Washington Interreligious Staff Community
Faithful Budget Prayer Service
Offered
by the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness
100
Maryland Avenue, NE, Washington, DC
June
27, 2012
Since Monday, June 18, the Faithful Budget Campaign has gathered daily on the front lawn of the United Methodist Building, across from the US Capitol, for prayer vigils in solidarity with the Nuns on the Bus tour. Today's prayer vigil was offered and led by the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness.
OPW Fellow Blair Moorhead reads scripture during Wednesday's prayer service.
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Reader 1: “Which
one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the
ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds
it?” (Luke 15:3b-4)
Reader
2: We are inspired by a common spiritual conviction
that God has called on all citizens of
the United States to protect the vulnerable and promote the dignity of all individuals
living in our society.
All:
With the help of our Creator, we aim to protect
those struggling to overcome poverty in the U.S. and abroad and to exempt
programs that protect people in poverty from the budget deficit debates. Help
up Lord, we pray.
Sung by all: Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the
living God fall afresh on us.
Reader 3: Let us
pray: We thank you for this day that you have made, O God. Your love upon all
humanity is awesome. We pray that you will help our Congress understand the
need to be just as loving toward those who are poor and rejected by our
society. We pray for women and children who are made vulnerable through
domestic cuts in SNAP, WIC and Head Start. We pray for college students whose
federal loan interest rates are being debated. Let their interest in pursuing education
be increased by accessible and affordable education. We pray for men and women who
are trapped in a world that expects them to be providers, but instead builds
more for-profit prisons to house them when the economic plight of our country
is in turmoil.
All: Help
us Lord, we pray.
Sung by all: Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the
living God fall afresh on us.
Sung by all: Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the
living God fall afresh on us.
All: Help us Lord, we pray.
Spirit of the
living God fall afresh on us.
Reader 6: We pray for our Sisters
who are traveling the country, spreading the message that a just and faithful
budget is needed in these times. May our collective efforts to inform, instruct,
and involve persons across this nation be for your glory. Keep us mindful that
we do our work for You and not for ourselves.
All: Help us Lord, we pray.
Spirit of the
living God fall afresh on us.
A Parting Reminder – J. Herbert Nelson
Sung by all: Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the
living God fall afresh on us.