Lay leaders offer prayers
In the United Church of Christ, we believe in the Priesthood of All Believers, that all are called to minister to others and to participate as equals in the common worship of God. The work of ministry does not rest solely in our pastors and clergy—but in each and every one of us! On Laity Sunday (August 31, 2025), we celebrated with lay members leading worship, sharing the sermon and prayers of the people. We give thanks that God speaks and works through all of us.
View the livestream of the 9 AM worship service. Dusty Santos was our lay member who shared the message “From Palace to Passion” at all three services.
Here are the prayers shared by our lay leaders:
9 AM worship service in the Sanctuary
Let’s pray—
Let us relax into our time of prayer knowing God is with us while we experience a sense gratitude for being present in the peace and beauty of this sanctuary. ________ As we sit in the quiet stillness of the moment it is easy to begin to feel our breath as it comes and goes, as it ebbs and flows, in and out of our bodies. As we settle into the rhythm of our breath let us bless ourselves, with sincerity from our hearts, quietly saying, “May I be well.” —————— And just as a stone dropped into a pond sends ripples that move outward in circles so let us send those same blessings of well-being with sincerity from our hearts to our families and friends by quietly saying, “May you be well” ————— and let us continue to extend those blessings to people in our state, especially those who are suffering from hunger, violence or oppression, with sincerity from our hearts, quietly saying, “May they be well”———— and now extending those blessings of well-being to people in our country especially those who are suffering from hunger, violence or oppression, with sincerity from our hearts quietly saying, “May they be well” ———— and finally let those blessings encompass the well-being of all the people in our world, especially those who are suffering from hunger, violence or oppression, with sincerity from our hearts quietly saying, “May all beings be well.” Finally, knowing “Amen” is an affirming statement of our blessings, let all the people loudly proclaim, “Amen!”
K.R. Harding
11 AM worship service in the Parish Hall
Holy and gracious God, you gather us from distant shores, with different bodies and distinct stories, molding us into a unified whole, where each part is honored, every wound healed, and all joy heralded. Hear our prayers for a once-perfect world: your beloved Creation, where all its myriad souls were, and are, fully sanctified. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We pray for your whole Church, in every town and village, in the inner city and outer banks, for leaders and communities who seek renewal, so they might have the courage to speak truth with Love, compassion to strengthen the weary, and kindness to offer Aloha to the stranger. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We lift you up to all nations, especially where conflict overshadows hope, where floods, drought, and/or fire threaten life, where leaders face heavy decisions often with few good options. Make us peacemakers, who plant seeds of justice and sow kernels of clemency. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We praise you for the oceans’ sweet melody and the mountains’ sheer majesty. for the wondrous creatures of sky, sea and soil. Forgive us our mean, destructive ways; turn us toward wiser, more productive environmental practices. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We remember those in our neighborhoods who hunger for food, housing or basic dignity; we recall those whose labor is unseen or unrewarded; and we reflect upon those who bear stress or sickness in muted silence. Teach us to be neighbors who notice and respond. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We join in solidarity, in mourning the innocent victims of unspeakable violence in a quiet, once-serene church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We embrace their families, friends, teachers and priests, as they grapple with such unbearable grief. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We name before you those whom we know, who are sick and suffering, lost and lonely; we seek solace for them in their misery, and ask that you embrace them in your comforting arms, and instruct us on how best to hold them in our thoughts and prayers. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We commemorate all of your servants, who reach out to Others, who hear their music and laughter, and see their smiles, when others don’t; who recognize their vulnerability, when others walk by. God of mercy… hear our prayer.We thank you for the saints who came before us, for their collective milestones and humble achievements, attained often in dark isolation and hidden hardship. We express gratitude for their bold example and unsung bravery. Anchor us in undying hope, until we know for sure that “thy kingdom… truly comes.” God of mercy… hear our prayer.Receive these prayers, O God, as we now join together in saying the fervent, forever words that Christ Jesus taught us to pray… (The Lord’s Prayer followed)
