The Lord's Prayer: Guest Pastoral Prayer

Lindsay Waymire, Director of Spiritual Formation, Discipleship, Care, and Prayer at Grace Commons Church Boulder, prayed this beautiful Pastoral Prayer during the worship service on Sunday, March 8, 2026. I share it here as it was a gift to me in the middle of worship, allowing breathing room for the Spirit for me and for us as a congregation. It was truly a holy moment.

Prayers of the People/ the Lord's Prayer

It is a regular rhythm of ours to pray the Lords’ prayer. This morning instead of reciting it together, were going to slow it down and stretch it out as I’ll read the words Jesus taught us to pray, in sections,

 

allowing pauses to help guide our prayers, and space to reflect on the words and lift your own silent prayers and then I will fill in and lift up our corporate prayers

 

Let’s quiet our minds and allow the Holy the Spirit to prepare our hearts PAUSE

 

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name    PAUSE

Father, you are above and beyond all we can see and we worship you this morning. You are righteous, good and remains steady in a rapidly changing world
We are grateful that you are not shaken or surprised by all the awful headlines or even the wars overseas. (pause)

thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven PAUSE 

Father, give us awareness of your kingdom in our midst. Pour out more of your heavenly peace, into people and places that desperately need it. 
Where truth is distorted, let Your truth rise.
Where injustice prevails, establish Your justice.
Where despair grows, plant resurrection hope. (brief pause)

Give us this day our daily bread   PAUSE

Father, teach us to to look to you for all we need and to receive from You daily.

Thank you that you provide for the displaced, for refugees, for the wounded, the grieving, and for all with uncertain futures.

Empower us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to feed the hungry, to see the lost, to reach out and encourage those in need.

 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors    PAUSE

Father, forgive us for the ways we have put other things in front of you. For our quick judgments and actions. Forgive us for how bitterness has taken root—in our families, in our church, between nations, - uproot it by Your mercy we pray and  make us quick to repent and eager to reconcile.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil    PAUSE

Father, Evil is all around us and the evil one comes only to steal, kill and destroy.  He deceives us, and tempts us with greed, power, hatred, violence and selfishness.

Deliver us oh God, and strengthen Your Church near and far
to be salt and light in the darkness and to be peacemakers.
Strengthen us to pray boldly, serve sacrificially, and love across all our differences.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever   PAUSE

Lord God with the help of the Holy Spirit, may we glorify you to the watching world.  

Illuminate your word to each one of us this morning and steady our hearts in hope through Jesus Christ    Amen.

Important resources:

 

 

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, DIOS. DONES. TÚ.: Tu llamado y diseño único (Spanish Edition), and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with hundreds of faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and executive leaders in a diversity of fields for four decades. She currently serves as Catalyst for Equipping at her church.

 

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Shirley Giles Davis