(The United Methodist Hymnal – The Faith We Sing – #2193)
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your spirit in this place;
Lord, listen to your children praying,
send us love, send us power, send us grace.
Lord, we need you – to listen to our pleas, to understand our pain, to hear our gladness and the joy we feel when we are with you. When there is no one else, you are always there, the one constant we can count on. Our lives are a swirl of change but you are the calm that fills our soul and brings us peace. So we come to you this day, in this moment, with hearts full, praying, Lord, praying.
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your spirit in this place;
Lord, listen to your children praying,
send us love, send us power, send us grace.
In the quiet of this sacred space, we seek your goodness and your grace. We have not always been kind or generous to one another. We have ignored the call of your Spirit and left undone your bidding. We have been uncaring and sometimes even mean in word and action. Our patience has been depleted and we have lashed out in frustration and anger. We need your gentle spirit to wash us clean and set us right. We open our hearts to the ways of Jesus. Teach us, Lord, teach us.
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your spirit in this place;
Lord, listen to your children praying,
send us love, send us power, send us grace.
In our world, Lord, it seems that love is in short supply. We need your abundant love, your unconditional love, your amazing love to fill us to overflowing. Your grace will help this love flow in a never-ending stream, pouring out to those who are thirsty to be included and longing to be embraced. The power of your love through Christ will save us from ourselves and create a bond between us that cannot be broken. We are grateful, Lord, we are grateful.
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your spirit in this place;
Lord, listen to your children praying,
send us love, send us power, send us grace.
Liturgy for This and That 