The name above all names is the One we come to with our praise and our petitions. We are in awe of the mighty works You have displayed before us throughout the past several months. We acknowledge the path was unfamiliar and even disheartening at times but oh, Lord, You shone brightly through each twist and turn. Your provision never failed. No human words can express the gratitude our hearts feel for the care You have bestowed upon us. 

Father, please guide us in the way which will best serve Your kingdom. Fill our minds with Your words and our bodies with Your strength so that we boldly stand for righteousness and staunchly against worldliness. Direct our actions with Your compassion so we see those before us who need a touch and go about doing Your good deeds. Blind us to anything that would delay or sidetrack us from accomplishing Your perfect will. Do not let us sway from Your Word and what it instructs us to do. 

Lord, empower all those who are currently here and all those yet to come by binding us so tightly to You that we cannot turn to the right or to the left but move straight ahead on Your mission. Deepen our resolve to worship You, to study the Bible together and grow our faith, to give our time and our treasures so that our church is a living, breathing temple that revives this community and beyond. We ask You to raise up servants in this congregation and for Your Spirit to burst forth within this holy place. We want to live into the destiny You planned for us.

Oh God, may we be like the Israelites of old when they ascended to Jerusalem singing praises to Your name with hearts full of joy. We want others to be drawn into Your kingdom because they see You here. We ask that You lift First Methodist Shreveport up to be a beacon of Your truth. Light us on fire as a reflection of You so there is no doubt You are in this place.

All these things we ask in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.