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord, You're our strength and our song!
Even when we are so weak
we can't carry a tune,
You lift us up. You sing over us.
You meet us there.

Guide this Sanctuary family.
Let us walk in Your resurrection.
Let us be a beacon of hope
and a balm of peace
to this city, this state,
this nation, this world.

May we always seek to embody You.
You who are both the ending
and the beginning
and everything in between.
Eternal God.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Easter Sunday | Year C

O God,
You have called us to follow
in the way of Your risen Son,
and to care for those who are our companions,
not only with words of comfort,
but with acts of love.

Seeking to be true friends of all,
we offer our prayers on behalf of the church and the world.
We pray for the Church around the world,
for its members and its mission.
We recognize we are all part of one Body,
focused on bringing Your image to bear
in a world that has greatly distorted your image.
Just as Your body is broken and blood is shed,
so break us and pour us out for the sake of the world.

O God,
When You speak there is Light and Life.
When You act there is justice and love.
Grant that Your voice may be in the mouths
of those in authority,
and Your actions may be present
in the works of our government,
so that what we say and what we do as a nation
would be animated by the Holy Spirit.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, before we call, You answer.
Before we speak, You know our words.
Christ is risen!
Let there be joy in the city,
and peace among all nations.
Let sounds of weeping
and cries of distress
turn to shouts of joy and laughter.

Let infants grow and thrive;
let the old dance like children.
Let every person find a home
and enjoy the fruit of their labor.
Let the wolf and the lamb live in peace;
let no one hurt or destroy another.

O God, show us to the holy mountain You have prepared,
the new heaven and new earth You promised,
so we may be glad and rejoice in Your presence.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for what seems impossible:
Peace in places where war reigns.
An end to strife over boundaries.
Food for the hungry.
Shelter for the impoverished.
Understanding of differences between peoples.

Jesus, we believe You; all we heard is true.
You break the bread, and we recognize You.
You are the fire that burns within us;
Use us to light the world.
Guide us in the path of discipleship,
so that, as You have blessed us,
we may be a blessing for others,
bringing the promise of the kingdom near
by our words and deeds.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Palm Sunday | Year C

God, You are our God,
and we give You thanks
for You are good,
and Your steadfast love endures forever.
Continually write this Truth
on the walls of our hearts.
Remind us daily, hourly
of Your goodness
and unfailing love toward us.

We pray for those among us
whose perception of Your goodness
has been obscured by pain, suffering,
financial lack, bad news,
and the hurtful actions of others,
both thoughtless and intentional.
Heal our wounds so we may see You more clearly.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of the scrubs,
of the benchwarmers, of the outcasts:
Thank You for calling us worthy.
We invite You into our mess.
To You we offer our builder-rejected stones
and our warrior-rejected donkeys,
trusting You will be the One who lifts us up.

Guard our eyes and hearts
so we might look to You for our identity.
You, the One who calls us “blessed.”

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, as we celebrate Your unorthodox triumphal parade,
where coats were laid in Your path
and palms were waved victoriously,
we ask You for unorthodox triumphs
in our own world.

Where we are sick, we ask for Your healing,
Where we are lacking, we ask for Your fullness,
Where we are on edge, we ask for Your peace.
Grant us grace for others, for ourselves,
and for those who have entered their eternal rest.

As Sanctuary follows Your voice
into an uncertain but exciting new season,
we pray we would have ears to hear.
Let us sow Your love into this city,
this nation, and this world.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lent 5 | Year C

God our Provider,
Out of Your fullness You cause life to spring up,
even in dry and barren places;
You control the troubled waters,
making paths to safety;
You hear our cries and receive our tears;
You restore us to joy.

We thank You for Your Son,
whose life and light have guided us
through this Lenten season.
In His suffering and death, He knows full well
the troubles and pains we all face,
but His resurrection is wrapped up in the hope of our own.
Surrounded by Your overflowing love, we know we are not alone.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for people who wait in difficult places.
For those suffering, and those at life’s end;
for people struggling with employment and financial worries;
for those estranged from loved ones;
for those trapped in the grip of addiction;
for people enduring emotional or spiritual turmoil.
Because You are able to make a way in every wilderness,
we give You thanks.

We pray for the needs of the world.
May peace invade places of war
and justice crowd out oppression and cruelty.
Make all conflict cease.
Bless leaders of communities, states, and nations,
that they may speak the truth and work together
for the common good.
Pour out healing on the earth itself, depleted and injured
by our careless consumption and intentional greed.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for the church,
the body of Christ in the world.
May we proclaim Your Word boldly.
Lead us by the power of the Holy Spirit
to witness to Your truth,
for we remember and proclaim
that death does not have the last word
in our lives, in the church, or in the world.

We give You thanks, O God.
You are making all things new!

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lent 4 | Year C

Gracious Father,
we, Your family, are gathered here now,
joining our hearts together
as one big body,
grateful and thankful for
this place and this community
that You have given us.
Thank You, Lord,
for making all things new,
including us!

Thank You, God,
for being a safe place
where we can turn in times of trouble.
Instruct us and teach us, Lord.
Show us the way to go.
Our hearts are ready to follow You.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Expectant Father,
You cheer for us!
We fill Your heart with joy!
Even when we scatter our potential
as seed on hard ground,
You are on our side.

Some of us are near to You;
Hold us even closer
so that we may know Your heart.
Some of us are far from You;
Remind us of Your unconditional love
so that we may turn around and come home.

Give us Your joy, Lord,
Your celebration over the returned prodigal.
So that we may celebrate as well,
giving our best
for our brothers and sisters.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Satisfying Father,
You sent Your son
to earth from heaven
to be the true bread that feeds
and gives life to the world.
As we prepare our hearts
to join You at Your table,
we remember Your sacrifice.

Let us live sacrificially
in our world.
At work, at school, at church,
and at home.
Let us carry the grace
of the Eucharist
with us always.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Lent 3 | Year C

Sisters and brothers,
brothers and sisters,
and all the Family of God:
Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call upon Him while He is near.
Let us pray:

During this Lenten journey,
we thirst and we hunger,
but You, O God, call us
to refresh ourselves at Your table.
As we prepare our hearts
to partake of Your restorative meal,
we forsake our wicked ways,
we take captive our unrighteous thoughts,
and repent of our inaction.
Tune our souls to ways of Your Kingdom.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of Constancy:
Your steadfast love is better than life itself.
You satisfy our thirsty souls;
You revive our weary bodies.
Let us bless You as long as we have breath.

We honor all those who have come before us:
brothers and sisters from the distant past,
and those who are recently departed.
Let Your light perpetual shine upon them.
May we learn from their ways;
from both their triumphs and their tragedies.

Ground us in Your humility, O God.
So that when we think we are standing,
we do not fall.
Let us receive every hour
and every person we encounter
as the gifts they are from You.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Master Caretaker:
You have raised us up from saplings.
And Your grace is so great
that even when we bear no fruit,
You still say, “Give it time. Let Me do My work.”
Thank You for Your holy stubbornness.

Let us emulate that as Your Church,
doing Your work in the world,
in our country, in our state,
in Tulsa, and among those who call Sanctuary home.
Let us be persistent and patient.
Let us be tender and care-full.
Let us be empathetic and emphatic.
So that we can do our part,
and plant what we have,
so that we might bear fruit
in Your great orchard.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Lent 2 | Year C

Artist of souls,
out of the rocks of wilderness and fasting,
You sculpted a people for yourself.
Help us as we take up Your invitation to prayer and simplicity,
that the discipline of these forty days
may sharpen our hunger for the feast of Your table,
and whet our thirst for the living water You offer.

O God, as Your Son Jesus lamented
over the divisions of Jerusalem,
so we lament over the divisions of our time:
divisions giving rise to intolerance, inequality,
dismissiveness, and all other forms of hate.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the city of Christchurch, New Zealand
where 49 people were killed in mosque shootings,
dozens were injured, and countless more were victimized through terror.
We confess that violence, hatred, and intolerance
have no place in Your world.

Grant peace to those who are grieving,
mend all that has been broken.
Help us to see all of humanity
not as an animal species
but a fellowship of care,
a covenant of brotherhood.

As our Lenten journey continues,
may the hunger of our fasting
draw us not into superiority,
but into unity and solidarity
with the poor, the hungry, and least of these.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for Your church.
In a world of darkness may we
light all the lights,
marking out spaces of radical welcome.

May we grieve our divisions
within our own Christian communities.
Continue to reform and renew Your bride,
and make her a place of peace and respite.

May we know our citizenship is in heaven, first,
and that you are making all things new.
Because You are God the Creator, may we treat
all of Your creation with attentiveness and care.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Lent 1 | Year C

Brothers and sisters,
the family of Christ:
incline your ears
and align your hearts
as we pray:

Eternal Lord,
who stands outside of time,
who holds the days
who exists in the “unbounded Now”
and who created seasons
for those of us bound by time:

As we enter this season of Lent,
a season of patience
and anticipation,
keep our appetites whetted
so that we may embrace
both the fasting of today
and the first fruits of Your Easter promise in the future.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of refuge:
We call to You now
with expectant hearts;
We look to You now
in the midst of our troubles;
We seek You now
desiring Your rescue and honor.
Deliver us, Lord!

From the gasping grasp of death,
from the conquered clutches of illness,
from the frustrated fatigue of poverty,
from the attractive appeal of conformity,
from the slain stasis of apathy.

Show us Your salvation,
even as we confront our everyday world
and commend to You all those who hurt
and are hurting.
Satisfy us with long life.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Almighty God,
You know us like no other.
Jesus, we bend Your empathetic ear.
You were led by the Spirit into the wilderness;
You were tempted as we are tempted.

Find us in our own wildernesses,
Come quickly to help us there
as we are assaulted by many temptations.
You know our weaknesses;
give us strength in the midst of them,
for You are mighty to save.

When we know times of strength,
let us help those among us who are weak.
Keep from us the temptation to pride and arrogance,
even in our humility.
But let Your name be glorified among us,
in the Church and in the world.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Epiphany 9 | Year C

To God, who welcomes all in love,
let us pray for the good of the church
and the concerns of those in need:

O God, we look to You as Healer
And ask that You would heal us in our day.
We look to the message of Christ for our hope:
We proclaim the Kingdom, the Way of God, is near.

You give power to the faint,
And strengthen the powerless.
You heal the brokenhearted
And bind up their wounds.

O God, may we who have been healed,
extend that healing to others.
And may those who are still healing,
find comfort and solidarity among Your people.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heal us, O God,
from our physical infirmities,
from our spiritual blindness,
from our emotional woundedness,
from our weakness and corruption.

Heal us, O God,
from our brokenness and trauma,
from our carelessness and apathy,
from our generational burdens,
from our hatred and violence.

O God, we pray for all affected by illness.
We pray for doctors, nurses,
and all who care for the sick and dying.
We give thanks for their ministry of mercy,
and pray that You will bless them
with the gifts of wisdom, strength, and compassion
that they may be a blessing to all in their care.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we hold You at Your word;
That those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Loving God, walk beside us.
When we are too hasty,
soothe our impatience and anxiety.
When we are too tardy,
draw us out of our sloth and bewilderment.
And when we are walking step-by-step with You,
give us grace to look aside to Your shoulder,

Your step, Your hand,
that wherever we tread in search or service of You,
we may always know we are not alone. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Epiphany 8 | Year C

Be still, sisters and brothers.
Be still before the Lord now,
and wait patiently
as we pray:

Lord, give us peace.
Where we choose to fret
over circumstances that seem unfair,
over things we cannot control,
and even those we can,
Hand us instead Your patient grace.

May we declare our trust in You:
a trust that soothes our rage
and that goads our apathy
so that we may act with confidence
that we are walking with You.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord of Love:
when we are called to love the lovely
Your commands fall easy on our ears.
But for the rest—
we need Your help.

Help us to love those who hate us.
To bless those who curse us.
To pray for those who cry out against us.
To offer our other cheek for striking;
to hand everything over to the thief.
These are difficult commands;
nevertheless we believe You
when You call us to mercy and forgiveness.

May we extend them
and embody You in our families,
our workplaces, our social media profiles,
our city and our world.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of Resurrection:
You have the final Word.
Death loses and You triumph!
Like the seed that falls,
dies, and rises again as an oak,
so is our resurrection promise.

We pray for strength
to practice that resurrection now.
Today. Tomorrow. This week.
To live as resurrection people,
calling out the good in everyone we encounter,
speaking Your words of life into them.

May we cherish Your resurrection promise
as we commend to You those who have died,
those who are infirm and ill,
those who suffer under individual situations
and systemic brutalities,
and those who around the world
who call You Lord, regardless of the ramifications.
You’ve made us resurrection people;
help us live like it.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Epiphany 7 | Year C

Sisters and brothers,
let us lift our hearts in faith
to the one who hears all prayers
and holds close all those in need.

Almighty God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth,
Hear our prayers for this Sanctuary family.
Strengthen the faithful and arouse the careless.
You give us all things necessary
for our common life together,
so bring us all to be one of one heart, one mind, and one body
in Your church.

We pray for our enemies,
for Your Son, O God, commands us to love our enemies.
Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge;
and in Your good time enable us all to stand
reconciled before You.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, grant us hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that we 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.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Holy God, You gather the whole universe
into Your presence
and continually reveal Your Son as our Savior.
Bring healing to all wounds,
make whole all that is broken,
speak truth to all illusion,
and shed light in every darkness,
that all creation will see Your glory and know Your Christ.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Epiphany 6 | Year C

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
the whole earth
is full of Your glory.
May we radiate Your glory now
as we pray:

You have touched our lips:
You have blotted out our sin,
You have shown our guilt the exit.
You have cleaned us up,
a rags-to-riches story of Your grace.

And because of this, we cry:
“Here we are! Send us!”
Send us to the broken-hearted
the down-and-out, the poor in spirit,
and those who know a version of You
and think it’s the Real Thing.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

How long, O Lord?
How long must we struggle with sickness,
worry about finances,
fight against injustice,
tear down unfair systems,
and grieve those who die?

How long must we
listen without comprehension,
look without seeing,
contemplate without conviction?
How long? And yet:

With the same wondering mouths,
We give You thanks.
We sing Your praise.
We proclaim Your steadfast love,
Your faithfulness,
Your soul-strengthening goodness.
For You are Good. Selah.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord of the least, the last, the lost,
the lonely, and the little:
You have changed our names.
You have crossed out the adjectives
this world once wrote on us
and stamped us anew.

First. Found. Friend-filled.
Free and full.
It is a miracle!

May we always know this about ourselves,
Burnish these truths in our hearts
so that we may walk with confidence
and see You as the Main Character in our story.

As You gave the disciples fish
after a long night of nothing,
Give us the courage to keep casting our nets,
to go where You lead us,
to love those You bring to us,
both here at Sanctuary
and everywhere else we go.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Epiphany 5 | Year C

God of all goodness,
we live in times of stress and controversy,
injustice and cruelty.
At times we cry to You for rescue
and remember that we have leaned on You since birth.

O God, we pray for leaders and nations
around the world,
that they may seek justice and peace.
We pray for Your church in all its forms,
that we may be the love You want.

We pray for victims of violence,
domestic and otherwise,
racial violence, and victims of war;
Grant Your healing.
Give Your peace.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for those trapped by natural disasters,
for the lives lost to the bitter cold;
embrace them with Your calm and send relief.
We pray for those who are sick or suffering,
that they may feel the comfort of Your love.

We pray for Your creation,
that the health of the earth may be mended and restored.
We pray for those who are born today,
and those who will die today.
May the quality of their life and death
be governed by loving choices.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

God our Wisdom,
enable us to be humble and kind
in all things.
Remind us that, whatever the issue,
we only know in part.
Yet, even now, faith, hope, and love abide;
and the greatest of these is love.
Help us to be, like You: Love.
O God of all creation, be our hope and trust.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.