Prayers of the People

God be with you,

And also with you.

Let us pray.

O Dawn of all Creation and Mystery Unknown, your ways are not our ways, your thoughts are not our thoughts.   Guide us to seek and find your grace and your mercy, your tenderness and your presence in the midst of our daily lives.   Give us gratitude for your many blessings which we call to mind now silently or aloud.

(Silence in which thanksgivings may be shared)

Save us and enlighten us here in these days of ours, Faithful One.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

O Light of Incarnation, Face of Love here on earth.  We bring to you the leaders of the nations, the kings and princes of this world today.   Awaken them to the folly that is your eternal wisdom, the poverty that is your unfading wealth, the weakness that is your abiding strength.   Free them by the power of the Cross from their bondage to the always enticing ways of violence, ambition, ego and vanity.   We pray to you, Defeated Victor, for the wounded and struggling peoples of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, Iran and Sudan, and this our own nation.   Heal your Creation, make in all grieving hearts a song.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

O Flame of Transformation and Unknown Power, upon the mystic splendor of the mountains in elder days you bestowed your law upon your chosen people and strengthened the friends of Jesus with transfiguring assurance.   Visit your Church here and in places of peril around the world, especially in Nigeria.   We pray to you today, in the Evanston Deanery, for the people of Christ Church in Winnetka and Matthew, their rector.  Enlighten all who walk in the Way of the Cross that we find in our discipleship none other than the way of life and truth.   Transform us in our grateful service by your heavenly glory.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

O Dawn of All the Living, Who Is and Was and Ever Shall Be, we lift to your all-present, life-giving love those who we love and carry in our hearts this day, particularly Sally Sherry, Aidan, Isabelle, Anne, Ben, and Chuck & family. Are there others?

We pray to you also for all those who have died, particularly those killed in British Columbia and all victims of gun violence.

O Light and Flame of Loving, Transcendent Mystery, you dwell in worlds beyond this one.   Even so, fill us with your grace and illumination as we seek you here in flesh and blood and bone.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Silence

O God, who before the passion of your only begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.                                                                              The Book of Common Prayer

Amen.