Living with other people, particularly difficult people, is a challenge. Jesus well understood that, because he was confronted by difficult people every day of his life. Nevertheless, he commanded us to love everyone, however much we might not liked them. Gathering for worship, we are enabled to do that which God and Jesus ask us to do, because we concentrate for an hour on what really matters. Therefore, let us with confidence worship the God who inspires us to worship Him.
Pastoral Prayer
We come together in worship, Lord God, because it is our will and habit and custom to do so. But even more we gather because it is Thou who hast called here. We are a people who are made one people by Thy will and Thy word. We thank Thee for helping each of us to enter into the lives of all the rest of us, and that a community of faith is created by the communion of Thy spirit within us. Make us worthy members of Thy family, O God, and grant us the ability to convince others as best we can that all Thy children are part of Thy family.
We praise Thee for everyone who has influenced us to become members of the community of the faithful. We remember people from our families, those still living as well as those who have died, who touched our faith by their faith, and who helped usher us into the worldwide Church of Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for thinkers and writers and sages from the past whose work has etched itself into our consciousness. We thank Thee also for the communion of saints of all time and in all places, and for the strength which comes to us because together we are infinitely stronger than we are by ourselves.
We pray for those in this particular community of faith who are experiencing unusual trials, and for all others everywhere who also face physical or psychological or spiritual tests. Grant to them a new inner peace which accepts the reality of whatever confronts them, but also a renewed trust that Thou wilt see them through whatever is necessary. Hold them in Thy powerful hand, O Thou who art the source of all power. We thank Thee for the faith which has come to us through Jesus Christ, and we ask that such faith may sustain all who are in special need at this time. These things we pray in his name, now praying together as he taught his disciples, saying, Our Father….