O gracious and merciful God, as we come to you in prayer tonight, we give thanks for the opportunity to gather virtually, joining our hearts together in faith-filled prayer. Lord there is so much going on in the world this hour, yet your Holy Spirit is in the midst of every situation, seeking to work all things together good. For those things that weigh heavy on our hearts, we lay them before your altar, trusting in the ways you are working to bring healing and wholeness, reconciliation and peace, and softening even the hardest of hearts to lean into your all-encompassing mercy, grace and love.
O God, we give thanks for the gift of salvation we have through our faith in your Son Jesus Christ, and the call we each have to live a life of faithful discipleship. Lord, we come to you in focused prayer tonight, with the desire to help each grow in our relationship with you and each other, as we seek to be a unified, gathered Body of Christ, extending the love and grace in which you have freely given to us to all those we encounter. Lord, one of the greatest gifts we as believers have, is the gift of community, and the call to support each other and build each other up to glory of your kingdom.
Let us be reminded of our baptismal vows to be faithful to ministries of your Church through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, so that in everything, you God may be glorified in Christ Jesus our Lord. You have gifted each one of us with talents and spiritual gifts, and placed a passion for serving you uniquely in your Church. May we each be faithful in strengthening our gifts and regularly engaging in spiritual practices that will deepen our faith and more fully reflect your love within us to the world.
Your Son Jesus’ last words to his disciples in the Gospel of Matthew is to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything [you] have commanded” (Matthew 28: 18-20). This Great Commission was spoken, not just to those faithful 12, but to each of us who have also surrendered our lives to Christ. Lord, your charge to us is the foundation of our mission here at Genesis UMC, to “Become and Make Disciples”. Gracious God, empower us this day with the desire to be your hands and feet in this world, to live our lives as a living example to others just as Jesus modeled in the gospels. Help us to love as Christ loves, to serve others humbly as Christ served, and to guide others to a richer understanding of what it means to faithfully follow you.
Gracious God, help us to live out the Greatest Commandments of loving you God, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 2:37-30). You have created a beautifully diverse world and call us to extend a loving hand to all our neighbors, and to walk alongside them, to provide for their needs, to equip them, and to empower them into living lives devoted to Christ your Son.
You also remind us that you will be with us always, so no matter where we go, what situation we are in, you are with us, seeking to empower us, encourage us, and equip us to glorify Christ in all we do.
O God, we thank you for this church called Genesis UMC and for Pastor Craig, the faithful staff, and church leadership, and each person that the Holy Spirit has sent through the doors. Help us to support each other as we seek to serve in the ministries of this church in ways that glorify your Christ your Son and equip us to be sent out into our community and beyond in the world. Fill us with hearts ready to serve others as Jesus served. Let us hold each other regularly in prayer, and the missions and ministries to which you call us, as we seek to extend the transformational love and grace of Christ to the world.
We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Redeemer, Teacher, and Friend. Amen.
Prayer written by Ivy Parker