March 15, 2026, LABC, Oakland
Pastoral Prayer
We come to you, God, because we are thirsty. Our spirits need the refreshing water of your word, just as our bodies need the refreshment of a cool drink. We worship you with joy, for we can already feel the gift of your presence all around us. Open our ears that we may hear all that you expect of us. Open our lives to your truth and prepare us to follow Jesus in accepting the unacceptable, challenging the conventional, and joining together in a harvest for your realm.
As we enter the third week of war, we are troubled by the reasons given to be in this conflict that have caused unspeakable loss of lives of many innocent people including children. We pray for the US service men and women who have lost their lives in this conflict; comfort their families at this time. Teach us not to erase the faces of those who have suffered so gravely from our memories.
We pray that those who have committed such deaths would have a moral conscience to do what is right and just. Today, we lift up our LCC director, Anahita who has family in Iran to be safe. As followers of the Prince of Peace, empower us to speak for cease-fire, reconciliation, and peace on earth.
When we see inhumanity in the Middle East/Gulf nations, we also see inhumanity near us. We pray for all those who are vulnerable to the viciousness of inhumanity by our federal government toward those with temporary status in the US. We pray for their safety and protection and lead us to walk side by side with them and to offer refuge when it’s needed. In our own city of Oakland where crime and disorder are hurting people, we pray for kindness and neighborly love to prevail.
And let us not forget that the Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus were refugees when King Herod was looking for them with bad intentions. We pray for our church member, Zulu Lemtur who will be returning to India because his permanent residence application has not yet been approved. Be with Zulu keeping him safe until he is able to return to us and his teaching ministry in the US.
Lord of healing miracles, we pray for those who are confronted with health challenges that they are restored, those who are disturbed with mental and emotional disturbances that they may find comfort and peace, those who are trying to make ends meet in the daily struggle of life to get by that we can come to assist and help in need.
Send your living water to cleanse us, to quench our thirst, to become the saving grace for us so that we would never be thirsty again. We pray in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
Benediction
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Through this love, we are reconciled to God.
Go, therefore, to tell your friends and neighbors.
God has done great things for us; God will do good things for them as well.
Amen.