Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of June 14, 2023

Rev. Tim Best

God of Abraham,

We thank you for the many blessings you pour out upon us. We are thankful for summer camps for children, sunny days outside, rainy nights that seem to leave the world refreshed the next morning. We are thankful that you desire to bless the world, and draw each of us close to you. Help us to hear the ways you are calling each of us. Help us to name our blessings and to share them with the world.

We pray for those who do not feel blessed. We pray for those who are struggling. For those who struggle with sickness, with loneliness, with relationships, and those who are facing any sort of trouble. We pray for those who are oppressed or ignored. You called Abraham from of his home and promised him a future. Be with those who have no home and worry about their future. May we see the blessedness in all people, and share the promise of your future with all the world. Abraham and Sarah trusted in you as they left everything they knew. Help us to trust in you and  be willing to follow you wherever you call us.

How wonderful it was to see our future, the youth of Church Street, lead the music in worship this week. We are truly a blessed community to have dedicated staff, volunteers, and students, committed to praising and glorifying you through song. We are so thankful that our youth returned safely from their choir tour. We know that many others were blessed by their performances last week, just as we were blessed to hear them this past Sunday. Continue to bless and teach our youth and children through all of our programs this summer. We have already been so richly blessed by our children and youth, watch over them as they continue to bless and teach us as a church family.

Gracious God, we know that Jesus Christ is the fullest revelation of your love for Abraham and for the world. Through Jesus the whole world is blessed by Abraham. In Jesus the whole world is invited into Abraham’s family. In Jesus we see that you keep your promises and that even when it seems that only death remains, your love bursts forth into newness of life. Grant that we may always cling to the hope of your mercy and grace.

We pray for ….

  • A daughter who is having a difficult pregnancy; prayers for her family. Prayers that migraines will cease and/or that docs can offer alternative medication.
  • A member who had surgery for broken leg; prayers for healing and patience
  • A young mother
  • So many in our church family who are dealing with a variety of diagnoses, waiting on tests, sorting out medical lingo; prayers that they not be overwhelmed by info but surrounded by God’s Calm.
  • A friend who had spinal surgery on Monday.
  • A mother/grandmother who had knee replacement on Tuesday.
  • A father in ICU at UT hospital; prayers for strength and healing
  • Couples in our church who are wanting to have children and who are waiting …
  • A mother in the unexpected death of her son; prayers for his work colleagues also.

We give thanks for ….

  • Excellent rehab after surgery; so thankful for the good options we have!
  • Friends who have shown support since injury.
  • Answered prayers on cancer surgery! Thankful for the wonderful medical team and good friends!

Help us to always see the blessings in our lives, as we pray that prayer the Jesus taught us…

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 Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of June 7, 2023

Rev. Catherine Nance

Good evening friends! I am at Lake Junsaluksa, North Carolina attending the Holston Annual Conference along with Pastor Tim and our lay members. It has been a glorious time of worship and hearing reports about what is happening in our conference. “Recalibrating” is the key word for the conference and forward-looking positivity is the energy in the room. I want to share with you today some of the prayers that have been offered here. You are part of this meeting although you are not here physically. The Holy Spirit always connects us through prayer. – Pastor Catherine

BREAKTHROUGH PRAYER for Holston Conference (You can insert ‘CSUMC’ or ‘our family’ or ‘me’ where the prayer mentions ‘conference.’)

Gracious God, we know that you are with us and you are for us. Together we pray:

  • Pour out your spirit upon Holston Conference to renew and revive us in new ways.
  • Reveal where the Holy Spirit is leading us as a conference and as your people.
  • Break through our barriers, opening new doors of dreams, hopes, and possibilities beyond what we know and can imagine.
  • Grant us the courage to walk through the doors you are opening.
  • Stir us to seek you first and root us deeply in your will and way.
  • Renew, revive, and replant this conference, unleashing new and abundant life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Prayer offered at ordination service (we were reminded by our Bishop that we have ALL been called at our baptism to be in ministry). This was the prayer for those ordained elders:

Give to these your servants the grace and power they need to serve you in this ministry. Make them faithful pastors, patent teachers, and wise counselors. Enable them to serve without reproach, to proclaim the gospel of salvation, to administer the sacraments of the new covenant, and to offer with all your people spiritual sacrifices acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Below is a portion of the prayer offered at the Memorial Service where we remembered clergy and spouses who have died since last year’s Annual Conference. Many of us who read these Wednesday prayers continue in our grief. 

Months or years may have passed, and still we feel near to them. Our hearts yearn for them. Though bitter grief has softened, duller pain abides; for the place where once they stood is empty now. The links of life are broken, but the links for love and longing cannot break. Their souls are bound up in ours forever. We see them now with the eye of memory, their faults forgiven, their virtues grown larger. So does goodness live, and weakness fade from sight. We remember them with gratitude and bless their names. Their memory is a blessing forever.

Dear God who hears our prayers whether they are whispered by an individual or read in unison in sanctuary, we thank you for the privilege we have in being able to communicate with you. We are thankful you desire to be in communion with us. Stir up in us the acknowledgement of our responsibility in carrying out and living out the prayers we bring before you. In the power of our Risen Savior we pray, Amen.

We pray for ….

  • A wife who began chemo treatments this week; may she feel God’s healing presence
  • A Soup Kitchen guest who has been attempting to get a bus ticket to Phoenix; he has the money – just not the technology that is required these days. Bless all those who do not have access to email, internet and who struggle to do transactions without.
  • A brother who has moved to skilled care; prayers for him and for family as he makes decisions about palliative care.
  • For a newly wed couple; may their life be one of contentment and joy.
  • For a son undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer
  • A young father having cancer surgery tomorrow at Vanderbilt; prayers for his wife and daughter and all the family as they wait.
  • A grandchild who has a cyst on kidney; may the MRI today bring clarity and discernment
  • A church member who has two broken vertebrae; prayers for healing and patience as he wears neck brace for next twelve weeks
  • A friend undergoing tests today; 
  • A church member having knee replacement surgery
  • Prayers for one going through IVF cycle
  • For church members and friends who are hospitalized; may they feel the presence of our prayers
  • A son who is executor of father’s estate

We give thanks for ….

  • Successful knee replacement surgery for a member last week
  • The good news being reported about Annual Conference
  • Harp music last Sunday! Praise God!
  • Stephen Ministers
  • The experience our youth choir is having on their tour
  • A good visit with extended family while on vacation

We continue to pray for ….

  • Our military who are serving around our country and world
  • Our leaders – local and national
  • A little boy struggling with so many health concerns; prayers for family
  • Those whose grief is overwhelming
  • A husband looking for meaningful employment
  • A couple longing to have a child

 

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.

One of our favorite things about the spring semester each year is celebrating our graduating seniors.  Welcome to the Senior Spotlight series for the graduating class of 2023!  Our seniors answered interview questions earlier this semester and it has been so much fun learning their answers! Check back in each week to get to know our seniors better and help to cheer them on as they wrap up high school and prepare for their next steps.

Meet Jackson McNutt!

What high school are you graduating from?
Knoxville Catholic High School
What are your plans for next year?
I want to be a car mechanic
What is your favorite bible verse?
I don’t have one
If you could choose one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Cheeseburgers and fries
If you could give some advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Try to remember things better
What are your top 3 favorite movies?
101 Dalmatian’s, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, The Avengers
What is your top book recommendation?
Ready Player One
What is your favorite Church Street memory?
The resurrection retreats
What are you most excited about going into the next season of your life?
Learning about something I am interested in

Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of May 31, 2023

Rev. Catherine Nance

Ah … summer! Thank you, God, for the season of summer vacation! Even for those who are not ‘in school,’ there seems to be an energy in the air. A spirit of relaxation, a spirit of exploring, a spirit of anticipating good things! Thank you for this shift in our spiritual atmosphere! 

We also know how quickly high expectations for a season can be dashed by one small thing. So we pray for realistic expectations! We pray for patience and for understanding! May family gatherings be nurturing …. May visits between grandparents and grandchildren be life-giving to both …. Give parents the courage to be honest with their children about budgets and expenses … give us the eyesight to see the beauty and joy in front of us ….  

We put so much pressure on ourselves to make everything ‘picture perfect.’ Keep us mindful of the people around us and that your grace that abounds. You love us as we are; may we extend that same grace to ourselves and others. 

We pray for our Bishop and the District Superintendents this weekend as they prepare for Holston Annual Conference on Sunday. May our clergy and lay members be inspired and renewed as they worship, pray, and fellowship together. We thank you for this church, gracious God. We thank you for the worship that happens on Sunday mornings in the nave and online and how it connects us to each other through the week. 

May the words we speak and sing on Sundays, transform our very beings throughout the week. 

We pray for …

  • The families of all those involved in the crash at the corner of Henley & Main today.
  • A son who is beginning chemotherapy for colon cancer. So far, he has tolerated it well. Prayers for the next six months that this treatment brings healing.
  • A wife (and new grandmother) recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Chemo treatments begin soon. Prayers for healing.
  • A friend who is having to move to Arkansas to be with family. Prayers for safe travels and prayers for discernment about next steps and how long. Prayers for peace about the future.
  • A family who is grieving a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother who brought joy to all! Thankful for peaceful passing into Light Eternal and for the JOY she gave and leaves behind!
  • A joyous and safe Parish Youth Choir Tour; prayers for all of the singers and leaders. May they be a blessing to all they meet!

We offer thanksgivings for …

  • Those who loaded ‘food buckets’ and got them to Cokesbury UMC this morning. Praying for the families in Zimbabwe who will receive them in a few months.
  • Being able to attend grandchild’s graduation; thankful for good health to travel.
  • Healthy pregnancy; prayers for little ones as they grow!
  • Prayers of thanksgiving for the medical technology and all the tests and advances that reveal better information sooner; but also prayers as people process the information. Prayers for discernment and guidance for doctors and all who interpret information for us.

We continue to pray for …

  • A young father who will have surgery on June 8 to remove abdominal tumor; prayers that this surgery plus the chemotherapy brings healing to his body. Prayers for him and his family.
  • A friend who had been hospitalized; prayers for healing from MRSA.
  • A young woman whose husband’s funeral was Sunday. They held a funeral for their infant son three years ago. Lord, in your mercy ….
  • A mother and wife in the hospital with pneumonia; prayers for oxygen levels to increase. 

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.

One of our favorite things about the spring semester each year is celebrating our graduating seniors.  Welcome to the Senior Spotlight series for the graduating class of 2023!  Our seniors answered interview questions earlier this semester and it has been so much fun learning their answers! Check back in each week to get to know our seniors better and help to cheer them on as they wrap up high school and prepare for their next steps.

Meet Rachel Duncan!

What high school are you graduating from?
West High School
What are your plans for next year?
I plan to go to UT and study Plant Sciences with a minor in Design Studies.
What is your favorite bible verse?
Philippians 4:8-9
If you could choose one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A breakfast burrito with green chile
If you could give some advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t overthink things
What are your top 3 favorite movies?
My Cousin Vinny, While You Were Sleeping, The Quiet Man
What is your top book recommendation?
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
What is your favorite Church Street memory?
The scavenger hunt we did at mad in the city last summer
What are you most excited about going into the next season of your life?
Taking interesting classes and meeting new people!

Weekly Schedule
Worship – Sundays, 8:30AM & 11:00AM
Sunday school – Sundays, 9:45-10:45AM
Bible Study – Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00AM

Hello friends! What a JOY it was to serve alongside so many of you during MAD in the City last week. I cannot really put into words how special the week was. Thank you for serving with generosity and enthusiasm. I’m so proud of you and grateful to be in ministry with you.

If you want a look at what MAD was all about, click below to see the photo album!

This week, our schedule is light. But join us for Bible Study! And we lift up all our students who attend year round schools who are returning to their regular schedules over the next couple of weeks. You can do it!

  • Bible Study – Wednesday from 10:00-11:00. Join Jenny on the porch as we continue our Wesley Prayer Challenge.

MAD Photo Album

Looking Ahead

Mark your calendars for these exciting upcoming events! As always, if you have any questions, contact Jenny!

July 25 – Hang Time (5:00 PM in the Youth Area)

August 6 – Smokies Game (2:00 PM at Smokies Stadium)

August 13 – Promotion Pep Rally (9:45 AM in the Gym)

August 20 – Confirmation Orientation (9:45 AM in the Youth Are)

August 20 – Youth Kick-Off (5:00 PM in Parish Hall)

August 27 – First NightLife (5:00 PM in the Youth Area)

One of our favorite things about the spring semester each year is celebrating our graduating seniors.  Welcome to the Senior Spotlight series for the graduating class of 2023!  Our seniors answered interview questions earlier this semester and it has been so much fun learning their answers! Check back in each week to get to know our seniors better and help to cheer them on as they wrap up high school and prepare for their next steps.

Meet Alana Johnson!

What high school are you graduating from?
West High School
What are your plans for next year?
Double Majoring in Musical Theatre and English at Western Carolina University
What is your favorite bible verse?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
If you could choose one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Stefano’s Pizza and Cinnamon Sticks
If you could give some advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t value other people’s opinions over your own happiness
What are your top 3 favorite movies?
Love Simon Booksmart Brave
What is your top book recommendation?
One Last Stop
What is your favorite Church Street memory?
8th grade choir tour in New York
What are you most excited about going into the next season of your life?
Making new friends

Weekly Prayers for the Church Street Family

Week of May 24, 2023

Rev. Andy Ferguson

Fire-giving God, on the day before long-ago Pentecost, 

You looked down on all you had created: 

     –a universe beyond measure, 

     –a world of sustained beauty and productivity, 

     –creatures great and small. 

You looked down on the followers of your Son: 

     –hiding for fear of their lives, 

     –hopeless in the face of the Cross and his crucifixion, 

     –trying to comprehend the news that the Savior Son again lives — resurrection! 

In the days before Pentecost… 

 

Most days, just now, it seems that we still live in the days before Pentecost, 

     As if your Spirit Fire did not fall to empower believers like us. 

In countries across the globe, families still hide 

     for fear of war outside their doors. 

     –In Ukraine, Syria and sub-Saharan Africa death fills the air. 

     –Let them breathe freedom again at the falling of the Spirit’s Fire. 

Families up and down Central America live in hopelessness today: 

     –Gangs of criminals make their lives a living hell, 

     –Corrupt governments look the other way in the face of injustice, 

     –Jobs in their home countries are impossible to find and keep. 

We struggle to comprehend how lives are changed now that the Savior Son lives. 

     He was raised on long ago Easter, so why is life still fragile? 

     Why is chatter about the Resurrection reserved for graveyard ceremonies? 

     What does that long-ago Pentecost mean for this world? This time? This day? 

 

 Fire-giving God, as you sent tongues of fire to fall on disciples long ago, 

     Send fire again to fall on all who still believe. 

Set us on fire for the Savior Son, Jesus the Christ, 

     That we might be part of building a world 

     Of such peace that the warriors will lay down their arms in awe. 

     That those who watch their children suffer will see a new day dawning. 

Give us such an experience of the Spirit falling 

     That we too must run to tell what God has done, 

     That we might live in Pentecost hope as they did. 

We pray in the name of Jesus, who sent the Spirit Fire after him. Amen. 

We pray for ….

  • Third graders who are having a difficult time this week; prayers for parents. Please God, help our teachers not feel judged.
  • A niece who has been diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Bless her in her work (chaplain with hospice patients) as she deals with her own struggles.
  • Caregivers who feel torn in so many directions; prayers of thanksgiving for those who understand.
  • A safe delivery of baby boy
  • God’s peace while waiting on medical procedures and results
  • A member waiting on diagnosis in hospital; prayers for doctors as they find the right protocol
  • A dear friend who is battling so many demons; pray that he will listen to God’s Voice.
  • Families going through all of the transitions of graduation and moving up and leaving home
  • Safe travels for a son who is moving today; grateful for supportive and loving parents to help!
  • A member in hospice care and her husband who cares for her; strength for both.
  • A family friend who has been in hospital for ten days; praying that the surgery yesterday to remove MRSA infection is successful and will bring healing.

We continue to pray for …

  • The precious child at Children’s Hospital who has had ups and downs since his tracheotomy. Prayers for weary parents. Lord, in your mercy, provide tangible signs of hope and healing.
  • A member recovering after surgery
  • Clarity from doctors and patience while we wait for a medical answers and direction
  • A young wife as she and family prepare for funeral of husband this weekend

We offer prayers of thanksgiving for …..

  • Summer vacation! Please let everyone have a good summer! 
  • Our church family
  • The joy a new baby brings

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.

One of our favorite things about the spring semester each year is celebrating our graduating seniors.  Welcome to the Senior Spotlight series for the graduating class of 2023!  Our seniors answered interview questions earlier this semester and it has been so much fun learning their answers! Check back in each week to get to know our seniors better and help to cheer them on as they wrap up high school and prepare for their next steps.

Meet Sara Logan!

What high school are you graduating from?
West High School
What are your plans for next year?
Tennessee-Knoxville with a major in supply chain management!
What is your favorite bible verse?
Proverbs 3:5-6
If you could choose one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
So hard, but I’m gonna have to go with spaghetti and meatballs
If you could give some advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t let other peoples opinions dictate who you are!
What are your top 3 favorite movies?
Batman, Cinderella, and 10 Things I Hate About You
What is your top book recommendation?
A Night Divided
What is your favorite Church Street memory?
Singing Wagon Wheel during MAD in the City! I can still remember the chills
What are you most excited about going into the next season of your life?
Making new friends and being able to further my faith in a new environment!

Almost Summer!

It’s hard to believe this school year is coming to a close and summer is nearly here. We have lots of exciting things going on this summer — MAD in the City, Operation Backyard, Bible studies, Hang Times. But before we jump right into what is next, let’s take a moment to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the year we are finishing.

Here are some questions to help you look back and practice gratitude for all God has done this school year.

  1. Where have you experienced growth this year?
  2. Can you think of a time when you experienced peace even though your circumstances were stressful? What was that like?
  3. How has your faith changed since August?
  4. What are you thankful for that happened this school year? Pause and make a list. And add to it as things come to mind over the days ahead.
  5. What is something you are hopeful about in the summer ahead?

If you would like to reflect alongside the Psalms, here are some recommendations:

  • Psalm 23 – The Lord is My Shepherd
  • Psalm 27 – The Lord is My Light and My Salvation
  • Psalm 46 – God is Our Fortress
  • Psalm 61 – Lead Me to the Rock
  • Psalm 80 – Restore Us, O God
  • Psalm 91 – My Refuge and My Fortress
  • Psalm 95 – Let Us Sing Songs of Praise
  • Psalm 103 – Bless the Lord, O My Soul
  • Psalm 139 – Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

More details for summer are coming. But for now, let us pause, pray, and praise. God is good and worthy of our worship.

Grace and peace,

Jenny