As we read in 2 Corinthians we come with praise this morning, praise for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with
the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
So we come this morning with thankful hearts, thankful that we can come together and worship, thankful for the blessing of you in our lives and yet we come with troubled hearts. Troubled by the tragedy in Charleston, but encouraged by the response we have seen, a response of prayer, a response of forgiveness, and a response of support and love.
Father, this morning we pray for the people of Charleston, we pray specifically for our brothers and sisters in Christ at Emmanuel Church...praying that they would be surrounded by your love, we pray for your healing, your comfort and for your peace that surpasses all understanding.
Father, this morning we also pray for our local AME churches – St. Stephan, Ward Temple and Turner Chapel that they would feel and know the love and support of this community, that the love and peace of Christ will be with them.
Lord, we come this morning to joyfully worship, help us joyfully worship this morning, help us worship knowing that while there will be trouble in this world we can take heart as you have overcome the world, Father, help us praise you as you are our security, you are our safety, you are our strength and comfort. Lord, you are our hope.
Father, to close this morning I borrow from the Book of Common Prayer a prayer attributed to St. Francis...
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where this is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
So we come this morning with thankful hearts, thankful that we can come together and worship, thankful for the blessing of you in our lives and yet we come with troubled hearts. Troubled by the tragedy in Charleston, but encouraged by the response we have seen, a response of prayer, a response of forgiveness, and a response of support and love.
Father, this morning we pray for the people of Charleston, we pray specifically for our brothers and sisters in Christ at Emmanuel Church...praying that they would be surrounded by your love, we pray for your healing, your comfort and for your peace that surpasses all understanding.
Father, this morning we also pray for our local AME churches – St. Stephan, Ward Temple and Turner Chapel that they would feel and know the love and support of this community, that the love and peace of Christ will be with them.
Lord, we come this morning to joyfully worship, help us joyfully worship this morning, help us worship knowing that while there will be trouble in this world we can take heart as you have overcome the world, Father, help us praise you as you are our security, you are our safety, you are our strength and comfort. Lord, you are our hope.
Father, to close this morning I borrow from the Book of Common Prayer a prayer attributed to St. Francis...
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where this is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
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