Almighty creator God, that which the Christ called father. We address this petition to you.

Here's our situation.

Lord, Our souls shriek with horror at the evil and evil deeds in the world. Why did you create a world that has such evil?

We flee for refuge to this place that your servants have built. This place dedicated to worship you.

We feel safe in this place with our friends and those of like mind.

We feel safe, too, in this country in a very real and present way because of the commitment and dedication of our fathers and brothers and sisters and mothers who gave their lives in wars in the far and all too recent past.

First request for presence.

Lord, in this place and at this time, make your Presence known.

This is who we are to ask this.

You knew us, Lord, when we were in our mother's womb. You knit us together. You named us.

Your are with is in our standing up and our lying down, you are with us in our comings and our goings.

We are yours.

Second request for presence.

Lord, we, your children beseech you, we implore you, we humbly request of you: Be with us here and now in this time, in this place.

Accompany our thoughts as we sing, be in our minds as we read and listen, be in our hearts as we pray.

Lord, in this place and at this time, make your Presence known.

Be in our hearts as we now pray the prayer your son taught us to pray, saying...

Lord

Attention of the Lord

We first acknowledge you as the source of our strength and wisdom.

We pray for your attention and blessing to what we have begun here today. Give us strength to move from this day of worship and rest to the coming days of work and stress.

Prayer for the four

Bless especially Kathy, Dusty, Marsha and Melita.

We know that this is not a duty to be taken lightly, but it is one that we can do.

This is an office dating from the earliest days of your church. Your servant Timothy wrote that deacons must be serious, and refrain from the appearance of sin, but perhaps most signifigantly, that they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. May these new deacons be diligent in their own faith journey, in the days and years ahead.

Lord, you know these four of your children, you know their weaknesses, and you know their strengths. Hold them close to you when they feel weak, and let them know that you made them just as they are. Give them courage to recognize their strengths and know that it is from you that these strengths come. May each of you be, as was the deacon Phoebe, a "helper of many."

Prayer for the twelve

May this day, too, be a day of rededication of all of the deacons of Woodbrook.

May we be dedicated more passionately to your work. Forgive us for our shortcomings, and help us to start fresh today, and in the words of your servant Miss Annie, may we "Go Forward" from this day to serve this church with a renewed sense of purpose.

Prayer for the church

And lastly today we ask your blessings on all gathered here, may the words of the psalmist give us all strength and hope.

5: The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

6: The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.

7: The LORD will keep you from all evil; the LORD will keep your life.

8: The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.

--Psalm 121