Easter Pastoral Prayer

Holy, Living God was come before you today in celebration and exhortation for the risen Christ. We thank you O God for sending us the greatest teacher of all that we might learn from him in his death and resurrection. Hallelujah Christ is Risen!

Just as the disciples came to the dark tomb we too have been there. We have sat in the dark, feeling empty, alone. Jesus you felt and saw the human emotions of fear, betrayal, suffering, sorrow and grief. We too are your people O God who face these same emotions. Open our eyes, touch our hands, and warm our hearts O God allowing us to feel your Holy Spirit here with us now.

We release these human burdens of fear, betrayal, suffering, sorrow and grief to You because we know You care and are walking with us.  We know you are here O God because Jesus is risen. Jesus came out of the dark, empty tomb and he arose. Rise up in us to O Holy One, We want to rise up!

God who is as close to us as our own breathe yet reaches to the farthest star in the universe we come to you knowing we can do more. 

• We can do more for our neighbor
  
• More for the hungry both in spirit and physicality
• More for your great planet 
• More for peace
• We can do more to be like Jesus, who is our divine example 

God we know we can do, give and be more, help us great risen Creator.

Thank you ever-loving God for this day and for your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for this community of followers may we not forget this day come tomorrow when we return to our daily routines. Grant us the courage, excitement, energy and passion to continue beyond this Easter Sunday.

And mighty God we pray for all those around the world, particularly the families of those in German airplane crash, who suffered an unimaginable loss of loved ones. For the 147 innocent students who were killed in Kenya. O God we pray.

We pray:
For Hope
For us  work through love
For people to come together
For peace

And in the silence dear God we pray for those we hold dear to our hearts…….

Lord hear our prayers.

Amen.