Call to Worship – September 6, 2015
The English poet William Wordsworth wrote that the world is too much with us, and in the opening stages of an inevitably long political campaign, already it is starting to feel that way. Today we shall be thinking about ethics in politics, and how we as voters are affected by that very important and complicated subject. God guides us, as He guides all people, through the circuitous political paths of government along which all peoples must pass. Let us therefore, with expectant and eager hearts and minds, worship God.
Pastoral Prayer
Loving God, when we read the newspaper or watch the news on television, we are reminded of the many issues we face as citizens of this nation. But when we compare our lives to those of people in very troubled countries, we can only express gratitude that we have almost no irresolvable concerns compared to millions of the world’s people. We pray particularly for the countless numbers of refugees who are fleeing their homelands. We think of those leaving the Middle East for Europe: Syrians, Iraqis, Turks, Kurds, Iranians, Egyptians, and Libyans. We pray for families who have become separated from one another in these chaotic times, and especially for children who have been separated from their parents. Bless also the leaders of the host countries to which the refugees flee, hoping to find a welcome from nations and citizens who already are strained with the numbers of dispossessed immigrants. Lord God, it is Thy world, and all people are Thy people. Enter into the hearts and minds of the fearful, the fretful, and the powerful.
We bring before Thee our concerns for others who live among us, who are not faced with the upheaval of having to flee their homes, but who nonetheless are in particular need of Thy grace: the seriously ill, the gravely debilitated, those who face constant pain or uncertainty, those who are in mourning because of the death of people they loved. We thank Thee for Thy care of us which we see manifest every day, and we ask that people in need may also experience that care in a positive and reassuring way.
In the rising heat of a campaign which shall continue for the next fifteen months, we pray for the many candidates seeking their political party’s nomination to be President of the United States. Guide them and also guide the electorate as we listen to what they say. Grant us wisdom to discern truth from falsehood and reality from wishful thinking. Gracious God, we acknowledge that Thou dost care infinitely for the world while at the same time giving great personal latitude to those who live in the world. Give us perception for the things we need to do, persistence for the things which are hard for us to do, and the perspicacity for discerning what to do and not to do. Our prayers we make in the name of Jesus Christ, who has invited us into Thy presence, and who leads us along the way. Now we pray together as he taught his original disciples, saying, Our Father….