Prayers of the People

God be with you,

And also with you.

Let us pray.

Out of the depths we call to you, O Lord - let your ears consider well the voice of our supplication.   You are Creation’s birth and breath, the Resurrection and the Life.  You restore the dead to life - dead bodies, dead ideals, dead hopes, dead worlds.   Send your revitalizing Spirit into all of our dying - breathe resurrection into the lungs of a polluted Creation, into societies choked with division and violence, into moments and seasons of numbing weariness and despair.  Knit hope back onto the bones of those lives shattered by bullets and bombs in the Middle East.   Open the graves of our hearts that we may rise again and again, inspired to live for you and love for your sake, bringing your unfading life to the many and varied realms of the dead.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Christ our Teacher, you are God’s pure creative Word.  You call us here in your pilgrim Church to follow your instruction as we wend our way back from the far country of our wandering.  In all of our exile, help us to wait for you, to listen for your voice, to dwell in your abundant mercy.  We pray to you today for your church here in the Evanston Deanery, particularly for the people of the Church of the Holy Comforter in Kenilworth and Heath their Rector.  Give us wisdom’s heavenly lore.  Guide us with your loving hand.  Fix our hearts where true joys are to be found.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

God who blesses earth with springtime, restore and quicken, soothe and bless all those in want or need, pain or struggle.  We pray to you, in a particular way, today for Sally, Sherry, Aidan, Isabelle, Anne, Victor, Ben, Chuck & family, Heather, Vicki, Donna, James, Lexi, and Christine. Are there others?

Deliver them, O strong and true Love of God, from their trials and uphold them by your verdant grace.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, you wept at the grave of Lazarus your friend.  Comfort all those who mourn.   And give unto all the dying and the dead the unfailing light and hope of your risen life.

God in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Book of Common Prayer

Amen.