September 10, 2021
A daily prayer from the New England Conference
The clergy and laity of the New England Conference are sharing a daily prayer based on the Revised Common Lectionary for the week.
You are welcome to use these in worship or in your own devotions. Today’s Prayer
Beloved Emmanuel, Source of all that creates life, You know what we need even before we ask and yet invite us to come to find help in our time of need. In the midst of devastation in Haiti and in the wake of a pandemic, hurricanes Henri and Ida, in the wake of tensions and loss in Afghanistan we struggle to work for social justice, ecological stewardship, sound denominational decisions, meeting clergy responsibilities, and navigating daily struggles in the lives of members of local parishes and loved ones. So, we come to your presence, lifting our burdens to you, asking that you would speak so we may hear. We pause to consider your awesome beauty, shown in your creation – in the heavens and on earth. We pause to remember our assurance of never being forsaken. We pause to listen to your Spirit’s counsel. Keep us from only seeking you when we are in trouble, drawing us daily to your presence and words of wisdom. Grant us confidence in your love so we may be willing to honestly reflect each day where we have been on target and where we have missed the mark. Where we need to redirect, empower us to move in that new direction. Grant us intentionality to plant seeds of life in one another, speaking words of dignity and grace. Help us not run away from hard conversations out of self-protection or fear. May we speak wisdom with gentleness, truth with love, and hard truths with great love. Grant that our intentions would be for the well-being of the hearer. Forgive us for the times we’ve used our words to judge, attack, or curse another with derision, sarcasm, labeling, belittling or trying to prove we are right. Heal the hurts we absorb from one another. Re-direct us in compassion. Empower us to consider our words before speaking so that what is spoken meets the criteria of being true, necessary, and kind. We acknowledge that your ways revive souls, bring wisdom, bring joy to our hearts and enlightenment to our understanding. We acknowledge we need your Spirit and fellowship with each other to live into your ways. In gratitude we entrust our burdens and needs to your care and proclaim the hope and good news you have entrusted to us. For the sake of your commonwealth of peace and freedom. Amen. Based on Proverbs 1:20-33, Psalm 19, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38 Lisa McColgan, member of Dalton UMC, certified candidate