A Prayer for our churches and our cities, towns, and communities for 3rd Sunday after Pentecost 2019; based on Psalm 16, 1 King 19:15-21, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 and the Collect and Preface for this Sunday from the BCP

Preserve our churches, O God, for in you we take refuge. You are our Lord and we have no good apart from you. You have your hand on all things here in our cities, towns, and communities, you hold our lot, and we have a beautiful inheritance in you, especially in our savior, your Son, Jesus Christ. We set you before us and you make our hearts happy. We know you’ll never abandon us, just as you didn’t abandon your prophets, even when they felt like maybe you had. There are some of us here today that feel abandoned, and we wonder where you are. Holy Spirit, make your presence known in our worship. There are people in our cities, towns, and communities that aren’t sure you’re there, Lord. Holy Spirit, bring them to know Jesus and know the presence of a redeemer, and bring them to find God’s people, even bring them to our churches.
Jesus, we thank you that you have set us free, and we ask that today in our worship service and every day, you would lead our churches to walk by the Spirit, killing the sin in us and bringing to life a life of righteousness. Especially grow in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and may our lives be a witness to our cities, towns, and communities.
Lord, we thank you that you are gracious, so your judgement has not come upon our cities, towns, and communities or our churches, but rather you wait that your love may be known and many more brought to salvation in Christ. Lord, we especially pray for the poor, the homeless, and the hurting of our cities, towns, and communities, and we ask you Holy Spirit to be at work in us that we at our churches may follow Jesus without any delay, ministering to those people. Make us fit for the kingdom of God.
Thank you for pastors who lead our churches to see Jesus, walk in the Spirit, and serve our cities, towns, and communities.
O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and on earth: Put away from us all hurtful things, and give us those things that are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.