Kevin Walton, February 2025
During this interim period, let us commit to be in prayer not only for the future of our church, but for God’s ongoing work in us during this season now. Please use this prayer as a guide for reflection allowing the Spirit to identify the areas we need to turn over to him for our growth and healing.
Our loving, gracious Father, we thank you for Community of Nations Church and for your faithful provision and guidance for this church body over the past 120 years through many changes and challenges. As we now pass through another season of transition may you do a good work in us to mold and shape us, and make us ready to embrace all that you have prepared for us.
According to your abundant grace we ask that you would:
Give us gratitude for your provisions and presence as our good shepherd, for we are not lacking or missing anything from you.
Give us faith to trust your leading, releasing our fears and anxieties in your care.
Give us hope knowing in all things you are working together for our good.
Give us courage to examine our lives. May you root out every seed of bitterness and selfish ambition, heal our wounds, and reconcile our differences in Christ, that we might be made ready to receive your word as good soil that can produce a fruitful harvest.
Open our eyes to see where you have been at work among us, and where you are calling us to step up, deepen our commitment, and press on in following you to greater heights.
Open our hands to let go of those things you no longer need us to carry, that we might be ready to take hold of what is yet to come with hands eager to serve.
Open our ears to hear your voice as you speak to us through your word and through the collective wisdom of our brothers and sisters. Help us to discern together your Spirit’s leading.
Open our minds to consider new possibilities, plans and people, so we can follow your pathway forward with creativity, discernment, and wisdom.
Open our hearts to embrace your will as one body, moving forward together in love and unity with all humility, gentleness and patience.
We pray for wisdom and discernment for the search committee and all those in leadership in this interim season. May this be a time of deepening our faith in you and our bond of love together. In the wisdom of your timing may you call our next shepherd to lead us, but may it not be until you have done all that you need to do in us to prepare us for that day.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Chief Shepherd we pray,
AMEN
