Let us pray to God, saying:
Gospel God, help us be hearers and doers of your Word.
We are reminded that the great ends of the Church are: (PCUSA Book of Order F-1.0304)
the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind,
the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God,
the maintenance of divine worship,
the preservation of the truth,
the promotion of social righteousness,
and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.
We acknowledge that these things don’t happen by themselves
but only by the faithful work that you call us to do.
Help us embrace that work and do it joyfully and faithfully.
Gospel God, help us be hearers and doers of your Word.
God of All Nations,
we lament the times when people have suffered
because of the Church’s silence, complicity, and apathy.
We pray for those who have sought protection but not found it.
We pray for those who have begged for food and water and have left empty handed.
We pray for those who have asked for love and received instead judgment.
Help us remember that how we treat the least of these is how we treat you.
Gospel God, help us be hearers and doers of your Word.
God of All Wisdom,
we pray that we might be a people that live the Christian life
more than one hour a week.
We are reminded that the work of the Gospel is not a part-time job
that we can pick up and put down at our convenience.
Help us heed James’ imperative to be a people of action and truth,
bound by our duty to serve you in all that we are and in all that we do.
Gospel God, help us be hearers and doers of your Word.
Gracious God,
hear us now as we pray silently for those upon our hearts this day…
Gospel God, help us be hearers and doers of your Word.
Heavenly Parent,
hear us now as we pray the prayer you taught us to pray, saying: Our Father…
Submitted by Stephen M. Fearing, Beaumont Presbyterian Church, Lexington, KY
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