Daily Prayers May 17

Daily Readings for Friday, May 17, 2024

• Morning Psalms 96; 148
• First Reading Jeremiah 31:27-34
• Second Reading Ephesians 5:1-32
• Gospel Reading Matthew 9:9-17
• Evening Psalms 49; 138

You, O Lord, are full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and rich in kindness.

God our creator, you made all things in your wisdom, and in your love you save us. We pray for the whole creation. Overthrow evil powers, right what is wrong, feed and satisfy those who thirst for justice, so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made, and joyfully sing your praises. Take all our doubts and uncertainties, O God, and fill us with such faith that we may be confident of your love and loyal in the service of him who died and yet lives for us, Jesus Christ the Lord. Merciful God, you bear the pain of the world. Look with compassion on those who are sick; cheer them by your word, and bring healing as a sign of your grace. God of comfort, stand with those who sorrow; that they may be sure that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, shall separate them from your love. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

As God's own, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, and patience, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, and crown all these things with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

Worship Prayers May 12 Youth Sunday

 CENTERING PRAYER Good and gracious God, we rise with the morning light to give you thanks for rest and dreams, for warmth and safety, for the delight we have again today in a life filled with your goodness. Keep us in your care this day that we may walk in your path, glad for friends, praying for our enemies, and eager to hear your Word. Amen.

CALL TO WORSHIP We come to worship Jesus Christ: with our fears and our doubts. We come to worship Jesus Christ: with our joys and our passions. We come to worship Jesus Christ: with our whole being and all that we are. Jesus comes to meet us here. Let us worship the risen Christ!

CALL TO CONFESSION Gather now and celebrate! We celebrate an awesome God who loves us! We have been saved! We have been saved by God’s hand of grace! Saved by God’s awesome love!

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Creator of the Universe. We have witnessed your awesome power and amazing grace. Yet we have challenged your authority, exploited the world you created, and abused your gifts of new life. Yet you still reach out and call us your children. We have heard your call, yet we have wandered from your teaching. We have taken lightly your ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection power. We have discounted your worth and shut you out of our lives. Yet you still reach out and call us forgiven and clean. We have experienced your power, yet we live as if you don’t exist. We have failed to acknowledge your presence in us making us one. Yet you still reach out and call us the body of Christ. Have mercy Lord. Forgive us we pray. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH We believe in God, the author of grace. Grace to heal, grace to save, grace that is stronger than our sins. Grace that works mighty deeds, awesome and glorious. Grace that has remained strong from ages past to present. We believe in Jesus, the heart and hands of grace. Grace that freely accepts us with love and compassion. Grace that liberates us by the power of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Grace that remains faithful and strong through the good times and the bad. We believe in the Spirit, the very breath of grace. Grace that empowers us to stand and work for truth and justice. Grace that quietly brings healing to our lives, our relationships, and our world. We believe in the Church and the ministry of grace. Grace that we have seen and touched in the water and the wine. Grace that we share daily with our families, friends, neighbors, and world. We are called to grace. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE For all who hunger Something to eat For all who thirst Something to drink May all who are outside Be invited in May all who are exposed Be sheltered and clothed For all who are sick Healing and comfort For all who are imprisoned Liberation and love Give us eyes to see And Hearts to know That as we do for the least of these We do for you, O Christ We do for you. Our Father in heaven, help us to honor your name. Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven. Give us our food for today. Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others. Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

BENEDICTION RESPONSE He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me, and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives! He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart!

Daily Prayers May 10

 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.

Daily Readings for Friday, May 10, 2024

• Morning Psalms 96; 148
• First Reading 1 Samuel 2:1-10
• Second Reading Ephesians 2:1-10
• Gospel Reading Matthew 7:22-27
• Evening Psalms 49; 138

Eternal God, Author of our life and End of our pilgrimage: Guide us by your Word and Spirit amid all perils and temptations, that we may not wander from your way, nor stumble in the darkness; but may finish our course in safety, and come to our eternal rest in you. Eternal God, your hand shaped our lives by grace and your hand rescued us from sin by love. May your hand guide us through this day, shielding us from all evil, strengthening us to do justice and love. Enable us, O God, to do all things as unto you; that small things may be filled with greatness, and great things may be crowned with humility. O God, whom we cannot love unless we love our neighbors, remove hate and prejudice from us and from all people, so that your children may be reconciled with those we fear, resent, or threaten; and live together in your peace. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

With God's help and love may your lives be blessed and your labors fruitful as you offer yourselves gladly in the service of our common Lord.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

Worship Prayers for May 5

 

CENTERING PRAYER

 

Loving God, help us to love others as Christ first loved us. Bring us into the spiritual joy of living our lives as your friend, and teach us to abide in your love, that we may show that love to the world. Amen.

 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Sing to our God a new song.

God has done marvelous things!

Make a joyful noise to the Lord!

Break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

Let the sea roar and all that fills it.

Let the world and its people sing together for joy!

 

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Loving God, we do not love you or each other with our whole hearts. We see your law as a burden and not a blessing. Forgive us, we pray, and lead us toward wholeness, that we may be filled with your joy. We continue to pray in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)

 

Scripture for May 5

 I John 5:1-6

Faith in the Son of God

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross[b]—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony.

Read full chapter

The Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, by José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior, 1895

Daily Prayers May 3

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a humble spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Daily Readings for Friday, May 3, 2024

• Morning Psalms 96; 148
• First Reading Leviticus 23:1-22
• Second Reading 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17
• Gospel Reading Matthew 7:1-12
• Evening Psalms 49; 138

Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ and make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our daily lives, make us attentive to your voice and alert to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else. O God, you are infinite, eternal and unchangeable, glorious in holiness, full of love and compassion, abundant in grace and truth. Your works everywhere praise you, and your glory is revealed in Jesus Christ our Savior. Therefore we praise you, blessed and holy Trinity, one God, forever and ever.

Eternal God, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts, to direct and rule us according to your will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and to lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

LOCAL DONATION & RECYCLING OPTIONS

THANK YOU for being a good earth steward by appropriately donating and recycling items you no longer use. April 2024 

Electronics Recycling Drives 

Third Saturday of odd number months, 8-11AM, Schroeder Park, Manchester, MO 63021 

First Thursday of the month, 12-5PM, Bluebird Park, Ellisville, MO 63011 

Electronics Drop Off 

SpectrumEcycle, 1521 Page Industrial Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63132 -- spectrumecycle.com Electronics, 

Hazardous Household Waste, Magazines, Encyclopedias, Single Stream Recycling, Scrap Metal, Large Appliances for Scrap, and Much More! 

Earthbound Recycling, 25 Truit Drive, Eureka, MO 63025 -- Earthboundrecycling.com Hazardous 

Household Waste Drop Off Locations (by appointment) 

St. Louis City/County -- hhwstl.com paint, varnish, stain, cleaners, batteries (including car), fuel, fuel filters and containers, cooking oil, pesticides, herbicides, poison, fire extinguishers, etc… see website for full list 

Large Furniture and Some Appliances (check websites for items accepted and schedule a pick up) 

Home Sweet Home – homesweethomestl.org Habitat for Humanity ReStore – habitat.org/restores/shop 

St. Vincent DePaul – svdpstlouis.org/stores/locations 

Clothing, Shoes, Household Goods, Books, Toys, Sporting Goods, Holiday Decor 

Goodwill - goodwill.org 

Salvation Army - salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ 

St. Vincent DePaul – svdpstlouis.org/stores/locations 

Savers - stores.savers.com 

The Miriam Foundation runs the Miriam Switching Post resale shop 292 hanley industrial ct, st louis, 63144 (in business park off strassner behind Microcenter in Brentwood/ Richmond Heights area https://www.miriamstl.org/support/switching-post

The Assistance League Shop at Olive and Mason (by the Schnucks) https://www.alstl.org/fantastic-finds-resale

Miscellaneous

 -art and craft supplies– Leftovers – leftoversetc.com -- located in Chesterfield Mall

 -batteries, fluorescent lights, plastic plant pots – Lowes and Home Depot 

-bicycles – Manchester United Methodist Church Bike Rehab and St. Louis BWorks – bworks.org 

-contacts and eyeglasses – Clarkson Eye Care locations 

-fabric and sewing supplies – citysewingroom.com 

-Hearing Aids -- mail to Hearing Charities of America -- hearingaiddonations.org/ 

-medical equipment – St. Louis HELP (Health Equipment Lending Program) – www.stlhelp.org 

-music instruments – Music for Lifelong Achievement – thesheldon.org/mfla/ 

-prescription and OTC medications – local police departments and most CVS locations 

-plastic bags – grocery stores -

printer cartridges – office supply stores

 -Green Resources Answer Service – Missouri Botanical Garden -- mobot.org/sustainability

St. Louis County Helpful Recycling Information stlouiscountymo.gov -- search on “recycling wizard” --

 Earth 911 – a VERY helpful site for a wide range of items!!! search.earth911.com –

THANK YOU for being a good earth steward by appropriately donating and recycling items you no longer use. April 2024 

Worship Prayers April 28

 

CENTERING PRAYER

 

Time is
Too slow for those who Wait,
Too swift for those who Fear,
Too long for those who Grieve,
Too short for those who Rejoice,
But for those who Love,
Time is not.

 

- Henry van Dyke Jr.

 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 1)

 

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

Come, let us worship our Lord together.

 

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Almighty God, you brought forth the world for the love of Christ., ye we live in rebellion and turn away from your created purpose. We acknowledge the Lordship of Christ with our lips, but we do not honor you with our lives. We prefer the wide path of destruction over the narrow way to life. Therefore, we pray:

 

Break our rebellious will.

Instruct our hearts in the way of peace.

Expose our insincere thoughts.

Give us integrity in our quest for truth.

Release us from the fear of death.

Grant us courage in the face of evil.

Free us for joyful service in Christ our Lord.

Empower us to live as citizens of your kingdom.

We pray this for the sake of the world, in the name of Christ. (Silent Confession)

 

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – Heidelberg Catechism Question One 

 

Q.1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

 

 

 

OFFERING

 

Invitation to the Offering

 

With gratitude, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.

 

Prayer after Offering

 

Let us pray…Almighty God, receive our offering for the sake of Christ our Lord. Make us worthy stewards of your gifts and generous citizens of the kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we pray. Amen.