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Prayer for the New Year
<strong>A pastoral prayer by <a title="David Best" href="http://davidbest.brandyourself.com/" target="_blank">David Best</a>, January 1 2012</strong> at <a title="St. Mark's, Harlem's Historical Cathedral of Methodism" href="http://stmarksharlemumc.org/" target="_blank">St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Harlem</a><a href="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0002.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-200 alignleft" title="David Best, pastoral prayer January 2, 2012 at St. Mark's UMC Harlem" src="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0002-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>, following the singing of
<em>God will take care of you</em>
<em> Through every day, o'er all the way</em>
<em> He will care for you</em>
<em> God will take care of you</em>
O good and loving God, you indeed, have taken care of us.
Even today, Lord you took care of us.
Thank you for waking us up this morning, clothing us in our right mind, giving us a measure of health.
But you are not only the God of our yesterdays and God of our sorrows...you are God of our tomorrows.
So we thank you for letting us see another year.
Indeed, We are witness to your tender and constant care.
So with the gospel songwriter we can testify today that...
Regardless the vicissitutudes of life, God will take care of you;
When the shadows come, God will take care of you;
When friends and family forsake, God will take care of you;
When you stand at life's final river, God will take care of you.
For your generous and gracious goodness,
Your bountiful blessings,
Your matchless mercy,
We say "Thank you, Lord."
Even when we turned away and hid our faces from you, you, like a hound of heaven sought us out and
called our name in the garden...
You walked with us, and
You talked with us.
And you told us we are your own.
The joy we shared as we tarried there,
None other has ever known.
But we can tarry no longer...
We have crossed the threshfold of a new year,
And stand just inside the doorway of that first of 365 "rooms" -- days of opportunity and new beginning.
So we give you our memories -- both good and bad -- of that which lies behind us...and,
We press on to the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
Oh, we do not know what the future holds; but we know who holds the future...
And you have given us a glimpse in the Sacred Word of your desired future.
So thank you for allowing us the possibility of being your partner in goodness -- in seeing
...That your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
...That justice rolls down like waters, and your righteousness as a mighty stream;
...That there be peace on earth, goodwill to men.
Give us grit and grace to be about your will:
About rejoicing always;
About praying without ceasing;
About giving thanks in all things;
About being sanctified through and through;
About loving our neighbor as we love ourselves;
About overcoming evil with good;
About feeding the hungry;
About clothing the naked;
About setting the captives free;
About doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with you, 0 Lord.
And we start our sacred service this hour remembering those among us who need a touch, need a prayer answered.
Whose names were spoken and those unspoken, known only to you.
Walk among us. Pour upon those in need new light of your incarnate Word, your incarnate son you gave the holy
name of Jesus, Savior. Stop by that person in the pew, in a hospital bed, alone in an apartment and save
someone today.
Now Awaken us! Keep us alert and mindful this year that the babe of Bethlehem is King of Kings and Lord of
Lords, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End...that at his name, every knee will bow.
Remind us always that he said he came that first Christmas Day so we might have life and have it abundantly.
And then keep on reminding us Lord, that you are the God whose<a href="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0023-c.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-248" title="David Best, pastoral prayer January 2, 2012 St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Harlem" src="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0023-c.jpg" alt="" width="266" height="200" /></a>
power is at work within us, and able to do exceedingly,
abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.
And so we pray today: "Be it unto us."
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirt, one God, in glory everlasting.
And all God's children said: Amen.
Prayer for the New Year
<strong>A pastoral prayer by <a title="David Best" href="http://davidbest.brandyourself.com/" target="_blank">David Best</a>, January 1 2012</strong> at <a title="St. Mark's, Harlem's Historical Cathedral of Methodism" href="http://stmarksharlemumc.org/" target="_blank">St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Harlem</a><a href="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0002.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-200 alignleft" title="David Best, pastoral prayer January 2, 2012 at St. Mark's UMC Harlem" src="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0002-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>, following the singing of
<em>God will take care of you</em>
<em> Through every day, o'er all the way</em>
<em> He will care for you</em>
<em> God will take care of you</em>
O good and loving God, you indeed, have taken care of us.
Even today, Lord you took care of us.
Thank you for waking us up this morning, clothing us in our right mind, giving us a measure of health.
But you are not only the God of our yesterdays and God of our sorrows...you are God of our tomorrows.
So we thank you for letting us see another year.
Indeed, We are witness to your tender and constant care.
So with the gospel songwriter we can testify today that...
Regardless the vicissitutudes of life, God will take care of you;
When the shadows come, God will take care of you;
When friends and family forsake, God will take care of you;
When you stand at life's final river, God will take care of you.
For your generous and gracious goodness,
Your bountiful blessings,
Your matchless mercy,
We say "Thank you, Lord."
Even when we turned away and hid our faces from you, you, like a hound of heaven sought us out and
called our name in the garden...
You walked with us, and
You talked with us.
And you told us we are your own.
The joy we shared as we tarried there,
None other has ever known.
But we can tarry no longer...
We have crossed the threshfold of a new year,
And stand just inside the doorway of that first of 365 "rooms" -- days of opportunity and new beginning.
So we give you our memories -- both good and bad -- of that which lies behind us...and,
We press on to the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
Oh, we do not know what the future holds; but we know who holds the future...
And you have given us a glimpse in the Sacred Word of your desired future.
So thank you for allowing us the possibility of being your partner in goodness -- in seeing
...That your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
...That justice rolls down like waters, and your righteousness as a mighty stream;
...That there be peace on earth, goodwill to men.
Give us grit and grace to be about your will:
About rejoicing always;
About praying without ceasing;
About giving thanks in all things;
About being sanctified through and through;
About loving our neighbor as we love ourselves;
About overcoming evil with good;
About feeding the hungry;
About clothing the naked;
About setting the captives free;
About doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with you, 0 Lord.
And we start our sacred service this hour remembering those among us who need a touch, need a prayer answered.
Whose names were spoken and those unspoken, known only to you.
Walk among us. Pour upon those in need new light of your incarnate Word, your incarnate son you gave the holy
name of Jesus, Savior. Stop by that person in the pew, in a hospital bed, alone in an apartment and save
someone today.
Now Awaken us! Keep us alert and mindful this year that the babe of Bethlehem is King of Kings and Lord of
Lords, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End...that at his name, every knee will bow.
Remind us always that he said he came that first Christmas Day so we might have life and have it abundantly.
And then keep on reminding us Lord, that you are the God whose<a href="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0023-c.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-248" title="David Best, pastoral prayer January 2, 2012 St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Harlem" src="http://towelandbasin.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4_21_2000-7_30-PM_0023-c.jpg" alt="" width="266" height="200" /></a>
power is at work within us, and able to do exceedingly,
abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.
And so we pray today: "Be it unto us."
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirt, one God, in glory everlasting.
And all God's children said: Amen.
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