[I wrote this for yesterday's early service. With the Bible presentation and Women's officers installation, we did not have a pastoral prayer at 11. It is in honor of students and teachers; I kinda like it.]
Dear Lord, thank you for teaching us in so many ways. You taught in Bible times through prophets and priests and leaders. Miriam taught by her songs and dance, Joshua taught through stones piled up along the riverbank to remind each new generation of your mighty acts, o God.
Jesus taught with his words and his deeds, he taught your radical life-giving love through his death and resurrection. We're also grateful for all the parables: talk of vineyards and sheep. All the writers of books of the Bible taught us, especially Paul. Thank you.
All our teachers are important, and we are teachers whether we mean to be or not. Our children and grandchildren look to us for examples. The elders of this church bear such a burden, because they are examples, teachers, for good and not.
As school starts this week in Florida, bless our students and their teachers. Some are eager-eyed children with energy and freshness; some are graduate students exhausted by busy lives, our college students face many new challenges in and out of the classroom. All our students and teachers need patience and self-control, motivation, and love.
Lord, in this county we struggle with the place for prayers in schools. Give wisdom to our school boards, administrators, lawyers, judges. We pray for common-sense and fairness.
Education is one way out of poverty, Lord. We know how you are concerned about the poor, educate us so we are as concerned as you are. It is exciting to read about baby colleges in poor neighborhoods to teach new parents the skills to raise inquisitive children who will seek knowledge and love reading and education. We pray for Presbyterian missionaries teaching around the world. Your world, we pray for it together with Jesus' prayer: Our Father...
Info about Harlem Baby College fighting poverty. http://www.hcz.org/
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