Month: November 2024

Hello God

Thanks for guiding us thru another week , for being there when we needed you and also for being there when we probably weren’t even aware.

Thank you for the many lessons and teachings in the Bible that give us strength and energy when required, in particular Psalm 121: 1- 2 “ I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” . And Matthew 28:20 where Jesus tells his disciples “ Lo I will be always with you even unto the end of thee world”. We know that being here forever is impossible but it is reassuring to us to know That even in Spirit Jesus will be with US “even unto the end of the world” this reassurance allows us to find hope from the Psalms that basically states that when things are down and we are discouraged and even a little bit off the path we should lift or eyes up towards the sky and mountains. In these times may cling to the lesson that “When the Outlook looks bleak try the UPLOOK. Thank-you God for this support and wisdom

We want to keep in our prayers all those who may be suffering medical issues. We pray for those who have on going testing being done. We also pray for those that just aren’t feeling right. May you hear them as they call out whether silently or in outward request. Hold them close. Be with the doctors, Nurses and Specialists that are there to support us in our time of need. Thank- you for answered prayers for past medical prayer requests. We thank you for the recovery or for providing strength to keep fighting.

We also ask that you continue to be with our seniors whether members here at WMC or in our families. Grant those seniors who are battling life changes grace as they try to make sense out of things that always may not make sense. Thank you for the caregivers that provide support to our loved ones.

Be with those in a position of Authority whether world leaders, national leaders, or more locally may they govern with understanding, dignity, and true unselfish character. We hold in Prayer those with authority.

Thanks you also for the many functioning parts here at WMC . thank you for the many, many gifts you have granted those here at WMC. Continue to be with pastor Matthew as he stives to learn about us and the life here at WMC. We thank you for the ways you have provided pastors and leaders here thru the many years at WMC. We have been blessed.

We also lift up our Households of faith this week.

As we enter the holiday season may we recognize again the reason for the season … the birth of Jessus and the Hope it provides. Help us to continue to enjoy time with family and appreciate what each one means to us. And again, we thank you for being there for us in the good times and the tough times. And when times seem bleak and the outlook is going tough help us to try the UPLOOK

IN Your name we ask it

AMEN

Dear Lord God, Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and sky, humans and 
animals. We come before you with humble hearts knowing you have given us 
these many blessings to care for and to enjoy. May we continually praise 
and thank you for your gifts to us.
May we earnestly seek your will. Influence our thoughts and lives to 
follow in your footsteps and use our gifts thereby enhancing your 
kingdom. You are forever faithful to us and we give you thanks.
We thank you too for life.

Today we remember others who are mourning their loses.  This can be 
ongoing and difficult but we know our ongoing communion with you helps 
us find comfort and peace.

Then our thoughts go to those in Long Term Care. May they feel your 
presence oh Lord while living in their twilight days.

There are others awaiting surgery or results and those who have unspoken 
concerns. May you draw near to them during their challenges and may they 
know you care.

Lord, we name our Households of Faith for this coming week.
With life and daily living comes joy and sorrow, cares and concerns. We 
pray Lord that they each feel your presence and feel surrounded by your 
love and guidance throughout this coming week.

We know of the struggles of war, pain, loneliness, fear, hurt and sorrow 
in this sad world.
May those in leadership whether local or global aspire to the words from 
Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is 
in heaven”
Be with each of us as we search your will for our lives.  We pray you be 
the guiding light that leads us all through life.

May we seek peace, love and joy today knowing you will reign today and 
forever.
We give you all the praise and thanks!  Amen

“The road we travel is equal in importance to the destination we seek. There are no shortcuts. When it comes to truth and reconciliation we are forced to go the distance.”

–Justice Murray Sinclair (who died on Monday of this week), Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

God of the road, Maker of ways forward,

Thank you for your provisions as we travel together:

You give sustenance. You allow for rest.

And you offer really great stories around the campfire.

Encourage us, God!

Encourage us along the road, we pray!

Spirit of the road, Tireless Traveller,

While we begin our worship with a land acknowledgement,

Bless us as we discern how to move beyond acknowledgement.

When we think of truth and reconciliation,

When we estimate the hard-scrabble distance that lies before us,

How will you give us courage and vision?

Will you give us strong walking muscles?

Show us new options for building connections,

New shared paths for Indigenous and non-Indigenous.

Jesus of the road, Teacher of ways forward,

We pray for the world.

As your gospel of peace keeps moving and evolving,

We pray for blessed bewilderment for world leaders,

And then courage to make a change.

Can you provoke our leaders to instigate a ceasefire?

Can you provoke us to be peacemakers day by day?

Mapmaker of love,

We confess that sometimes we want the shortcut.

Sometimes we want the simple answer.

Then bless us with our next big surprise, and don’t hold back with the wilderness.

Confound us, make us sweat, and then make the sweat sacred.

…

Today we pray for our Households of Faith.

…

God of the road, Maker of ways forward,

We want to follow your way,

But sometimes we wonder about the destination.

Sometimes we want to travel faster or slower or more directly

Or we feel like taking the scenic route.

Be a hand on our shoulder, or a hand we can hold as we walk.

Be the wind in the trees, or the falling leaves,

Or the mystery critter in the underbrush.

Be the energy that pushes us to go around the next corner.

At the end of the day,

Be our God. Be our Holy Spirit. Be our Jesus.

Amen.

God of the cosmos and the caverns,

God of rainbows and roly-polies,

God of electricity and enzymes,

You created this world and proclaimed it good.

Such amazing life, this that you have made!

Chickadees, praying mantises, maple trees, spireas, grape vines,

Porpoises, polar bears, orchids, donkeys, humans, earthworms –

How can you cradle all of us so well?

How can you care for so many creatures?

Kindle in us a spirit of awe for your creation.

Urge us to deeply love and guard this precious planet of ours.

God of our scruffy, worldwide human community,

God of the right and the left and the undecided,

God of workers, leaders, followers, revolutionaries, pundits, and lowly ones,

You create us to be fleshy, quirky lovebearers.

You breathe into us so that we can live well together.

Will you put your hand on our collective shoulder and wake us up?

Could you startle us with a bold-type memo of peace?

Renovate us. Rip out the toxicity and install new pillars of openness.

Make it so that this week’s news will be crammed with hope.

God of Wellesley Mennonite Church,

God of those of us who attend in this building, and those of us who attend online,

God of we young, we old, we 2SLGBTQ+, we straight,

You are our faithful God and we know you walk with us through the years.

You bless our ministries and you give flavour into our efforts to be salt in the world.

This week how will you bless our crazy quilt of a congregation?

Where will we meet you as we go about our work of discipleship?

God of healing, consolation, hope, and strength,

We ask for your mercy and love to gush through all of us.

……

God of our Households of Faith,

We pray for others in our congregation.

……

Jesus Christ, teacher of peace.

We look ahead to next Sunday when we celebrate your gospel of peace.

Help us to unroll the ancient scriptures of peace and shalom.

Open us to Jesus’ words: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Open us to questions and insights about nonviolence.

Unsettle us so that peacemaking becomes real protein rather than a cliché.

Jesus Christ, beckon us onto your path of justice.

Ignite us as eyes-wide-open followers of your gospel.

AMEN.