Prayers for Sunday February 11, 2001
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Invocation or Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 1)

Leader: Blessed are those who do not spend time with evil, nor listens to skeptics.

People: Their delight is the will of God.
Leader: They are like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields fruit.
People: Evil is like chaff and dust which the wind drives away.
Leader: Evil will not stand in judgment of us and be among the congregation of the good.
People: for the LORD knows the way of goodness, but the way of evil will die. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Eternal God, we look at our bank accounts and we feel secure about tomorrow. We open our refrigerator door, and we have no doubt that there will be food for our dinner table. We walk past our televisions, CD players and computers, and we know that we have the ability to amuse ourselves at any moment. And we find all those things to be sources of comfort. But in doing so, we fail to look to You. For our true hope and security does not reside in trusting in ourselves. Rather our only hope is found with You. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

Bountiful God, in our poverty, You lavish on us the riches of Your Kingdom. When we hunger, You give us a glimpse of the banquet table of heaven. We pray that we also might give to others as abundantly as You have given to us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Almighty Lord, give us the ability to see as You see. We look at the penniless beggars on the street and consider them to be less than human. But with Your eyes, You look upon those people as being Your children, bearers of Your image. We see the plight of the millions of starving people around the world, with their bloated stomachs and with flies swarming around their near-dead bodies. But we are often unmoved by their suffering, because we view those people as nothing more than strangers to us, or we wonder who is trying to make money from their suffering. Yet You, O Lord, see them as having a value beyond measure. You, Dear Lord, see them as the most blessed among us.

Almighty Lord, You have blessed us in so many ways. Guide us in all that we do, that we might become a blessing for others. Even when we do not have much to offer, show us how You are able to multiply our smallest efforts. Take our woes and make them into blessings for ourselves and for others. In the name of Jesus, the one who has blessed our whole lives, we pray. Amen.