Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 30, 2025
Steve Ricahardson
God in heaven and in our midst: Where did July go? It seems like Independence Day was just last week! But the hot days and not-so-cool nights this week remind us that summer is far from finished. In spite of the heat right now, though, you’ve blessed in our spot of the world with four seasons. There is a nice balance to that, and we are grateful. Maybe with the rapid pace of the passage of time, cooler days of late-summer/early-fall will be with us in the blink of an eye.
We really do want to make the best use of each day you give us. Each one is, after all, the day you have made and given us, one for which we can rejoice and be glad. From our own experiences, we know that, indeed, we rejoice and feel especially glad whenever we help build and support your Kingdom. Inspire us to do so every day.
Yet there are also many days – – especially in 2025’s times of turmoil and abrupt change – – when we are filled with anxiety, restlessness, worry, uncertainty, and the frustrations of waiting…waiting for answers, for help, for justice, for healing, for medical needs, for opportunities to move forward. We wonder why things can’t simply be “just right,” and we long for that. Calm our souls and jittery minds with your loving, compassionate presence, dear Lord. Help us be still and know you are always with us. During such moments of stillness, fill us with spiritual strength, wholeness and inspiration.
Thank you, gracious God, for Church Street United Methodist Church. Thank you for the clergy, staff, members who volunteer in so many ways, and congregational leaders who give freely of their time, talents and skills. Thank you for everyone who participates in this community of faith through worship, praise, singing, serving, seeking and learning. Thank you for Church Street’s openness, hospitality and welcoming of all.
We pray for ….
- A member having a lung biopsy today.
- A member who has been laid off; looking for work.
- One who is grieving the death of a dear friend and mentor.
- A husband who is recovering after a heart attack.
- A member who is recovering from surgery and will go to rehab; prayers for her as she grieves over the recent death of her husband.
- A son dealing with the death of his mother who had been in hospice care; prayers for the father.
- Teachers and administrators who are preparing for the new school year.
- One who is retiring.
- A brother-in-law who was just diagnosed with double pneumonia. He has a long history of health issues. Also, prayers for him and his wife as they struggle through a difficult phrase in their marriage.
- A student who had bone flap surgery this week; prayers for his family and medical team as he prepares for discharge home later.
We continue to pray for ….
- One who has had heart episodes and has been in hospital; now at home recovering.
- A great-niece who is acting as sole caregiver for family member next week while others are traveling.
- One healing from surgery.
- Couples who are wanting to be parents; those waiting on IVF results.
- All who are receiving cancer treatments and dealing with the waiting in between scans and treatments.
- A niece who has a long road of recovery ahead; continued prayers for strength.
- Members of our families who are adjusting to being in assisted living or memory care facilities; the transitions are hard for the caregivers. May all know God’s peace.
- Family members and friends going through difficult times.
- Young adults who are struggling to find meaningful work.
We give thanks for ….
- A wonderful pediatrician!
- World leaders responding to crisis in Gaza.
Once again, we now join together now in prayer with others in our congregation for these special requests and petitions. Please, merciful Lord, know of our collective pleas for your holy responses…
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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All are welcome at Church Street! We believe every person is of sacred worth and created in God’s image. We welcome and celebrate the gifts God has given to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, status, economic condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religious affiliation. We respect diversity of opinion and expressions of Christian faith. We believe God loves everyone unconditionally! As God loves us, so let us love and serve in the name of Christ.
WEEKLY PRAYER – 12/10/2025
UncategorizedPastor Sam Dzobo
___________________________
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (MSG)
“Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.”
Gracious God,
Fill us again with the deep joy that flows from knowing you hold us. Tune our hearts to pray continually and to recognize your presence in every moment of our lives and in every encounter we share. We thank you for the joys experienced and lived among us today, for signs of grace, moments of encouragement, and for the ways you are moving in our lives, families, church, and communities. For these gifts, we give you thanks.
We also lift before you the concerns we carry in our hearts and minds, the burdens, the struggles unspoken, and the people whose needs weigh heavily on our hearts. Meet each one with your compassion, your strength, and your peace.
We pause now, O God, and in this sacred silence, we speak the names of those we are praying for today… (You may name individuals aloud or silently before God.)
Teach us gratitude that endures, even in hard places. Strengthen our hands for ministry, renew our spirits with grace, and let our work today reflect the hope we have in Christ. Amen.
We pray for …
We continue to pray for …
We give thanks for ….
We pray all of these in the name of Christ, who taught us to pray ….
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL – WEEK TWO
UncategorizedADVENTure
By: Elaine Eberhart
“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’” Luke 1:38 NRSVUE
We witness the power and the consequences of saying yes to God when we read the angel’s prophetic invitation to Mary to bear Jesus into the world. We also see in Mary’s story how God’s invitation may come with great risk to our comfort and our notions of who we are and what our lives should be. Mary said yes, knowing that Joseph could end their betrothal. Her family and community could abandon her, leaving her without a home or support. Her entire life could be upended in a moment, but though young and alone and troubled by the angel’s message, she said yes. She trusted God to sustain her as she partnered with God in the birth of Love for all people.
_______________________________________________________________________
Prayer
O One who calls us to the way of Jesus, we are listening for your invitation to join you in bringing love to our hurting world. Like Mary, we may be afraid or troubled by your call, but we trust that you are with us as we bear your love that brings light to dark places and restores our hope in your future. Amen.
Weekly Prayer – December 3, 2025
UncategorizedWeek of December 3, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
___________________________
O God of all the days of the week … we are confused this evening about what today is!
We had Thanksgiving Day and then Black Friday (which seems to have started before Thanksgiving and is still going?). The First Sunday of Advent was the last Sunday of November. Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday.
Today is Wednesday.
Tonight is the time we gather as a church family and acknowledge that whatever day it is and regardless of what kind of day it has been, your presence has been with us.
In this season of Advent, help us to live each day in hopeful expectation and in hopeful assurance that you are with us. You are coming to us. You have been with us.
We pause this evening with church members and friends to give thanks for the ways you have revealed yourself to us already. We have food to eat and a warm place to be. We are grateful for people with whom we have interacted. We are thankful for this email that reminds us we are not alone and there are people praying for us right now!
O God of Advent, come to us! Make yourself known – especially to those who are struggling. Many are struggling with difficult decisions, family tensions, health concerns, and financial worries. Some are struggling as they look for new purpose and meaning after a relationship or job has ended. May we find our source of meaning and joy in you, O God!
We say things like ‘time has flown by! Where has the year gone!’ May we look back and see that you have been with us. May we look ahead to this month of December as a gift. A gift of time to prepare our hearts anew for your coming again.
This is the evening you have provided for us! May we find our rest and our comfort in you!
Thank you for hearing our prayers on behalf of those who have requested them and for those whom we hold dear in our hearts….
We pray for …
We continue to pray for …
We give thanks for ….
We pray all of these in the name of Christ who taught us to pray ….
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
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Advent Devotional – Week One
advent, Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayer – August 6, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of August 6, 2025
Rev. Tim Best
Gracious God,
We give you thanks and praise that you give to each of us the ability to learn and to wonder. What a joy it is to witness a young person discover something that excites and intrigues them. You give us creative spirits to make and create using the knowledge and skills we have received out of the kindness and dedication of mentors and teachers.
On the eve of Knox county schools returning, and as other schools have already begun, we pray for all those who will learn, teach, and serve in our schools this year. We pray for students who are excited and yet a bit nervous for the first day. We pray for parents who are juggling schedules and household budgets in an effort to support the learning of children. We pray for teachers that have spent days preparing rooms and lessons. We ask that you would protect students as they travel to school each day. We pray for those who work to care for buildings and facilities that students use to learn and to play.
Open all of our hearts to be continually looking to learn and grow. Continue instruct all of us in the faith. Help us to see the ways that we can grow in our empathy, patience, kindness, and charity to one another. We know that to learn is more than memorizing facts. Help us come to see the world with fresh eyes, and renew our faith through engaging our minds.
We are thankful for all the ways that learning can produce change. We are thankful for the miracles of modern medicine that result from research and inquiry. We pray for those who are sick and suffering, pray for such miracles in their own lives. Give comfort to those who grieve and may they find hope in the promise of resurrection and new life.
As we look towards tomorrow and to the future, shower your Holy Spirit upon us, and help us to learn your kingdom ways. We offer these concerns in trust that you hear us when we pray.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Even as we offer these concerns, teach us to pray with our lives the pray that Christ has taught us, even as we pray it together now:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 30, 2025
UncategorizedWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 30, 2025
Steve Ricahardson
God in heaven and in our midst: Where did July go? It seems like Independence Day was just last week! But the hot days and not-so-cool nights this week remind us that summer is far from finished. In spite of the heat right now, though, you’ve blessed in our spot of the world with four seasons. There is a nice balance to that, and we are grateful. Maybe with the rapid pace of the passage of time, cooler days of late-summer/early-fall will be with us in the blink of an eye.
We really do want to make the best use of each day you give us. Each one is, after all, the day you have made and given us, one for which we can rejoice and be glad. From our own experiences, we know that, indeed, we rejoice and feel especially glad whenever we help build and support your Kingdom. Inspire us to do so every day.
Yet there are also many days – – especially in 2025’s times of turmoil and abrupt change – – when we are filled with anxiety, restlessness, worry, uncertainty, and the frustrations of waiting…waiting for answers, for help, for justice, for healing, for medical needs, for opportunities to move forward. We wonder why things can’t simply be “just right,” and we long for that. Calm our souls and jittery minds with your loving, compassionate presence, dear Lord. Help us be still and know you are always with us. During such moments of stillness, fill us with spiritual strength, wholeness and inspiration.
Thank you, gracious God, for Church Street United Methodist Church. Thank you for the clergy, staff, members who volunteer in so many ways, and congregational leaders who give freely of their time, talents and skills. Thank you for everyone who participates in this community of faith through worship, praise, singing, serving, seeking and learning. Thank you for Church Street’s openness, hospitality and welcoming of all.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Once again, we now join together now in prayer with others in our congregation for these special requests and petitions. Please, merciful Lord, know of our collective pleas for your holy responses…
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 23, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 23, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
Giver of every good gift and source of all goodness, we need to focus on good. Your goodness, O God, and the goodness you desire in us. Not just ‘being good’ and well- mannered; we confess that we often use good manners to gloss over the contempt or disregard we feel.
We come to you in the middle of the week at the end of the day after being bombarded with memes, headlines, sound bites, links to click, and other distractions. Forgive how easily we are distracted from goodness – the creation you call Good, the reconciling work you call Good. We are drawn to quick fixes, quick laughs, and quick jabs, and turn away from the enduring and steadfast goodness and grace you offer.
So, we pause to look back over the day, the week, and see where your goodness has prevailed. We take time to give you thanks for meaningful conversations we have had with friends. Thank you for the laughter we have shared with a family member. Thank you for the kindness we experienced from a stranger; just a quick offer of help changed our day for good. Thank you for the extra time a health care provider gave. Thank you for the air conditioning. Thank you for the opportunity to order an ice cream cone from our car. Thank you for the out-of-the-blue phone call from a long-ago friend. Some of these are basic human interactions; others are luxuries. May we be thankful for all good things and may that thankfulness open our eyes. We want to see how we can extend gratitude, O God.
Open our eyes and our heart, O God. Amidst angry calls for and against “Epstein files,” may we pray for any child who has been sexually abused by anyone. Amidst laughter at the Coldplay Cam, we pray for any who are struggling with their marriage. Amidst name-calling by world leaders, we pray for anyone who has been ridiculed on the school playground or office break room. Let us not be distracted by calls for our attention that do not build your kingdom. Let us look beyond, above, and through to see your goodness. Empower us to do good. Empower us to seek out what is good.
We are grateful to have this time to pray for one another as we offer concerns from our church family.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 16, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 16, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy
blast and our eternal home.
O God of Wednesday … it is the middle of the week.
We are aware of the past (where did it go?) and aware of the future (I hope I have time
to…)
So, we pause here in the middle of the week, towards the end of the day, to say,” God we are here. In this moment, right now, we acknowledge you are with us, you’ve been with us, and you will remain with us.”
We thank you, God, for the gift of a loving congregation. We thank you for those we know, and those whom we have yet to meet, who join us in prayer. This act of reading a prayer together is a reminder we are not alone. We know you are with us, but there is a “church family” who prays along with us. We are grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit who connects us to you and to one another.
You are our “shelter from the stormy blast” whatever that blast is for each of us.
We thank you God, who is our shelter, our refuge, and our source of strength, for hearing our prayers, letting us speak our hearts, and receiving us as we are.
Having spent time in prayer with you and with our church family, we feel a sense of renewal. We know that we can face today. You have been with us in the past and you are leading us into your future.
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come; be thou our guide while life
shall last and our eternal home.
We pray for ….
We continue to pray for ….
We give thanks for ….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 9, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 9, 2025
Steve Richardson
God in heaven and in our midst: We’re all on the same spiritual journey, but we’re all at different places. Thank you for meeting us where we are, to journey with us along each and every path.
Every now and then, sections of our journeys’ paths are smooth and easy. For these, we are grateful! While we’re on these kinds of paths, help us find blessings of redemption, renewal, revitalization, rejuvenation and a recommitment to acknowledging your merciful goodness.
Other journeys and paths aren’t as desirable. They’re rutted and eroded by burdens of disease, pain, suffering, grief, loss, despair, loneliness, brokenness, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Such difficulties are disruptive. So, Lord, we pray you help us stay mindful of the truth that you are and will always be with us. Surround us with your comfort and strength.
Sometimes our journeys lead us astray from paths of virtuous living. We find ourselves bewildered, confused, easily deceived. Forgive us when we neglect your guidance and wisdom, and when we veer away from the ways you want us to live. Point us to turn towards intentional repentance.
Sometimes our journeys’ paths intersect with people and events we would rather avoid. Help us accept the reality that these intersections are part of everyone’s journey; and that even if we can’t change them, we can respond in ways that are Christ-like and that reflect your love for everyone. Give us such grace and creativity.
God of eternity, for all whose journeys on Earth are near their ends, fill each person with your gracious peace. Calm fears, ease pains and give them the blessed assurance of glory-filled living in your heavenly realm.
As we seek your wisdom, guidance and direction, hear and respond to these earnest prayers of others in our congregation. Hold close all represented here with your loving presence and comfort.
We pray for…
We continue to pray for…
We give thanks for….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.
Weekly Prayer – July 2, 2025
Featured, prayer for todayWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of July 2, 2025
Rev. Catherine Nance
It seems that we were making new year’s resolutions a few days ago, O God of new beginnings and God of all time. And now we are exclaiming, “It is July! Where did the summer go?”
O God, who called each day of Creation, “good,” we pray to see your goodness around us. We are thankful for children and grandchildren who are enjoying summer.
We are thankful for the time to travel and visit with relatives and friends.
For the cool waters of lakes and swimming pools, we are eternally grateful!
For peaches from South Carolina and cucumbers from our neighbor, we give you thanks!
We begin with gratitude, O God, because there is much we are grateful for! We do not want to lose sight of the things, people, and situations that bring us joy.
But you hear all our prayers, O God, and we are concerned about so many things. As this prayer is being written, US Representatives are deciding if they will vote for or against a bill that can impact so many people. We are worried about those who are already living in poverty and those who do not have health facilities nearby. We pray for veterans who are worried about their future and families who are anxious about grocery bills.
O God, we are living through a time when we feel the need to stay informed but also want to hide. So, we come to you tonight, our Refuge. Thank you for this time of prayer and for this time of choosing to focus on you. A refuge is a safe place – it is not a hiding place. We can rest in you, O God of all people, and then feel renewed to venture out. Not leaving you but carrying your strength and your love with us. Give us a time of respite and reprieve from the world so that later today or tomorrow, we can make faith-filled decisions about how we will be witnesses to your grace.
On Wednesday evening, it is a sacred time to gather as a church community and pray for one another. This, too, is a refuge. A very present help in time of trouble. Knowing there are others who share our concerns and offer prayers on our behalf.
We share the concerns of our brothers and sisters in Christ ……
We pray for…
We continue to pray for…
We give thanks for….
Finally, we pray as Christ taught us to pray,
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
Submit your prayer request confidentially by clicking here.