Jesus, Lord of the Church, give to the preacher grace to preach your word in truth despite my brokenness. We pray that in everything, you would increase and we would decrease.
As a church we ask for your forgiveness and your healing for our past and present sins. Especially for forgiveness where we have not embodied you, the Lord of the Church, and have been a scandal or a stumbling block for those who seek to believe. Forgive us for not giving to others the same grace and mercy you have shown to us, even to the point of death on a cross for us. Forgive us that at times, we are apt to make our worship more about what we like than about giving you the praise and glory and honor and unity that are rightly do to you, our Lord, God and King.
Restore us, we pray and equip us to better serve you in everything we do and in every situation into which you send us daily. Move us to forgive as we have been forgiven and to be merciful as you have shown us mercy.
Give us a passion to glorify you, Lord, in every aspect of what we do together and independently. Teach us to be
May Zion Church be the catalyst for an epidemic of righteousness in this city. May your word move us mightily into action in such a way that hearts and lives and eternities in this city are changed. We pray especially that the special relationships with the Muslim community you have given us would lead many to follow you.
May we be a church together where the lonely find community, the outcasts find acceptance and understanding, the sick find healing, the addicted and the prisoners find true and lasting freedom, where the hungry are fed, the needy are clothed, the homeless find a home, and the thirsty find satisfying drink. Let us be a place where streams of living waters flow forth and water a dry and thirsty land.
We are a Church of many people: People from Iowa and elsewhere in America, from Burma and Iraq, Congo and Liberia, South Sudan and other places. We are people of every generation, station, and ability. We pray in many languages and many ways but we seek our unity in you, Jesus. Grant us grace to overcome all that divides us and make out of many, one holy people, a church of priests to serve our God.
We ask for the unity of all the congregations in our city that the unbelieving world would see that there is only one church in Des Moines and that that church belongs to Jesus and is truly the enfleshment of his body.
Bless and keep our elected leaders and those who have authority over us in our nation, state, county and city. Inform and guide their decisions by your mighty hand and may the laws they pass be for the good of all. May justice and mercy be our goal and may righteousness and peace be the result.
We pray that you meet all our needs. Please give us neither too much nor too little so that we can pay our bills and help the poor. Move us to give with kind and generous hearts so that people might see you as kind and generous. Raise up leaders and helpers among us to do the work you have set before us.
May our children grow up to love and serve you. May parents lead their children to godliness and holiness. Be pleased to fill all of us with your Holy Spirit and may signs and wonders be seen every day among us.
May we embody, you, Jesus, may we truly be your body. May the people of Zion truly embody your grace and forgiveness and redemption. May we be bold proclaimers of your word, your will, your way. May we be doers as well as hearers of your word.
All these things we pray in the matchless and mighty name of Jesus of Nazareth, Christ, Messiah, Lord of all. Amen.
