Prayer

Merciful God, as we celebrate the season of Lent, renew our dedication to proclaiming the kingdom of God. May the example and the witness of your son Jesus inspire us to repent of everything in our lives that is unworthy of your loving kindness. May our celebration of this sacred season deepen our relationship with you and foster a commitment to serve your kingdom. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer

God justice, today, around the globe, the world celebrates Social Justice Day, a day set aide to focus our attention on continuing injustice in the world and our responsibility to eradicate it. Stir within our hearts a passion for justice and a commitment to fostering right relationships in our families, communities, and nations. May your abiding love guide us as we strive together to build a world of justice and peace. Amen.

Prayer

God of courage, we live in uncertain times. Uncertainty can often breed fear, fear of what is and fear of what may yet be. Inspire us by the example of your son Jesus to face these uncertain times with courage and faith, and with genuine hope for the future you promise. May we trust in the truth that you love us and will never abandon us. Strengthened by your love, stir within us the courage we need to confront fear and to live courageously. In God’s name, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

God of thanksgiving, so many continue to suffer in our world from the coronavirus and its consequences for the larger society. We ask you today to renew our commitment to Jesus’ ministry of compassionate care and the pursuit of healing for those people who are suffering physically, emotionally, psychologically, and economically. And we give thanks for the many who are working at risk to themselves to create safe and healthy individuals and communities across our nation and throughout the world. In thanksgiving, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

God of light and life, today we begin our celebration of the sacred season of Lent. Inspire us to use the opportunity Lent provides to draw closer to you, to grow as people, and to build ever stronger bridges with others. May this sacred season serve to renew our response to your call to each of us to serve the reign of God, making the world a more just, free, and compassionate place for all. With trust, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Almighty God, sometimes we struggle to recognize the good in our lives because of our unbalanced focus on the negative. Many blessings can be washed away by the most isolated negative experience or comment. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that we might be ever more able to acknowledge the negative while genuinely appreciating and focusing upon all the good in our lives. With confidence, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Compassionate God, today, we continue our celebration of Black History Month. May our ongoing celebration remind us of how vitally important it is to be truthful as a nation about our past, to be honest and hopeful about the future we desire as a people, and to recognize and accept that both require us to be a virtuous people in the here and now. May we as individuals and as a people pursue the success that is not defined by the size of our bank accounts but by the contribution we make to the lives of others. May we repent of injustice and contribute to the dawning of a new and better day for all. In humility, we pray. Amen.