A Prayer for Johnson Memorial

A prayer for Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church

Heavenly Father, in the quiet of this room, I call to you. May your spirit bless our time together. I celebrate your presence in our church. You are in each room; your spirit strengthens and guides us.

• In your Sanctuary, I can feel you breathe as you move through our worship. May our praise, confession and offerings be pleasing in your sight.
  
• In your Chapel, your soundless footsteps are heard in early worship and in committee meetings. I pray that your footprints lead our steps.
  
• In your Sunday school rooms, I can hear you in the laughter of children, in the fellowship of adults, and in the moments of discovery as we come to understand your Word. May those moments be numerous and may they be used for your glory.
  
• In your Social Hall, I can feel your love in the fellowship. I can taste your generosity in the food which is shared, and I can hear your Word in song and worship. May all that is in me know You.
  
• In your offices, I can see your presence as the staff works to make your Way known to all of us, your children. May they be strengthened by your guidance and love, and may we be a generous and loving congregation, open to the work of our pastors and supportive of their efforts.

May we meet you in the hallways and on the steps, in the bell tower and in the furnace room. I pray that no where in this building will we be able to hide from you. Fill your building with your spirit so that we, your children, are overwhelmed by it. May there be so much love and grace inside these walls that it overflows, bursts it seams, and showers our community with your blessings.

I pray that you will make known to each of us our talents so that we may in turn, with your guidance, transform them into gifts, given back to you in abundance.

Forgive our doubts, heavenly Father. Forgive our short-sightedness, our selfishness and our greed. Replace our heavy hearts with hope, our crushed spirits with praise, and our self-doubt with the gift of your grace.

It is with gratitude that I come to you in this time of quiet. I am grateful for all that you are and for all that you do. I am grateful, Lord, for your presence.

It is with the confidence of the disciples that I lift my voice to you in prayer, and ask that your will be done in your church. All of this I pray in the name of your son and my savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.