Prayers 2 10 2013
*Welcome and Happy New Year!
*Inquirers Class started today but if you are interested, please come next Sunday at 10:00 in my office
*Senior Center, this Wednesday, with Victor Low’s Chinese American Journey, how and when did the SFUSD finally recognized the significance of our community’s New Year as a school holiday, 12:00; see Dick & Anna Wong to register
*Lenten Bible Studies: San Jose and SF starts this Thursday, Feb. 14, 7:30 at Nelson and Lea Wong’s; see Lea for a copy of the book, Give Up Something Bad for Lent by James Moore; only for 4 sessions
*Next Sunday, Feb. 17 is the YMCA Annual Run, no use of the Y for worship and SS classes; 11:20 will be joint English Worship
Prayer Concerns
Prayer of God’s People
Revealed and revealing God, present in our midst yet beyond our understanding, reveal your truth to us at this time of worship. May we see each other through your eyes. As we prepare for the season of Lent when we will see sorrow and the cross, help us to see the glory that lies beyond. In the living Jesus, your Word made flesh dwelt among us, and dwells still.
Lord, we confess that we have deceived ourselves in embracing the wisdom of this age in the world. We mirror the contentiousness of debate, the quest for material goods, the desire to elevate ourselves at the expense of others in the world. We confess that the wisdom of this world is foolishness in your will. Forgive us for our deceptions and lead us first to humble ourselves and serve others. Grant us the strength to embrace your wisdom, to seek you first, to grow together in discipleship and faith.
We praise you and thank you for the warm and genuine friendships that we have at this church that provides us with life-sustaining fellowship and support. For the diversity of this Body of Christ in which we can see you through the eyes of another, to sing different songs, to pray for each other’s voices, to speak and understand another’s language, we offer up our heartfelt thanksgiving. Continue Lord, to build up the life of this congregation so that it will remain a beacon of hope and light in this darkened world.
Just as the people demanded that Moses, having come down from Mt. Sinai, wear a veil to hide your reflected glory, so too we often content ourselves with veiling the beauty of every spirit in every person, satisfying ourselves with this veiled version of our neighbors. Lord, help us to remove our veils to see the beauty of others whom you have created in your own lovely image. Help us to see in every person something unique and individual that also tells us a story about you. And we pray for those who are in need of your grace…
This we pray in your name, Lord Jesus, who taught us to pray together, “Our Father…”
Benediction
We have spent this hour together in the presence of our Holy God.
As you depart, remember that you are the face of Jesus to everyone you encounter.
Live and love as Jesus would.
And may the world be changed because they have met Jesus face-to-face.
Amen.