Category Archives: Prayers

Nine Prayers for the 2024 United Methodist Church General Conference

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The General Conference of the United Methodist Church will be meeting April 23 – May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The group has been unable to gather since 2019 due to the COVID pandemic.

What is the UMC General Conference? The General Conference of the UMC is the decision-making body of the United Methodist Church. It is made up of equal parts lay and clergy representatives from the worldwide UMC connection of congregations. They meet every four years for worship, conversation, discernment, and legislative work.

My friend, Rev. Magrey DeVega, lead pastor of Hyde Park UMC in Tampa, Florida, will be a delegate to this year’s conference. He explains the work of the conference this way.

“The delegates will engage in worship and holy conferencing, for the purpose of interpreting the work of the United Methodist Church for the present age. Delegates will consider hundreds of petitions and make a wide array of decisions, guiding the denomination in its allocation of resources, its position on major issues, and its priorities for ministry.

Among the many matters of discernment and consideration will be these four major issues:

  • Revision of our Social Principles: to speak into contemporary issues in ways that are globally relevant and biblically based.
  • Reduction of the Denomination’s Overall Budget: to maximize resources for local churches to do the work of making disciples.
  • Regionalization of the Denomination’s Global Structure: to allow the United Methodist Church to minister in the most effective ways in different global contexts.
  • Removal of Discriminatory Language and Policies: to reduce the harm done to LGBTQIA+ persons.

CLICK HERE for the General Conference website with more information, their schedule, and live stream.

Scroll through the following infographics for more information on the structure of the United Methodist Church, the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the General Conference.

How can I get the prayer guide? Thank you for praying for the upcoming General Conference gathering. It’s a significant time of change and hope in our denomination and your prayers matter. These prayers were born out of my concerns and hopes.

You’re welcome to share my prayer guide with others as a free prayer resource, in print or digital form. I pray they are helpful to you, your congregation, our denomination, and all who follow Christ around the world. CLICK HERE to download the prayer guide.

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Nine Prayers for the 2024 UMC General Conference © 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia. You’re welcome to share this prayer guide with others as a free prayer resource, in print or digital form. Please do not modify it, claim it, or publish it as your own.

Three Prayers for Holy Saturday

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Prayer for Holy Saturday by Lisa Degrenia
Lord of the Sabbath, Lord of Hosts,
There are so many things we do not understand

Help us to trust you
even when the situation is desperate and out of control

Help us to follow you
even when the way unclear

Help us to wait and rest
even when every bit of us screams to act

Build in us a faith that perseveres
Even when we can’t see you
Or feel you near
Or understand

Your power and goodness are never diminished
Morning is coming

Holy Saturday by Steve Garnaas Holmes
A day without purpose or liturgy,
vast in its cruel, silent emptiness.
Bereft, gutted, regrettable.

A day to sit with myself,
my failures, my sorrows,
wrap them around me like a shawl.

A day to sit with death,
amid life’s flock of losses,
feeding the pigeons of grief at my feet.

A day to sit with the world
and its shambles,
its unfailing choice to ruin itself.

Let the depth of the day deepen,
the sea of sorrow swell downward,
the dark deeps complete and useless.

Everything empties out.
Even grief and guilt are hollow.
Even the beating heart has nothing to say.

In the insistent blank
let there be no possibility, none:
an empty canvas for God.

Linger by Lisa Degrenia
Before we get to Easter, we need to linger:
in the vulnerability of the basin and the towel
at the remembrance and promise of the table
in the struggle and betrayal of the garden
in the shadows and shouts of injustice
at the bloody brutal beautiful cross
in the silence of linen and spices and death

For without these, the empty tomb is empty

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Prayer for Holy Saturday © 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Linger © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

You are welcome to use my works in a worship setting without asking permission. It’s always a treat to hear from you if you’re using it. Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in a book, blog, etc.

Steve Garnaas Holmes retains the copyright for his work. I’m grateful for his permission to use his work on my blog. Contact him directly for permission to use his work.

Five Prayers Inspired by The Road to Emmaus – Luke 24

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sprout in dry soilOpen My Eyes by Lisa Degrenia
Open my eyes to your presence
Break the bread
Tear the veil in two

Open my eyes to your presence
Your Word and Your Way
To see and seek

Open my eyes to your presence
A dawn of recognition
The fullness of your grace
Now mine to reveal

You Are Near by Lisa Degrenia
You are near when the dream dies.
When the unexpected comes.
When the unthinkable overwhelms.

You are near when my spirit wails
From dragging the weight of grief
and anxious questions.

You are near when hope hides.
When I cannot see the way forward.
When I cannot sense your presence.

You are near- patient and open.
Holding space for my longings and suffering.

You are near- steadfast and passionate.
Wrapping me in your truth.
Setting my broken heart aflame.

You are near.
A light in the wilderness.
A future abounding in hope.

Where Do I Meet You? by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus, where do I meet you?
everywhere

In every situation.
In every need.
In every one.

Help me recognize
Your presence,
Your providing,
Your voice.

You are near.
You are at work.
You are speaking truth
and life.

Jesus,
Help me recognize you.
Help me trust you.
Help me follow you,
Everywhere

Eyes to See by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus, give us eyes to see
Your presence, Your hope,
Your grace made real right now.

Help us live expectantly.
Expecting to see people come to faith,
Growing in faith.

Expecting to see people freed from poverty,
Delivered of disease,
Making sacrifices for the greater good.

Expecting to see prayers answered.
Jobs found, bills paid,
Schools thriving, everyone in housing.

Expecting to see wars end, corruption abandoned,
justice and opportunity abounding.

Expecting to see lives unshackled from addiction.
People and families made whole.
Neighborhoods and Nations open and welcoming.
Division and hate a long-distant memory.

Jesus, free us from sin and shame,
From blame and blindness.
Fill us with grace upon grace upon grace.
Give us eyes to see and
Give us lips quick to testify in thanksgiving and praise.

Offer your own prayers.

Glory, Glory Hallelujah to our Risen Savior
Glory, Glory Hallelujah to Jesus, God with us,
who empowers us to live the prayer he taught us…

Close with the Lord’s Prayer.

Morning by Morning by Lisa Degrenia
Morning by morning,
Like manna,
Like sunrise.

Morning by morning you awaken and provide,
You open my eyes to your presence,
You open my ears to your encouragement and truth.

You know my disillusionment, my questions,
my weariness, my hopelessness, my despair.

You open me to your sustaining–
Feasting on your words.
Feasting at your table.
Feasting on your grace.

Now open my mouth to share what first found me
In every season and circumstance
With every soul along the way.

Morning by morning you awaken me,
Like manna,
Like the sunrise.
Great is your faithfulness!

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Open My Eyes © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are Near © 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Where Do I Meet You © 2019, updated 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Eyes to See © 2020, updated 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Morning by Morning © 2027, updated 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

You are welcome to use my works in a worship setting without asking permission. It’s always a treat to hear from you if you’re using it. Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in a book, blog, etc.

Three Prayers based on Jesus Cleansing the Temple (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 2)

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Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

Reveal Yourself by Lisa Degrenia
Reveal yourself, Jesus,
In signs,
In words,
In healing and provision.

Reveal yourself
In power,
In waymaking,
In overturning all that distorts and obstructs.

Reveal yourself, Jesus.
May trust and faith increase.
May truth and hope abound.

Not This by Steve Garnaas-Holmes
This is no mere angry outburst. It’s way bigger:
prophetic, pointed street theater.
Theology thrown on you like ice water.

You start with shock,
and not just consternation, but outrage.
Blasphemy. Assault. Murder!

So it is when God upends your tables,
shouting, “Not this! Not this!”
—when it’s God you’re talking about.

You thought you understood God.
Had the right theology, right sacrifices.
But it’s overturned.

Let that feeling sit with you,
of having been robbed,
having been wronged.

This is how hard it is
to let go of graven images
and let God be God.

Come and Cleanse Your House Again by Lisa Degrenia
This prayer could be voiced by one voice, all voices, or as a call and response as indicated.

Merciful Savior,
You offer your house to the nations
for worship and prayer,
forgiveness and healing, 
community with you and with others.

Come and cleanse your house again.

Forgive us for losing sight of your agenda.
Forgive us for all the obstacles
we put in the way of people connecting with you.

Come and cleanse your house again

Drive out the mistrust, false teaching, and prejudice.
Turn over the tables of gossip, hypocrisy, and apathy.
Empty us of addiction to money, things, and power.

Come and cleanse your house again

Return us to humility, charity, and sacrifice.
Fill your house with welcome, growth, and redeeming love.
Bathe us in your grace and holiness
so everything we do draws people to you
and brings honor to your name. Amen.

Jesus cleansing the temple is found in all four gospels –  Matthew 21:12–17, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45–48, John 2:13–22.

John 2:13-22 is read on Year B — Lent — Third Sunday in Lent

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Reveal Yourself © 2023 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Not This © 2024 Steve Garnaas-Holmes from his blog, unfoldinglight.net. Used with permission. 
Come and Cleanse Your House Again © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

You are welcome to use my works in a worship setting without asking permission. It’s always a treat to hear from you if you’re using it. Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in a book, blog, etc.

Please contact Steve Garnaas-Holmes directly for permission to use his works. 

Three Prayers on Binding, Loosing, and Forgiving (Matthew 16 and John 20)

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Photo by Chris F on Pexels.com

Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19) 

Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23)

Wielding Power by Lisa Degrenia
Holy Spirit, help me wield your power well
binding and loosing and forgiving

In the loosing of forgiving,
I find your antidote to the poison of resentment
and revenge

In the binding of blessing,
I dive into the deep pool of your provision
and the grace of solidarity

In laying down arms,
I find the war already ended
My heart of peace is your heart beating within me

Make me complete as you are, Holy One
so I may loose and set free
so I may hold and be held
So all may know your wholeness, including me
Amen

Bind and Loose by Lisa Degrenia
Bind in me all that needs to be bound
Loose in me all that needs to be loosed

Bind in your church all that needs to be bound
Loose in your church all that needs to be loosed

Bind in your world all that needs to be bound
Loose in your world all that needs to be loose

Blessed Messiah, fulfill your kingdom in us and in all 
Fulfill your Kingdom, Son of the Living God

Merciful Jesus by Lisa Degrenia
Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny privilege
to lay down favor and safety
in order to take up the cross of opportunity and justice

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny consumerism
to lay down convenience and gratification
in order to take up the cross of sustainability and generosity

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny comfort
to lay down apathy and ease
in order to take up the cross of solidarity and true love

Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me
Show me what to pick up and what to lay down
that I may lose and loose
in order to find and bind
all that is from you
Amen

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Weilding Power © 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Bind and Loose © 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Merciful Jesus © 2017, 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use these works in a worship setting without asking permission. It’s always a treat to hear from you if you’re using it. Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in a book, blog, etc.