Author: revpaulcalkin

From Grateful Living – grateful.org

Do not doubt your own basic goodness. In spite of all confusion and fear, you are born with a heart that knows what is just, loving, and beautiful. – Jack Kornfield

Peace Be With You. – Paul

Here are the Prayers Of The People from Mayfair Heights United Methodist Church – October 26, 2025

Prayers Of The People

Gracious God, Creator of all that is, we lift our prayers to you.

Loving God, have mercy: 

On all who are suffering, 

On all who are grieving,

On all who are troubled,

On all who are looking for a new place and a new life.

God of mercy, 

Hear our prayers.

Loving God, have mercy:

On all who have made a mess of their lives,

On all who help clean up those messes,

On all who are making new plans which they never anticipated,

On all who are struggling to be kind,

God of mercy, 

Hear our prayers.

Loving God, have mercy:

On all who are overwhelmed, 

On all who are trying to release resentment and anger,

On all who are trying to forgive,

On all who seek a life of love, peace, and grace.

God of mercy,

Hear our prayers.

Loving God, have mercy:

On all who are walking beside those in need,

On all who advocate, who intervene, who love,

On all who seek justice for everyone, 

On all who seek mercy and forgiveness,

On all of us.  

God of mercy,

Hear our prayers. Amen.

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From The Upper Room Daily Devotional 

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. – Psalm 36:5-6 (NIV)

When our family was considering getting a dog, my children promised to help with the care of the new puppy. Like many parents, I believed them. Twice a day I ended up walking our pup, Oatley, on a long leash in the pastures around our ranch. I was moody about the interruption to my schedule and lonely in the responsibility. Most days the wind would blow in my face and the ground was rough beneath my feet. Sometimes a hood over my head obscured the sky and birds. But I was surprised by the impact this time alone in nature had on me. God met me there.

King David spent his younger days in the pasture, tending sheep. Long hours of solitude surrounded by God’s sweeping sky and rugged mountains formed thoughts and questions that shaped David’s relationship with God that would serve him throughout his life.

I spent 12 months walking Oatley around the pastures. In the years following, my life took a new direction that I couldn’t have predicted, and I went through a time of spiritual growth that amazed me. God had been making me ready for this new season.

TODAY’S PRAYER

Loving God, help us to seek quiet places where we can hear your voice. Thank you for speaking to us. Amen.   – From S.G. Beck

Peace Be With You. – Paul

Here’s to the bridge-builders, the hand-holders, the light-bringers, those extraordinary souls wrapped in ordinary lives who quietly weave threads of humanity into an inhumane world. 

They are the unsung heroes in a world at war with itself. 

They are the whisperers of hope that peace is possible. 

Look for them in this present darkness. 

Light your candle with their flame. 

And then go. 

Build bridges. 

Hold hands. 

Bring light to a dark and desperate world. 

Be the hero you are looking for. 

Peace is possible. 

It begins with us.  – L.R. Knost (art by Olga Kruglova)

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From Grateful.org Word For The Day

What will matter is the good we did, not the good we expected others to do. – Elizabeth Lesser

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From The United Church Of Christ 

People’s Prayers for Peace webpage

Cheerful Spirit,

Your joy and mercies are new every morning. 

May this reminder be a peaceful balm to our hearts and minds and souls today. 

May we use this to amplify our prophetic voices to share this good news to our neighbors.

Amen and hallelujah!

-Pastor Jenny Jahn, Boise, ID

Peace Be With You. – Paul

Here are the Prayers Of The People from 

Sunday, October 19, 2025 – Mayfair Heights UMC

Gracious God, Creator of all that is, we lift our prayers to you.

We pray for help.  

Help for family and friends.

Some are carrying burdens too great for them to carry alone.

So we join with them today to share those burdens.

God, in your love,

Hear our prayers.

We pray for our responses. 

Because we are not always kind to those we love the most.

So we pray that gracious words, uplifting words, loving words, 

Will be on our lips as well as in our hearts. 

God, in your love,

Hear our prayers.

We pray for help from others.

Those who work with, stand with, the ill and the needy, 

With the unloveable and the forgotten.

Some have been struggling so long that it is the only life they know. 

Assist us that we may be loving, generous, helpful.

God, in your love,

Hear our prayers.

Keep our minds and our words away from judgment and advice. 

Remind us that we are not perfect.

Remind us that there is quite enough criticism and negativity in this world.

May we all stay far away from these.

God, in your love,

Hear our prayers.

Gracious One, please be as clear as you can be about how we can be helpful to others.  God, in your love,

Hear our prayers. Amen.

Peace Be With You. – Paul

God of all creation,

open our hearts to your vision for our world — that which you saw in creation and proclaimed to be “good”. 

Open our minds to how we help equip your children around the world with tools to build up peace, justice, and righteousness. 

Open our doors in a way that we may both invite all your children to participate in your good vision while we move into the world to share more love, mercy, and grace. 

in Jesus name, Amen.

From The United Methodist Church – Striving for a Better World for All People 

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From Rev. Beth Richardson, Deacon in The United Methodist Church

A Blessing for When the World Feels Out of Control

On days when the world feels out of control

when leaders live out their shadow selves for all to see

when hatred, fear, and bigotry 

march through our communities

destroying the lives they touch

On days like this, 

may you shelter your tender heart in gentleness 

offering loving thoughts and words 

rather than anger and suspicion

May you wake up to the gifts around you:

the song of the wren in the morning

the first sip of your coffee 

the head hug from your tail-wagging pet

the unexpected smile or kind act of a stranger 

the colors of the sky at sunset 

May you believe, despite your doubts …

that there is kindness and courage in this chaotic world 

This kindness — this gentle presence — is you! 

The one who hopes and weeps

who loves and wraps your tender heart in courage

The one who sings and prays words of consolation

on behalf of yourself

on behalf of your loved ones

on behalf of the world

All shall be well. 

All shall be well.

My peace I give to you. 

All shall be well.

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From Rev. Beau Stringer:

The Church is obsessed with being “a light in the darkness,” but light doesn’t argue with darkness.

It just shows up.

Jesus didn’t debate his way into hearts; he healed, fed, forgave, and wept his way in.

Maybe evangelism isn’t about convincing anyone. 

Maybe it’s about carrying candles into the places religion refused to go.

Peace Be With You. – Paul