In recognition of her inspirational gifts of prayer, this site is dedicated to sharing her prayers with everyone.
Each prayer is listed with the associated date (where available). The source of each prayer is provided where applicable.
| Delora is the chaplain for St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Choir. She provides faithful service in this role by providing prayers suitable for each and every occasion. Delora
faithfully selects the perfect prayer, writing her own where an
existing prayer is not appropriate. Her lyrical verse and heartfelt
sentiments provide consistent inspiration to the choir members. In recognition of her inspirational gifts of prayer, this site is dedicated to sharing her prayers with everyone. Each prayer is listed with the associated date (where available). The source of each prayer is provided where applicable. |
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| 6-11-2006 Our last anthem Sunday until Fall |
Dear God: We thank you for the many gifts that you have given us. We pray that we have used them rightly, to the glory of your name. Now, Lord, we ask that you protect us as we go on our various ventures this summer. May the Holy Spirit help us to continue our ministry, offering praise to you wherever we may be and whenever the opportunity arises. Keep us together in spirit, though we may be apart in body. May the peace of Christ be with us all. Amen |
| 6-7-2006 |
Dear God: During this Season after Pentecost, we pray that we acknowledge and receive the power of the Holy Spirit, as we carry on your work in the world. We pray that we act in concert as a community of faith, focussing on the mission of the Church - the Body of Christ, with Jesus as its head. He gave himself for us. Can we do less than to act in accordance with your will, as Jesus himself has shown us? We pray for the strength to do so. In Jesus' name and for his sake, we pray: Amen |
| 5-24-2006 |
Dear God: Grant us the grace to understand what it means to love and to realize that love is manifested through our actions. Give us the strength to love one another as Christ loves us: not just those who are near and dear to us, but our enemies as well. Fear of vulnerability often restrains us from reaching out to others in love. We pray that our fears be relieved. We are nurtured by your love. Help us to abide in the love of your son, to feed your sheep by virtue of that love, to spread good will through that love, and to be strong in the knowledge of your love for us. All of this demands courage. This we gain when we say, " ... grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen." |
| 5-17-2006 |
A Prayer of Jane Austen Give us grace, almighty Father, to address you with all our hearts as well as with our lips. You are present everywhere: from you no secrets can be hidden. Teach us to fix our thoughts on you, reverently and with love, so that our prayers are not in vain, but are acceptable to you, now and always, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen |
| my humble prayer |
A preface from Delora: "This prayer came to me as I was resting on the couch a month or so ago.. I read it tonight at a group meeting. One suggested that I add it to Delora's Prayers. At the time, I could only use one hand to type, thus no capital letters. Do what you think best."[Who am I to mess with divine inspiration? The prayer is reproduced here in its original form. ed.] ------------ dear God, we come to you just as we are grateful that you have brought us this far some of us afflicted with wounds of strife brought by struggles and hardships of life some with emptiness too deep to fill some with hunger to know your will some grasping at straws to find the way some distracted by concerns of the day we know in our hearts that you love us all the great, the weary, the pompous, the small and so tonight we humbly plead that you will grant us that which we need a faith in your mercy and tender love in the paraclete, descending as a dove grant that we may bathe in the light that heals all wounds and restores our sight it's the light of christ, our lord, your son dear heavenly father, thy will be done AMEN |
| 5-3-2006 | Dear God: At Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon him. As Jesus began his ministry his deeds spoke of his love and obedience to your will. We are baptized in that same Spirit. Let our deeds show the love we have for you, for each other and the faith we have in your Beloved Son. We give thanks this week for Saints Philip and James, apostles of our Lord, who, after his death and resurrection, continued his ministry with faith and courage. We pray that through the gifts of the Holy Spirit we also may be ambassadors of Jesus, carrying his message of peace and love in all that we do.
We pray in the name of Jesus and for his sake: Amen |
| 4-26-2006 | Dear God: Those who were with Jesus were told, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." They didn't understand. Mary Magdaline told them that she had seen the risen Lord, They didn't believe. We wish to understand that with his dying we have been freed from sin and death. By faith we can believe in the risen Lord and rest on his promise of eternal life. Grant that we understand and believe. As an Easter people, we are filled with hope. Help us to build our lives in a manner to receive your grace and to generate that hope among those whom we touch. We ask with Jesus that we be one with him and with you, God, the father of all. We pray in Jesus' name and for his sake: Amen |
| 4-12-2006 | Dear God: Even though we know that the Way of the Cross will culminate with the glorious ressurection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, which we celebrate on Easter Sunday, we as Christians are asked to remember and in some ways share in the struggle of our Lord ... the pain of the scourging, the humiliation, the fatigue, the question of abandonment, the forgiveness, and finally, submission of his spirit into the hands of God, the Father. He suffered all of this for the expiation of our sins. He asks only that we love one another as he loves us and that we love God above all. We pray for the love, faith, and courage to do so, now and throughout our lives.
This week we give thanks for your servant, Martin Luther King, Jr., who worked tirelessly and ultimately gave his life for the cause of peace and justice. We pray for the will to continue his struggle. In Jesus' name we pray: Amen |
| 4-5-2006 | Dear God: As this Lenten season draws to a close, help us to continue to focus on things of the spirit and not of the flesh. Help us to make this a part of our daily lives now and after Easter, not being a slave of our temporal wants and needs. We know that being a slave of God brings us peace and eternal life. Draw us out of the darkness of sin and into the light of your love and grace; from blindness to perfect vision of the love that surrounds us in this fellowship of prayer, song and praise. In Jesus' name we pray: Amen |
| 3-15-2006 | Dear God: The word of God has been sown as seed over all of the land. Its meaning has been revealed to us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It will yield precious fruit from the "good soil" upon which it has fallen. It speaks to us for our world today. Give us ears to hear, knowledge to understand, and the courage to act upon what we know to be right.
For the sake of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, the Christ, we pray: Amen |
| 3-8-2006 | During this penitential season of Lent we are called to ask ourselves the difficult questions. What demons do I harbor? Do I admit that they exist? Do I recognize their many faces? Deliver us, Lord, from the demons that lead us into darkness. We ask that you guide us into the light of your love where we are free of our demons and where we may receive your gift of redemption and forgiveness.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever: Amen |
| 3-1-2006 (Ash Wednesday) |
Dear God: During this Lenten season, lest we forget the suffering of Jesus for our sake, help us to focus on your commandments & on your promises that were made clear to us by the life, death, & resurrection of your son. If we live by faith, we know that whatever suffering we endure is only temporary. During these 40 days as we prepare to celebrate the joyous season of Easter, help us to make the right choices , to do the right things for all the right reasons, to live simpler lives, & to rely on the presence of the Holy Spirit in order to achieve these goals.
In Jesus' name we pray: Amen |
| 2-22-2006 | Almighty God, when Jesus was nearing the end of his life, he faced his adversaries without fear. In obedience to your will, he continued his mission of peace and love. His trust and confidence in your love is boundless, even in the face of his impending pain and suffering. Hear our prayer, dear God, that we may know you as Jesus does and also feel your love as we journey through this life, exhibiting that love to others.
We give thanks this week for the Apostle, Matthias, discerned to be a true disciple of Christ and included in the twelve following the betrayal of Judas. In Jesus' name and for his sake we pray: Amen |
| 2-15-2006 | Dear God: We give thanks this week for Absolom Jones, who paved the way for African American believers, who had been kept on the margins of society, to actively "take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the /Episcopal/ Church." (BCP) We pray that we may continue to carry the banner of an inclusive congregation, welcoming all who inquire into our midst, with the love of Christ in our hearts.
In the name of Jesus we pray: Amen |
| 2-8-2006 | Dear God Bless us this night with ears to hear your call to us and with the light of the Holy Spirit to enable us to see and understand your will
for us. As we are one in the body of Christ with many members, through your mercy we are capable of performing a variety of tasks for your kingdom in this world. We call upon
your abiding love and power to give us the strength and courage to do so.
We give thanks for the compassion you have shown for your servants and our faithful members, Bev, Janet, and Paula. We pray that you will continue to bless them. In Jesus' name we pray: Amen |
| 2-1-2006 | (The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, Feb. 2 2006)
Dear God: As we prepare for the feast day of the presentation of Our Lord in the temple, we pray that we will be mindful of the manner in which we present ourselves to you and to the world as Christians. May we carry the light of Christ in truth, presenting ourselves as servants, benefiting mankind, peacefully living into our Baptismal vows, spoken for us or by us on the day of our presentation into the Church. We give thanks and offer ourselves again and again, being born anew as we submit our lives to you through Jesus, the Christ, in whose name we pray: Amen |
| 1-25-2006 | Dear God, Tonight we give thanks for your Apostle Paul, who's conversion is remembered as a Holy Day today. Though we may not have the gift of teaching and preaching as was his ministry, grant that we have his courage, carrying the message of Christ, using our own unique gifts. Help us to look beyond our personal spheres, reaching out to others in peace and love.
We continue to pray for Bev Wing, that soon her strength will be restored. In Jesus' name we pray: Amen |
| 1-18-2006 | On this Holy Day the collect recalls to our memory the confession of St. Peter, the Apostle. It reads:
"Almighty Father, who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep your church steadfast upon the rock of his faith, so that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow one Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ: who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever." BCP p. 238
Dear God: We lift to you this evening Bev Wing. May she know the comfort of your healing. In Jesus' name we pray: Amen |
| 1-11-2006 | Dear God: As we remember the Baptism of our Lord, grant to us
the boldness of John, the Baptizer, announcing to the world that Jesus is the Lord of all, doing so by the way we live our lives, using our gifts for your glory. We continue to renew our Baptismal Vows; however, only with your help are we able to understand what we say with our lips. Only with your help can we hear your call to us. Only by your love & power comes the courage to live in keeping with the covenant we repeatedly make. Tonight we pray that we will accept your call to us. To that call, may we say a resounding "YES!"
In the name of Jesus we pray: Amen |
| 12-21-2005 | Dear God: In this season of Advent, we turn from
darkness to the light brought into the world by your son, Jesus, the
Christ. Help us to be ready for his coming, to be aware of the
needs of others, & to avoid selfish wants, so that when your call
comes for us, we will be prepared, our work finished and our hearts at
peace. In Jesus' name we pray. |
| 12-14-2005 | Dear God: We give thanks this evening that you sent
your son, Jesus, to live among us; that he took upon himself human
form, did our work and shared his life with others in the routine of
ordinary living. In doing so, he showed us how you, the God and
Father of all, would have us live as we await his coming again, as you
promised. Help us to live as we ought, keeping the example of
Jesus ever before us. In His name we pray. |
| 12-7-2005 | Dear God: We ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit as
we prepare to herald the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus as a wee
babe. Help us to be of one mind as we sing of his message of
peace for all. Help us to carry that peace wherever our lives
lead us, with love for all mankind. This week we honor St. Thomas, the apostle. Give us strength to declare our unwavering faith in the resurrection of Jesus, in whose name we pray. |
| O God, be ever present with your servants who seek through
art and music to perfect the praises offered by our people on earth;
and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them
worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen (BCP p.819) |
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| A Prayer of Thomas Merton My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone: Amen |
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| 9-29-2004 | God, we ask that you bless our humble offerings of
praise. Help us to be of one mind & heart as we lead our
congregation in song. Coming together in worship with prayer,
song & psalm makes us an expectant people. Here we find what
we are seeking: your abiding, ever present love. We leave, blessed
with the truth that goes with us into the rest of our lives.*
Today we honor and give thanks for St. Michael & all angels.
Help us to bring tidings of peace & love in the manner of the
heavenly choir of angels: Amen *Two Hundred Years of Christian Prayers |
| 10-06-2004 | Dear Lord, God of peace & source of consolation, grant us
the gift of the Holy Spirit. In a world that looks for security
thru war & violence, make us messengers of your peace. As
members of your Church, the body of Christ, give us the courage to seek
the unity that is your gift & your will. Therein lies our
peace. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord: Amen |
| And now, God, we ask that you open our ears that we might
hear your message in our music. Open our hearts that we might
love one another. Open our minds that we might understand your purpose
for us: Amen |
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| 10-13-2004 | Dear God, we pray that we may not be distracted from your
will by the minutia of everyday living, or by any self serving
goals. We thank you for whatever talents and gifts we have.
Help us to use them for your glory, not for self indulgence. To
use them wisely, not foolishly, to use them humbly, & not with
false pride. To achieve this, we ask that you help us to walk
with your son, our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ in whose name we
pray: Amen |
| 10-20-2004 | Dear God: Help us to be your voice & hands in this
world. Guide us & inspire us through the words of St. Paul to
“convince, rebuke & encourage” through our ministry of
music. Convince the doubtful of your undying love, rebuke the
evil that seeks to turn us away from what is good & right, and
encourage those who are waning in the strength of their convictions. As
always, we hold up to our members who may be suffering. We trust
that you are doing for them more than we could ever know: In the name of Jesus we pray. |
| 5-11-2005 | Dear God: We remember that Jesus promised that he would
end to us the Holy Spirit from you. We rely on that promise
today. He called your Spirit the Spirit of truth. Help us to see
the truth. Strengthen our hearts that we may face the
truth. Enlighten us that we may understand the truth. Make
resolute our wills that we may obey the truth. Grant that your Spirit
may bring again to our memory the promises, the commands and the
presence of our risen and blessed Lord who has been exalted with
triumph into your kingdom and in whose name we pray: Amen. (Wm. Barclay) |
| 5-18-2005 | Today we honor Bishop Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury,
988. The Collect of the day is perfect for us in St.
Thomas’ Choir. O God of truth and beauty, you endowed your bishop Dunstan with skill in music and the working of metals, and with gifts of administration and reforming zeal: Teach us, we pray, to see in you the source of all our talents, and move us to offer them for the adorement of worship and the advancement of true religion: through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever: Amen (BCP) |
| 5-4-2005 | Dear God: We come to you this
evening in the name of
your son, our Savior, Jesus, the Christ, who when he appeared to his
disciples after his death, commissioned them to tend & feed his
sheep. And again sent them to every town, taking with them only
peace and love. Once again, he bade them to be fishers of
men. As today’s disciples of Jesus, we ask your blessing as
we carry his banner, feed the hungry, tend the sick and sing your
praises: Amen |
| 9-28-2005 | Dear God: This week we honor St. Michael and all angels who brought glad tidings into the world. Help us to bring tidings of peace and love through our ministry of music. Then guide us to SHOW our love by our deeds, praising you not only in song, but in giving of ourselves for your greater glory. Lord, we hold up to you Johanna Barrett as she ventures on to a new position. Our love goes with her. We continue to pray for Janet Cooper as she recovers from recent surgery. That she will soon enjoy good health and strength for service in your kingdom. In the name of Jesus we pray: Amen |
| 10-05-2005 | This week we give thanks for your servants St. Francis of Assisi Assisi & Wm. Tyndale. Grant us the love & devotion that they had for your world and for your word. Help us to live by the words of St. Francis’ most memorable prayer making us instruments of your peace. Let Wm. Tyndale’s life inspire us to study your word & thru the gift of the Holy Spirit understand the message that it holds for us. We can do all of this only with obedience to your will and your help. We pray for those among us who may be suffering. Grant them peace in the knowledge of your love. In the name of Jesus we pray: Amen |
| 10-12-2005 | Dear God: You have given us a spirit of love, not
fear. Help us to be bold in our ministries. Keeping faith
in your promise of eternal life for the souls of those who love you and
share that love throughout our sphere of influence. Strengthen us
to be your hands & voice during our brief stay in this life. Grant peace and comfort to our members who are ill. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord: Amen |
| 10-19-2005 | This week as we give thanks for your servant Luke, the great
physician, make us aware of your healing power that was given to
him. Help us to search our hearts and minds for ways to use our
God-given abilities to help to heal the ills of the world. Give
us the knowledge and the courage to follow these thoughts with
action. We pray for your peace, dear God, through your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. |
| 10-26-2005 | We anxiously prepare to present Psalm 42, so beautifully
written in the Holy Scriptures and skillfully set to music through the
gifts of the Holy Spirit. Remove our anxieties, dear God, and
replace them with a sincere desire to please you. Though sometimes the
words may be foreign, let the message of faith, love and praise
clearly show forth and be understood by all who listen. May our
“alleluias” and “amens” resound beyond the
walls of St. Thomas Church and be repeated in our lives. For the sake of Jesus, we pray: Amen |
| 10-29-2005 | (Rehearsal for Evensong and Wm Jarvis Memorial Concert) Thank you for this day, dear Lord, and for all who are gathered here for the single purpose of combining our talents in order to give you honor & glory. We pray that you will erase from us any desire for praise. It all belongs to you. Please bless our humble offerings. In the name of Christ Jesus we pray: Amen |
| 11-02-2005 | (All Souls Day) Dear God: Thank you for the Saints, now in your nearer presence, who were once among us. Give us their courage, love and faithfulness. We thank you for all faithful departed & pray for the repose of their souls. We rest on your promise of a life to come where we will join in communion with those who have gone before us. With them we worship you. Through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Amen |
| 11-9-2005 | (Mt 15:29-39) Dear God: Tonight we pray for healing. Healing of relationships gone sour ... Of self-inflicted wounds caused by hatred or intolerance ...Of illness in our world grown deadly through neglect & ignorance ... Of maladies created by the punishing blows of disrespect for ourselves & our fellow human beings. Give us an awareness of the pain generated by these ills & those who suffer because of them. We have seen the power of love in the life of Christ & in our own lives. You have given us curative abilities through your son, Jesus & by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have only to receive & use these gifts to the best of our abilities and each in his own way make life what it was meant to be. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen |
| 11-16-2005 | Dear God: We are reminded this week of the perfection
of God and the completeness of the Almighty ... the All in All.
We are made aware of your omnipresence through everyday
miracles: the birth of a child, the trust of a friend, the coming
together of dedicated people of faith ... May we always be ready
to recognize these small miracles and to avoid seeing them as
happenstance or matters of course, but to see them as the work of your
love for us. Today we give thanks for your servant Margaret, Queen of Scotland, who died on this day, Nov. 16th. She is a revered saint of her country, for her zealous work favoring church reform and for her humanitarian efforts to heal wounds among people. We also pray for the repose of the soul of your servant Ed Case, that he may, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen |
| 11-30-2005 | (Advent) Dear God: We read in your word, “... wait on the Lord...”. How do we wait? Teach us to wait patiently with expectations of the fulfillment of the promise of the light of the world to come. As a Christian people we know him as a newborn babe, a shepherd caring for his flock, a risen Lord, and a Redeemer. Give us the grace to open our hearts that we may receive him, and share the good news with those around us. Grant that we may wait with joy as we live our lives by faith. Lord, we give thanks this day for Andrew, an apostle of our Lord. May we follow his example of obedience to your will. Accept our prayer in Jesus’ name: Amen |