Filled with promise, and empowered by love, we offer our prayers to God.
[Short pause]
God of rich and poor, we confess that we too often make value judgements about people based on their wealth or poverty. Forgive our short-sightedness. Show us how to love like you. In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of Lazarus, open our eyes to the poor and hurting around us. Keep us from the intentional blindness which would exclude those who have less. In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the un-named rich, remind us that our value as people is not determined by our society’s measures of success. When we are confronted with values that contradict your priorities, show us your way. In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the church, strengthen our commitment to welcome all, especially those who have been denied full participation in your world. Send us into the uncomfortable corners of life, that we might see your light in the darkness. In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of creation, we are not the owners of the world; we are only its caretakers. Show us the deep connections between the economy and the environment, that we may be better stewards of all you have made. In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of the invisible, the excluded, the outsider and the sick, we offer ourselves for the care of your hurting people. Motivate us to touch all who need healing, all who need welcome, all who need assurance, especially [NAMES, AND] those we name before you now.
[Long silence]
In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of all, open us to each other, that no one would be invisible, and no one would be nameless. In your unbounded mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Trusting in the promise of unbounded love, we pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who continues to teach us to pray,
Our Father in heaven, …
Rick Pryce 