Lord of Wind and Flame,
You who call us to put on the armor of God
You who call us to wait patiently for your guidance
You who call us to care for strangers made neighbors at each encounter:
Bless these Firefighters, EMS, and First Responders.
As they put on their gear
Breathe upon them your Spirit of Peace.
As they wait for instructions and directions
Breathe upon them your Spirit of Wholeness.
As they go forth into houses and highways of despair
Breathe upon them your Spirit of Hope.
Burn in their hearts as love while they put out flames of disaster.
Beat within their hearts while they resuscitate travelers on the way.
Blow gently ahead of them so that at each incident and accident your presence is felt comforting and bringing peace.
All this we ask in the name of the Savior
who responded to our call, our need, our desperation, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord,
Because you are you and we are your children
Because you created and we were created
Because you died and rose again and we yearn to follow you
Because you whisper within our hearts still today:
Lord, we give.
We give you ourselves.
We give you tithes and offerings, symbols of a spiritual practice of denying ourselves.
We give in hope of sharing not just funds, but faith in Christ Jesus.
Lord,
Because you are you and we are your children –
Take these gifts we give you.
Bless this sharing.
Break open our hearts and
Give us to the world as your church. Amen.
Blessing of Law Enforcement April 2016
Beloved Jesus,
You came down to serve, to protect, and to give your life to save another.
You served humanity, showing us love and sharing what we could be when shaped by that love.
You protected the weak, the abused, the outcasts, and those society have given up on – walking with the least and the worst.
You gave your live for the cause of those who didn’t deserve it, and we are eternally grateful for your gift.
Before us now are men and women who seek
to follow you
to serve and protect
and who daily place their lives in danger on behalf of our community.
Bless them, Savior.
Provide mercy and justice in each call they answer.
Protect them with the Armor of God in addition to body armor.
In those moments when quick decisions can change and save lives, Spirit, give that peace and practiced discernment of choosing right over wrong, love to conquer hate, and restrained force to rein in unrestrained behavior.
Lord, these men and women, especially today, endure such judgment and difficulty in completing the work set before them
give them patience, perseverance, and understanding
and let them know your presence in the patrol car, in the dispatch room, in the day and in the night. You are the Lord who said you would always be with us, to the end of the age, Jesus. Amen.
While teaching some students “Leading Prayer” at the Lay Servant Academy at Blackstone, one table group wrote this beautiful litany…
Lord protect us from the storms by Cathie Johnson, Audrey Lewis, Bob Goodwin, and Wanda Lee Smith. (CC) 2016 worshipswake.wordpress.com
We hear the thunder sounds of the heavens being torn apart.
Lord protect us from the storms.
Anxiety rises as the weather advisories become a reality.
Lord protect us from the storms.
The rivers rise into the roads.
Lord protect us from the storms.
Rains and winds ravaged over the lost lives of many.
Lord protect us from the storms.
Heartache and pain now fill lives with sorrow and despair.
Lord protect us from the storms.
Give us hearts for those who need to share their needs.
Lord protect us from the storms.
We are buffeted from all sides with temptation.
Lord protect us from the storms.
We live in a fallen world.
Lord protect us from the storms.
You alone are our shelter.
Lord protect us from the storms.
Lord of Blessing and
Redeemer who removes the curse of broken life:
Mark us as your children in the mercy that flows from you.
Brand us with your love that calls us to remembrance and observance.
Protect your flock, provide for their needs, and flood their lives with your presence.
For we desire to be more than believers.
Help us to follow you, Jesus,
so the sick may be healed
so the debt-chained may be freed
so all the world see you in us
Your spirit, Your Mark, Your Love
within and through Your Church. Amen.
We run from You, great forgiver and lover.
We run through the streets terrified because we know
You seek truth, You seek justice, You seek humble hearts
so that You can forgive them.
but We have refused to live forgiven lives.
We have made our faces harder than rock
and We have no excuse.
We are not the poor.
and yet, We are not truly rich.
We have all broken the yoke that was easy.
We have all torn the bonds that gave us freedom.
forgive us, we pray.
You can protect us from the Lion in the roaming in our forest,
those dark voices roaring in our minds.
You can lift us from the Leopard seeking to rip us to pieces,
those evils of self-indulgence and self-gratification.
You alone can feed our hungry spirits and heal our hurting souls.
Sisters and Brothers, the Great Forgiver calls us.
Because of God’s Love, the Living Bread descended to us in the desert.
Our cry of “Lord, help my unbelief” has been heard!
Here is the only proof we ever need. God’s Love!
In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven!
In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven!
Hallelujah! Amen!
Word in the flesh,
who is within our hearts waiting to be shared on our lips:
Parse our actions,
Translate our misguided love,
and Write your story in our lives
so we can be one:
One as a book of humanity,
One as a chapter of the Church,
One as a sentence moment in which you are both subject and verb.
One Word.
In the name of the Eternally Speaking and yet often unheard Lord, Amen.
Great Heavenly Host
who sets table,
who provides this meal,
who is the bread and the cup:
Join our hearts together
because we are broken,
because we hunger and thirst for unity and community,
because you nourish harmony.
Jesus, this is your table, Amen.
Worship's Wake 