Sometimes when we’re worried or stressed, it can be hard to find the words we want to use. Here we have gathered some prayers that may help.
Almighty God, you know the needs of your Church in every place: Look graciously upon us, the people of Resurrection, and grant us the guidance of your Holy Spirit as we seek a new Priest for this parish. Give us discernment, wisdom, and confidence in your timing. We pray for the life of our parish, that we may continue to be strengthened in our mission of “Glorifying God by refreshing souls, bridging communities, and engaging people in service.” All this we ask as we walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Amen.
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God of love, in this interim time, we pray for our parish family, that we may be genuine in our self-reflection, tireless in our commitment, patient in our discernment, loving in our communion, open in our search, imaginative about our future, and daring in our faith. As we enter into this new era with excitement and even some anxiety, we recall your deep compassion, presence, and abounding love. We thank you for the gifts, talents, and skills with which you have blessed us. We thank you for the experiences that have brought us to this moment. Be with us as we move forward, rejoicing with you and supporting one another. All this we pray, empowered by the love of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Assist us, Lord, in living hopefully into the future. In the face of change, help us to set unnecessary fears aside and to recognize our potential for creative response. Help us to develop a reasonable optimism when confronted by “the new” and to guard against our own defensiveness. Be with us as we remember and celebrate former times, and keep us from unreasonable yearning for them, which takes us from the work you have set before us in our time. All this we ask in the name of your Child, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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Gracious God,
We thank you for the many blessings you bestow on Church of the Resurrection, a faithful community with caring, Christ centered, committed individuals.
We ask You to keep our hearts and minds open to all possibilities as our search for a new Rector unfolds. We implore you to empower us with the movement for your Holy Spirit within our midst. We bid you to keep us centered on You and the mission of our church as a welcoming, loving community of faith. We are grateful, God, to be surrounded always by Your love and we pray this love will be the foundation of our every interaction with each other as our committees do the work they are called to do. We are stronger when we are together in purpose. We are blessed to be on this spiritual journey together.
We pray for our members who might feel vulnerable during this time of transition; may they find comfort and peace in the days ahead.
We pray for the priests who will consider leading our faith community; may they be authentic, spiritual, and wise and filled with your Holy Spirit. We trust You will guide us every step of the way as we move forward in our search for our next rector.
We pray with faith and gratitude.
Amen.
—From Church of the Holy Spirit, by Deacon Johnine
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To you, Almighty and gracious God, we give all honor and glory. We approach you with confidence in your goodness and mercy, and we ask that the Holy Spirit will be with us as we continue with the work you have called us to do.
We have many tasks before us, and we have some anxiety and uncertainty. But in you we trust, to you we hand over our burdens, to you we commend our lives and gifts. Use us as you see fit. May this work be pleasing before you, may our efforts and dedication honor you. We pray for each of us here, for our families, for our work, for our ministries, for our needs. And we pray for Resurrection. We pray for our Vestry, for strength, wisdom, guidance, and light. We pray for the ministries within Resurrection. We pray for every person who comes to this Parish. We pray for our need of a new Rector. In the meantime, guard us, lead us, sustain us, and strengthen us. Amen.
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Ever-present God,
You call us on a journey to a place we do not know.
We are not where we started.
We have not reached our destination.
We are not sure where we are or who we are.
This is not a comfortable place.
Be among us, we pray.
Calm our fears, save us from discouragement,
And help us to stay on course.
Open our hearts to your guidance so that our journey to this
Unknown place continues as a journey of trust.
Amen.
—The Rev. Canon Kristi Philip, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Washington D.C.