Lord God, my heart is stirred by a noble theme.
I recite these verses for you, my King;
make my tongue like the pen of a skillful writer.
You are the most excellent of kings,
and your lips are anointed with grace;
you are blessed forever, O Lord, O King of the Universe.
Gird your sword upon your side, O Mighty One;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness;
let your right hand display your awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of your enemies;
let all peoples and races fall beneath your feet.
I praise you because your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
I praise you because you love righteousness and hate wickedness;
you are exalted above all kingdoms and powers,
you are the anointed King of Kings.
I will reach out in prayer and worship to touch your robe,
all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
I will look to your glorious throne
and sing music to make you glad.
You bestow honor on your bride, the Church;
may you bedeck your royal bride as with gold of Ophir.
Let your Church consider and give ear:
Let us forget where we came from;
give us eyes only for you.
I will bring you my gift, Lord;
with my whole heart I will seek your favor.
This weekend, Lord, we break ground for The Loft;
glorify yourself in your church as we do this;
let this structure be like a gown of woven gold adorning your church.
Let it glorify you as our king;
and let all your church’s companions,
all our friends in the community,
all who see,
be brought closer to you.
Lead us in with joy and gladness,
and make this place a palace for our king,
and one that pleases you because of the willing servants
to be added to your kingdom within its walls.
Let this weekend be memorable for this and future generations,
for sons who will take the place of their fathers;
Let us perpetuate your memory through all generations;
that the nations may praise you for ever and ever.
A Prayer of Wendell Berry
Teach me work that honors Thy work,
the true economies of goods and words,
to make my arts compatible
with the songs of the local birds.
Teach me the patience beyond work
and, beyond patience, the blest
Sabbath of Thy unresting love
which lights all things and gives rest.
(by Wendell Berry, from Given (New Poems), 2005).
the true economies of goods and words,
to make my arts compatible
with the songs of the local birds.
Teach me the patience beyond work
and, beyond patience, the blest
Sabbath of Thy unresting love
which lights all things and gives rest.
(by Wendell Berry, from Given (New Poems), 2005).
First Speaker
First Speaker,
you whispered your love to me
in my mother's womb.
First Knower,
you knew me
long before I knew you.
First Finder,
you found me
before I looked for you.
First Lover,
you loved me
before I had the first chance to love you back.
And you are still speaking,
knowing,
finding,
and loving me
first,
every day,
every moment;
you are always
speaking,
knowing,
finding,
and loving
me first.
Thank you,
in Jesus' name, amen.
you whispered your love to me
in my mother's womb.
First Knower,
you knew me
long before I knew you.
First Finder,
you found me
before I looked for you.
First Lover,
you loved me
before I had the first chance to love you back.
And you are still speaking,
knowing,
finding,
and loving me
first,
every day,
every moment;
you are always
speaking,
knowing,
finding,
and loving
me first.
Thank you,
in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer in Spring
(by Robert Frost, from A Boy's Will)
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.
Steer Me
(A prayer of Basil of Caesarea)
Steer the ship of my life, O Lord,
to your quiet harbor,
where I can be safe from the storms
of sin and conflict.
Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can always see the right direction
in which I should go.
And give me the strength and the courage
to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring hardship and danger
in your name
we shall find comfort and peace. Amen.
Steer the ship of my life, O Lord,
to your quiet harbor,
where I can be safe from the storms
of sin and conflict.
Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can always see the right direction
in which I should go.
And give me the strength and the courage
to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring hardship and danger
in your name
we shall find comfort and peace. Amen.
Pastor's Prayer
Lord, why have you dealt ill with your servant?
And why have I not found favor in your sight,
that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
(Numbers 11:11, ESV).
And why have I not found favor in your sight,
that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
(Numbers 11:11, ESV).
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