God of abundant love, in whom we live and move and have our being, we come before you on this day. Carrying with us prayers of gratitude for this, your church. Bring your stilling presence to our hearts, our spirits, as we lift our prayers to you.

We give you gratitude, oh listening God, for the celebrations in our lives. For good beginnings to new school years, we thank you. For progress in healing, for new jobs and new apartments, we celebrate in you.

Holy One, you know the joys of our hearts, and you know what burdens we carry. But you invite us to speak them to you so that our joys may be multiplied and our burdens lightened in the sharing.

So lighten the heavy hearts of your children this week. For those facing divorce or separation, bring hope, bring loving presence. For your children long awaiting peace in their land, bring peace, true and lasting peace. For those who fear scarcity or face transition, bring resources and calm to their spirits.

Jesus, you tell us to love your neighbor as yourself, and we fall short of this command. Go and do likewise, you tell us, and we do not heed your words. We distance ourselves from our neighbor, when you tell us to draw close, to bind up the wounds we see in our midst. Help us, loving Christ, to love like you do, and to act on this love.

This is your kingdom, come on earth. This is who you call us to be for each other. And so we turn our hearts to your teaching, seeking wholeness in you.

We ask all these things, trusting in you our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer in all things. In the name of your Son Jesus, who taught us to pray, we lift our voices together, saying…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.