Above:  Nevada State Orphanage, Carson City, Nevada

Image Source = Library of Congress

Litany Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States

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Let us thank God for his blessings.  For all thy blessings in creation; for the beauty of earth and sea and sky; for thy manifold works, and the wisdom with which thou hast made them all,

We thank thee, O God.

For the happiness of our earthly life; for peaceful homes and healthful days; for our powers of mind and body; for faithful friends, for the joy of loving and being beloved,

We thank thee, O God.

For the revelation of thy love and for newness of life in our Saviour; for the blessings brought to us by thy holy Church; for the grace of thy sacraments and for our fellowship with thee in Christ,

We thank thee, O God.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.  From blindness to thy presence in life and sacrament; from hardness of heart and from want of truth, in thought and word and deed,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all that would injure the body, from unworthy fears and anxieties, from despondency, discontent and despair,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From want of sympathy with friends and neighbors; from harsh judgments and ill-feeling towards any; from idle talk and slander; from want of love for our contrary, and unwillingness to seek the common good,

Good Lord, deliver us.

When we question the value of life; when our sense of duty grows faint through self-indulgence; in suffering and failure; in times of happiness and success; in our days of labor and our nights of rest; in the freedom of youth and the weariness of old age; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,

Good Lord, deliver us.

That it may please thee to bless with wisdom and courage to those to whom the people have entrusted power, and to give thy guidance and blessing to all who hold rule over their fellows;

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to inspire all who are seeking to improve the conditions of our industrial life, and to give fortitude and new hope to all who are out of work;

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to solace all who have lost those whom they most loved; to sustain the widows and orphans; to uphold all who are sick and suffering; to protect such as have lost the kindly light of reason; and to supply the needs of the blind, the deaf, and the dumb;

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

May the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the splendor of the Eternal Light, remove from our hearts all darkness, now and forevermore.  Amen.

–Pages 306-309

Above:  The Lamentation of Christ, by El Greco

Image in the Public Domain

Prayer Source = Book of Worship (1942), Evangelical and Reformed Church

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God of comfort and infinite compassion, who canst turn sorrow into joy;

look mercifully upon all who are in trouble whether of mind, body, or estate;

sustain and heal the sick;

support and sanctify the dying;

visit with thy mercy those who mourn.

Pour thy divine peace into every wounded spirit;

and give to each desolate soul the assurance of thy love;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Above:  A King’s Burden

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Text (1700) by Caspar Neumann (1648-1715)

English Translation (1863) by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)

Hymn Source = Evangelical Lutheran Worship (1908), Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States (1818-1930)

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Lord, on earth I dwell sad-hearted,

Here I oft must mourn and sigh:

Wherefore hast Thou then departed,

Why didst Thou ascend on high?

Take me, take me hence with Thee,

Or abide, Lord, still with me;

Let Thy love and gifts be left,

That I be not all bereft.

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Leave Thy heart still inly near me,

Take mine hence where Thou art gone;

Open heav’n to me, and hear me,

When to Thee I cry alone;

When I cannot pray, O plead

With the Father in my stead;

Seated now at God’s right hand,

Help us here, Thy faithful hand.

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Worldly joys I cast behind me,

Let me choose the better part,

And though mortal chains yet bind me,

Heav’nward tend my thoughts and heart;

That my time through faith may be

Ordered for eternity;

Till we rise, all perils o’er,

Whither Thou hast gone before.

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Then return, the promise keeping,

That was made to us of old;

Raise the members that are sleeping,

Gnaw’d of death, beneath the mould;

Judge the evil world that deems

Thy sure words but empty dreams;

And for all our sorrows past

Let us know Thy joy at last.

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Above:  Christ Blessing, by Nardo di Cione

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1901) by Cleland Boyd McAfee (1866-1944), a minister of the former Presbyterian Church in the United States (1861-1983), after two nieces died concurrently of diphtheria

Hymn Source = The Presbyterian Hymnal:  Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs (1990), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

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1.  There is a place of quiet rest,

Near to the heart of God,

A place where no sin can molest,

Near to the heart of God.

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us, who wait before Thee,

Near to the heart of God.

2.  There is a place of comfort sweet,

Near to the heart of God,

A place where we our Savior meet,

Near to the heart of God.

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us, who wait before Thee,

Near to the heart of God.

3.  There is a place of full release,

Near to the heart of God,

A place where all is joy and peace,

Near to the heart of God.

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us, who wait before Thee,

Near to the heart of God.

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This is post #1550 of GATHERED PRAYERS.

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Above:  George Matheson

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1895), the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Words (1882) by the Reverend George Matheson (1842-1906), a blind Scottish Presbyterian minister grieving over a rejected proposal of marriage

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1.  O Love that wilt not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in Thee;

I give Thee back the life I owe,

That in Thine ocean’s depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

2.  O Light that followest all my way,

I yield my flickering torch to Thee;

My heart the rainbow through the rain,

That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be.

3.  O joy that seekest me through pain,

I cannot close my heart to Thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not vain

That morn shall tearless be.

4.  O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from Thee;

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

Above:  A Scene from the Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 7, 2012, at St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, Athens, Georgia

Image Source = Dallas Bono, Choir Director

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Dear God,

when the night is darkest,

may we see your light.

When we are uncertain,

may we cling to you.

When we try to do the right thing,

may we succeed through you.

When we grieve,

may we find comfort in you.

When we rejoice,

may we glorify you.  Amen.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 16, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT BERNADETTE OF LOURDES, ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN

THE FEAST OF ISABELLA GILMORE, ANGLICAN DEACONESS

THE FEAST OF SAINT WILLIAM FIRMATUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC HERMIT

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/dear-god/

Tragic Mask

Image Source = Holger.Ellgaard

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dramaten_mask_2008a.jpg)

From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

Enfold, O God, within your loving-kindness all those who feel rejected, unwanted, or alone.

Hear our prayer for prisoners, and all who are caught up in processes of law; for those enclosed within a private world of desolation by incapacity of mind or body, by age or grief or sickness, or because society has passed them by.

Draw near and comfort them wherever they may be; and move the hearts of us and all your people to care more deeply for the pains of others; in the name of Jesus, the Man of Sorrows.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

God of love and strength, your Son forgave his enemies even while he was suffering shame and death.

Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from despair.

Give us grace to discern the truth, that our society may be cleansed and strengthened.

This we ask for the sake of our merciful and righteous judge, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

O God, whose love restores the brokenhearted of the world: Pour out your love, we beseech you, upon those who are lonely, abandoned, or unloved.  Strengthen their hope to meet the days ahead.  Give them the courage to form new life-giving relationships, and bless them with the joy of your eternal presence.  This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

O Lord, we pray for all those who, full of confidence and love, once chose a partner for life, and are now alone after final separation.  May they receive the gift of time, so that hurt and bitterness may be redeemed by healing and love, personal weakness by your strength, inner despair by the joy of knowing you and serving others; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

O Lord God, we thank you for the gift of marriage–that gift which leads to the heights of shared joy or to the depths of shared bitterness.

We pray for those who are suffering hurt in marriage; for those who inflict it, and for those whose greatest unhappiness stems from the closeness of their partner.

O Lord, who in love created the complexities of the human mind, and in power conquered the evil that invades it; Bring unity to those who are divided, and wholeness to those who long for it, that we may finally be united with you and with one another; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

O One to whom we are connected by unbreakable bonds of love, you tell us that nothing can separate us from your providential mercy and your covenant of care.

Our grateful beings praise you.

You are the substance of our hope that life can and will go on.

Pour out on all our relationships the possibility of forever, and when we must sever and inseparable bond, strengthen us and support us so that life may continue around us and in us, forever and ever.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

O God, mighty giver of life, you are able to sustain what you have created:  we ask you to heal the ills of those who suffer from the threat of cancer.  We ask you to restore the physical body and also to cleanse the minds of the ill of worry, fear, and despair, that both health of body and joy of soul may unite to undergird and uplift those who suffer, and so place them within the range of your healing power; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

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From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

You chose, O loving God, to enter this world quietly, humbly, and as an outcast.

Hear our prayers on behalf of all who are abused: for children, who suffer at the hands of parents whom they trust and love; for spouses, beaten and destroyed by the very one who promised to love and cherish them, forever; for all people ignored, hated, and cheated by the very neighbor who could be the closest one to offer your love.

Hear the cry of the oppressed.

Let the fire of your Spirit fill their hearts with the power of vision and hope.

Grant to them empowerment to act, that they may not be passive victims of violence and hatred.

Fulfill for them the promises you have made, that their lives may be transformed and their oppression ended.

Turn the hearts of oppressors unto you, that their living may be changed by your forgiving love and their abusive actions and oppressive ways may be brought to an end.

In the name of Jesus Christ, who came to liberate the world, we pray.

Through Christ and in us may your holy name be praised, this day and forever. Amen.

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From the Book of Common Worship (1993), of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

O blessed Jesus, you ministered to all who came to you.  Look with compassion upon all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom.  Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove the fears that attack them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love; for your mercy’s sake.  Amen.

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From Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

Loving God, your heart overflows with compassion for your whole creation.  Pour out your Spirit on all people living with illness for which there is no cure, as well as their families and loved ones.  Help them to know that you claim them as your own and deliver them from fear and pain; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord.  Amen.

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From Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

God, our refuge and strength, our present help in time of trouble, care for those who tend the needs of [the sick]/[name/s].  Strengthen them in body and spirit.  Refresh them when weary; console them when anxious; comfort hem in grief; and hearten them in discouragement.  Be with us all, and give us peace at all times and in every way; through Christ our peace.  Amen.

The Pieta, by Michelangelo

Image Source = Wikipedia

From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

Lord, we love you because you listen to our prayers and give us a hearing.

But sometimes in deep distress we feel we will be swept away.

Help us when we feel desperate, when life is too much, when relationships are too trying and our own difficulties and weaknesses too hard to cope with.

Help us when we wish the ground would swallow us, when we find the thought of death attractive, even tempting.

Rescue us from death and trouble: keep us from stumbling, till we walk in your presence full of life, hope, and joy, praising you, with all your people, everywhere, forever.  Amen.

Mental Disorders

Image Source = Wikipedia

From Chalice Worship (1997), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

O Lord, you know our deepest thoughts, our human griefs and anxieties.  We bring you to those whose minds are troubled, whose bodies are in pain, and who are disappointed in spirit.

We pray for little children whose minds and emotions have been molested and tormented by the undiscipline of adults: give them confidence to share their problems and to recover hope and strength.

We pray for those overwhelmed and consumed by habits they are powerless to break: break them to admit their weakness, and to seek counselors who have sympathy and understanding and can give them help.

We pray for the callous and careless in the world who cause pain to others and create within their own lives a bitter spirit and an unpleasant atmosphere: reveal to them the tender love of our Savior, and when we are the victims of unhelpful comment and unjust criticism, keep us from all resentment and all bitterness.

Channel our energies into your service, secure us by your almighty strength, and help us to find our healing in you, for Jesus’ sake.  Amen.

Image Source = Wikipedia

From the Book of Common Worship (1993), of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

Gracious God, your Son came among us not to condemn but to save.  He taught us that nothing can separate us from your love.  Release us from the fear that we are worthless, and stay our hands from self-destruction.  Uphold N. with your love.  Fill him/her with hope and trust in your guidance, that your power may make him/her new through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.