The following prayer was written by Rev. Timothy Whitaker (1948-2024), who served as bishop of The Florida Area of The United Methodist Church. In 2001, Bishop Whitaker published this prayer in The District Beam (newsletter, January/February) while he was the Norfolk (VA) District Superintendent. Bishop Whitaker was the first United Methodist bishop to preach a Gospel of Life sermon in the public square of The United Methodist Church. The church for which Bishop Whitaker prays most certainly serves the Gospel of Life, and opposes the culture of death, in word and deed, in ministry and mission. This prayer appears in the current issue (September 1, 2024) of Lifewatch (www.lifewatch.org), a quarterly newsletter that witnesses to God’s gifts of Church, life, and marriage. Thanks to Mr. Joseph Slife of Louisville, KY, who once edited the MethodistThinker website, for retrieving and providing this prayer.

Rev. Paul T. Stallsworth

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A Long Prayer for the Whole Church

Eternal God, you who cherish everything you make, you have taken all of us human beings into your heart through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. By the outpouring of your Holy Spirit, you have established your church to be the visible body of Jesus Christ on earth and chosen us to be members of Christ’s body. Hear our intercession for your church in this new year.

Unite all the broken parts of the body of Christ into one peaceable communion so that the divisions among brothers and sisters in Christ may not make a mockery of your purpose to gather up all things in heaven and on earth in Christ.

Build up your church in faith upon the foundation of the teaching of the apostles with the proclamation of Christ as the cornerstone. Deliver your church from the blindness of heresies and from the cowardice of acquiescing to the principalities and powers of this present age.

Give us courage to raise the sails of the ark of salvation, which is your holy church, so that we may be blown forward in mission by the wind of your Holy Spirit. Deliver us from the temptation to steer your ship into safe harbors to protect ourselves from the bracing breezes of that Spirit who would send us into uncharted waters where we do not want to go.

Enliven our imagination in worship so that by lifting up our prayers, reading and hearing your Word, sharing in the mysteries of your holy sacraments, confessing the creeds of your universal church, and singing psalms and hymns, all your people may be gathered up into the tremendous drama of divine salvation and know themselves as your saints who are strengthened in their inner being and equipped to do every good work.

Inspire every congregation in your worldwide church to reach out to the poor, the lonely, and the lost with the love embodied by the incarnate Word of God and poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Preserve your assemblies from profane strife, weariness of spirit, and fear of holy boldness.

Enable all the members of the church of Jesus Christ to know their dignity as your own people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and a chosen race. Give them the ability to discover their gifts and to use them in the mission of your church so they may fulfill their destiny to be the unique persons they were created to become.

Renew the call to ordained ministry within all your deacons and elders. Deliver them from fear to speak and to do the truth because of a wrong desire to please. Give to them a hunger and thirst to taste the sweetness of your Word, a tenderness toward all people, and a zeal to order your church to fulfill its mission to a world forgetful of you and your ways.

Make all the bishops of your church strong in body and soul so that they may shoulder their heavy burdens with cheerful service. Illumine their minds with the mind of your universal church enlightened by your Spirit down through the ages. Let them lead your church with humility of spirit as gentle shepherds of your precious flock.

Global Gracious God, have mercy on your church called to the greatness of divine purpose but so often hindered by the smallness of human beings deaf to your Word. As the body of Christ, by your grace let it die to its sinful life of doubt, complacency and self-absorption so that it may be resurrected to a splendid new life of faith, hope and love.

May your church experience anew the freedom of obedience, the joy of adventure, and the satisfaction of being employed in your great work in the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Bishop Timothy Whitaker (1948-2024)