Let us join together with the people of God in all nations, in all places, as we offers our prayers of praise and petition:Loving God
We are on a schedule
We are a temporal people
Chained to our watches
In control
And then there is you
Your time surprises us
Like a thief in the night
Like the pangs of birth
We thank you for your time
For your kingdom
For the Son of Man
Bless this day the church
Millions who are committed to your time
Who let go for moments
Who sit before you in prayer
Bless especially those who serve the church
Fill them with Spirit
Fill them with love
Bless this day those who lead nations
Ours and others
May they not rush to judgment
But await your time
Fill them with patience
Fill them with peace
Bless this day those who serve our communities
Those who protect, those who teach
Those who reach out when others turn away
Who embrace what is broken
Grant them time to heal
Fill them with wisdom
Bless those who have died this week in religious conflict
For Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew,
For those in Mumbai, in Orissa, in Nigeria
Bring the innocent into your kingdom
Overwhelm them with your grace
Comfort those left behind
Those scarred
May these pangs give birth to renewed love
To forgiveness
To reconciliation
Bless those who hunger and thirst
Those in pain
The broken-hearted
If it is your will
Let the surprise be healing
On your time
A divine ambush
The shock of love
[insert prayer requests here]
We offer these spoken prayers
And the prayers buried in our hearts
Hearts in the kingdom
Hearts directed by your time
May it always be so. Amen.