Prayers for September 30, 2001

Proper 21, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 91)

Leader: God is our refuge and fortress. In God let us trust.
People: God delivers those who love Him. God protects those who know His name.
Leader: When we call to God, God will answer us; God will rescue us from trouble.
People: God will raise us up, for God is our salvation.

Prayer of Confession

Holy God, the cries of the world are all around us. In the newspapers, we read about famines and floods. On the television, we see images of disease and disaster. On the radio, we hear reports of poverty and pain. But we often ignore those pleas for help. We assume that someone else will deal with those problems. Yet we know that we are often in positions where we can ease others' pain. Forgive us for being callous and uncaring. Touch our hearts and fill us with Your compassion. We ask this in the name of our merciful Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

Creator God, You call us to be good stewards of Your treasures. As we gaze upon the lavish blessings You share with us, keep us from becoming selfish. As we consider the wealth we have available to us, enable us to see the potential for life-giving service that wealth can achieve. Use us and our gifts to lift up those who have been brought low. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord of compassion, we pray this day for all those who care for the suffering people of our world. We pray for doctors and dentists, for nurses and therapists. We offer our prayers for those who provide shelters for the homeless and for the abused. We lift our voices in prayer for those who operate food pantries and clothing banks. For counselors and social workers, and for all who seek to raise others up, we offer our thanks, and we pray for You to support them in their work.

But regardless of our occupation, show us all, O God, how we can be of real assistance to those around us. Through our gifts, through our prayers, through our time—reveal to us how we can make a difference in the life of someone just outside our door. In our neighborhood, in our town, or somewhere in our world, open our eyes to see the Lazarus' in our midst, and guide us to do what we can to lift them up, so that they may enjoy the life that You intend. In the name of our Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.