In my last message on this blog, I asked people to join me in prayer for our church.

Since then, my friends in Cruxifusion have formed a team who are praying together daily for our church and those preparing to head to General Council 42 this summer in Newfoundland. Today is my turn to lead in prayer, so I thought I would share it here so you may also join me in prayer.

Father, as we being this walk through Holy Week, I ask you to walk with us as we seek to walk with you. May your love, mercy, grace and forgiveness pour over us as we bring ourselves and our sins before you in humble gratitude for the sacrifice made on our behalf.

We submit our whole selves to you as you gave your whole self to us, in Jesus Christ on the cross. All that we have, O Lord, is your’s, as we ask you to use it all for your glory.

We pray today for the United Church of Canada. We pray for our leadership. We pray for those who have been elected to represent our churches at General Council. We pray for those who are preparing proposals and motions. We pray for all involved in preparations to host all these people.

May your Spirit stir within them as they begin to process the immense load of work that will be placed upon their laps. We recognize this is a critical time in our denomination, and so we ask you to make your way known to those who will be making difficult decisions. Decisions to change and reshape what we have today.

Lord, we submit this United Church to you. We ask you to use it as you wish to use it.

All that we have is your’s.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the head of the church.

Amen.