Pentecost Pastoral Prayer

The Holy Spirit fell upon those gathered in the Upper Room on that first
Pentecost Day. As we turn now in prayer, I invite you to take a deep breath
and open your heart to welcome a new showering of the Spirit to fall upon you
here today.

Creator Spirit, come and fill the souls that are yours; fill with heavenly grace
the hearts that you created. We are yours and we welcome your presence
anew in our lives this day. We and our world need your wisdom and counsel,
your strength and right judgement. So, we invite you to come, Holy Spirit!
We ask you to fill all the spiritual leaders of our day with a deep desire to
cooperate with the One we all acknowledge as Holy & Divine, in creating a
world where we live according to the higher laws of the kingdom of heaven.
You are our Advocate, the leaders of nations everywhere need a fresh infusion
of your counsel; and a sense of dignity and worth of every human being
regardless of race, gender, age or color; so that we can live in a world of justice
and equity for all people.

O Spirit, in our country this weekend we call to mind those who gave their
lives in the service of protecting the ideals of liberty and freedom for
everyone, give us the gift of sweet memories of those whom we have loved
and lost as we honor and respect their service.

In the midst of sickness, pain and suffering, we ask you who we call Comforter
to remind all those who are ill of the healing grace and power of Jesus who
offers wholeness that is spiritual, emotional and physical to everyone.
We are beginning the season of summer break for children, youth and adults,
so we ask you Spirit to shower our country with favorable weather through
which we may take vacation time to rest and be renewed for our varied roles
in this season of life.

And finally, Spirit of the Living God, in the midst of so many questions, and
doubts, fears and worries we ask you to fall anew on each of us with an
abiding sense of peace……peace our world doesn’t understand……peace we
cannot create by our own power……peace you alone can offer.

Create in us a new heart, and renew a right spirit within us. Amen.