Lord,
Thank you for this day.
Thank you for your abundant goodness. Throughout our time of worship this morning please be present with us and open our hearts to receive you and all that you are. We come with distractions, discouragements, and joys this morning, but help us to lay that all aside to truly hear from you.
Thank you for children confessing their faith and proclaiming their dedication and faithfulness to you. May Samantha--and the many other children of this congregation--choose you every day with all of their hearts for the rest of their lives. May there never be a day where they do not know, recognize, and communicate with you as their Lord and savior. Be with them as they return to school. Educate them and build them up, but most of all, allow them to be bright lights to their friends. Use our children to draw other children close to you. Use those of us as parents to be lights to other parents that we come in contact with. Father; may we all be like little children: with an innocent, unassuming, and trustworthy faith that believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are who you say you are: you are I AM, the God of loving-kindness, the God of covenant love. Thank you that you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Like children, may we lean into that with a quiet peace and confidence.
And Lord, and thank you so much for Brian, our beloved pastor and friend. Thank you for this sermon series he's been teaching through these past few months. Protect him and his precious family. lord, as we come together as a body of believers, help us all to grasp the mission of Intown, your local body, here in Portland. Help us all to feel a sense of calling to this city, help us all to be a people on our knees, listening for your voice and ready to serve you. Guide our church as we go through this sermon series; give us a a clear sense of direction. Make it clear what our next steps ought to be as a body of believers, as your children who really desire what you desire: that none In this life should perish without knowing you.
Holy Spirit, minister to our session - Ben, Scott, and Brian. Empower them; comfort them; guide them; lead them. Thank you for Matt, Jillian, and Maria - all of Intown's staff. Sit close to them in all of their comings and goings as they seek to serve this body. And remind us, as congregants, to love them well. Thank you for their sacrifice, the time they give to edify this congregation.
Father, help us to all desire you above all else; what can be better than sweet communion w you? Help us all to be bolder in our faith! Unashamed to claim you in all the circles of life that we inhabit. Open our eyes and ears, Lord, to really have a sense of mission — as individuals and a body. Help us to be rooted and grounded in your love that it may inspire all that we do.
Lord, bless and keep Intown church. Make your face shine on each person here. Please show your grace to us. Turn your countenance towards us and give us your peace.
In your most holy name we pray, Jesus. Amen.