Great God, You created the Heavens and the earth. From everlasting to everlasting You are God. You are all-powerful. You are almighty. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. For these reasons – and because of Your invitation – we have gathered again today in Your presence to sing Your praises and to unburden our hearts and minds. We ask You to graciously hear all our prayers. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Father, Your intention was that Your children live together in peace and harmony, in a family. We confess to You that this world – including each of us – has wandered drastically from that plan. We have warred where we should have allowed peace to prevail. We have spoken when we should have been silent. We have built dividing walls where you intended none. We have designed our own plans when Your plans weren’t acceptable to us. Forgive us. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Lord of the Church, we thank You for this place of peace. We thank You for those through the years who have sacrificed to provide us this place and for all who continue to labor and toil and sacrifice for this place and for Your mission and ministry that happens here. At the start of this new year, we ask You to firmly fix our eyes upon You that we may continue to trust You to meet all our needs, that anxiousness and concern would not keep us from doing what You would have us do. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Great Physician of body and soul, we again bring to you the names of our friends and family members who are in particular need of Your healing ministry:
We pray for Peter Renfroe during this long time of disease in his life, that you would provide relief to him and strength for his family members who care for him. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for all our shut-in members, but especially for Claudia Proctor and Jill Fenske and Arline Pace, who are struggling with particular declining health issues. Keep them strong in You. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for Dr. Eddie Gibbs, the father of Rachel Thaxton, as he continues to serve You as a popular professor at Fuller Seminary and as a world-wide lecturer, while he struggles with a newly diagnosed rare kidney disease. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for our former Pastor Robert Faga who is well on the way to recovery following quintuple bypass surgery and is now growing impatient not being able to do what he wants to do. Be with him and with Sonnie. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for Corine Motley and Michealene Melus as they both recuperate from recent knee surgeries. We ask that the skill of the doctors would bring complete cures to their problems. And be with Betty Barnett as she contemplates a similar surgery in the near future. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for Jeff Golding, the son of Cheryl Kohl and grandson of the late Del Parker, who has a brain tumor. Lord, be with Jeff and with his wife, Michelle, and with their young children. We are bold to ask for a miracle in his life. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for Charlie Freeny as she has begun a new round of chemotherapy but refuses to let that get her down. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for Mary, a resident at Elizabeth House and a friend of Teri Higby, who has had a troubled pregnancy and is preparing to give birth in March. Lord, be with Mary and with her unborn child. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We pray for all those with cancer and other long term illnesses:
Kerri Baggenstoss, the cousin of Carol Schlichting
Dennis Guglielmetti a friend of Carol Schlichting
Vickie, a friend of Teri Higby
Hanna Gasser a friend of Steve Sager
Terry Gallagher a friend of Carol Schlichting
Marilyn Bennett a friend of Ocilda Files
Don Yost a friend of Debbie and Brian Hooper
David a friend of Johnnie & Rogelio Douglas.
Meet each of these people in their times of need and grant relief for their afflictions. Through this time of disease, draw them closer to You. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Lord, we praise You for the abundant rain You have provided us this past week. You know we needed it in the midst of this extended drought and You have certainly provided it. We pray for all those affected by these storms – those who had to be evacuated from their homes; those whose homes sustained damage from falling trees and invading mud and water; those who encountered car accidents on slippery roads. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Lord, we thank You for all who selflessly serve us on a daily basis – doctors and nurses, police officers and fire fighters. We ask You to keep them healthy and safe while attending to us. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Lord, we thank You for those, who during these days of voluntary military service, indeed rise to the cause of freedom and serve You and us and our country. Protect them during their time of service, particularly Scott Eisele, Anthony Leary, John Ochetti, Jr., Isaac Tait and Jonathon Roper. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Mighty God, Creator and Sustainer of our world, You are certainly aware of the events in Haiti, the massive earthquake that has destroyed so much, the repeated aftershocks, the efforts of the search and rescue teams, the seemingly unending efforts of the relief workers. Lord, Your plans are not our plans and Your ways are not our ways. Why such tragedy has struck an already afflicted country, we do not know, but we do know that YOU CAN bring about something better for the people of Haiti and that we can each be a part of that new prosperity and peace. Be with all who have lost loved ones. Be with all who have lost everything they have. Bring stability to the government and economy. Prevent violence in the streets. Prevent evil and greed and corruption that might keep the needed relief supplies from reaching those who need them. Speed up the flow of relief supplies. Protect the efforts of all who labor day and night to bring health and healing to a hurting country. Bless the rebuilding efforts to create a stronger, safer, more secure Haiti. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Special prayers today for Rev. Daniel Paul, one of our Lutheran pastors in Haiti, who leads the North East Haiti Lutheran Mission and the House of the Lamb of God orphanage. We pray that, through the efforts of Rev. Paul and other Christian workers like him, all would focus upon You as the Author of life and receive comfort through a personal relationship with You. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Lord, while we pray for other countries, we also pray for our own. Be with our President and national Congress. Remind them always that they represent us. Be with our Governor and elected state leaders. Remind them always that they represent us. Be with our county supervisors and with the mayors of each of our cities. Remind them always that they represent us. Help them all to work together to bring an end to so much suffering in our own midst – hunger and homelessness, economic distress, underemployment and unemployment, financial instability and lack of trust. Make our leaders into the people You would have them to be. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Great Teacher, we pray for Kevin Baumgartner and Christopher Rivera as
they will next Sunday stand before Your Altar and publicly confess their faith in You. Be with our Bishop, Dr. Larry Stoterau, as he joins us next Sunday to participate in this exciting event in the lives of these young men. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
Finally, Lord Jesus Christ, Head of the Body known as the Church, we thank You for this gathered congregation of Your people. We thank You for recent growth we have seen in membership, in the attendance of our English and Spanish worshiping communities and especially in our Sunday School, Adult Bible classes and “Good Friday” Youth Outreach. Bless our efforts as we continue to reach out to the unchurched. Bless our efforts as we continue to reach out to our inactive members. May all that we do and say as Your people in this place be done to Your glory and honor. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.
We thank Thee, our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast kept us this night from all harm and danger and we pray Thee that Thou wouldst keep us this day also from sin and every evil, that all our doings and life may please Thee. For into Thy Hands we commend ourselves, our bodies and souls and all things. Let Thy holy angel be with us that the wicked foe may have no power over us. Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine into our darkness.