This week I have been reminded of the issues around our world with climate change and the impact on our environment. Flooding in Europe, China and now India, forest fires across the West of North America, tornados and storms that bring devastation etc.
As such, I would encourage you to share in offering the following prayer to our Creator & Sustainer God.
Source and sustainer of life, we cherish the myriad works of your hands.
Water, earth, and sky are yours, as are all their inhabitants, wild and tame.
We thank you for creatures that nourish and serve us,
befriend, enrich, entertain, and protect us.
May we, who are made in your image, care for them well.
And may your groaning yet wondrous creation rally and thrive,
revealing to all who come after us your wise, redemptive,
transforming love,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen (Voices Together #1009)
Phil. 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always, I say it again: Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers & sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent of praiseworthy – think about such things.
Thank you for being a congregation that hears and responds to God’s call through the scriptures to pray. There is power in prayer.
Prayer Requests:
· Pray for our neighbours in Barrie who have lost homes, possessions and security as a result of the tornado. Pray also for those across our country who have been evacuated due to forest fires, who have lost homes & possessions.
And as we pray, may God grant us wisdom of how we can love in practical ways.
Psalm 100
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
– 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Our Hope is in the Lord…