Give us the wisdom to know that if we ignore the Sacraments, we do so at our own peril. Ordinarily, it is through Baptism that men gain assurance of the forgiveness of their sins. Ordinarily, it is through the Lord's Supper that Christians renew their faith and maintain assurance that they are truly Christians.

Lord, how much we love You is reflected by how much we love Thy Church. How can we love You without loving Your Body? How can we serve You without serving Your Body? How can we stand by and see Your Church falter or hurt when we bear the name Christian? Lord, we know there is a visible and an invisible Church, but we are not called to love the invisible, we are called to love the visible. We are called to love real people with real names who live in real places, and who worship with us week by week.

Our Father, it is the Church that ministers Your Word to us. It is the Church that marries us and buries us. It is the Church that visits us when we are sick. It is the Church that prays for us. How then can we not love Thy Church?

Lord, we know that the Church is prone to error and even to heresy. The Church is sometimes more pure and sometimes less pure. Sometimes, the Church degenerates into synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there will always be a Church on earth until Christ comes again. Nations rise and fall. Kings come and kings go. Powers that men worship soon become sinking ships. Idols are made for destruction. But the Church will last throughout the ages. It has survived thousands of years of persecution, bloodshed, martyrdom, hatred, and even wickedness arising from within. Yet She stands like an invincible army that no man can conquer.

Lord, we know that there have been many hurt by the Church. There are those who have been disillusioned. Leaders have failed us. Some have quit. Some have strayed away. Lord, keep us faithful. Keep us in Church.

Give us elders and deacons who can manage us. Give us wise men who can under shepherd God's people. Give us those who will go after the lost sheep. Give us those who are wise and sober, not sold out to the things of this world.

Give us men who are bold and gentle, strong and kind, powerful and yet weak, full of knowledge yet humble, warriors and yet tender. Give us men who are just yet merciful, strong and yet broken, uncompromising yet tolerant, jealous for Your glory yet mild and temperate, fair yet not vengeful, willing to he hurt and live with grief for the good of the Church.

Raise up men in this Church who have a desire to oversee and lead for it is a good work unto which a man should aspire. Give our congregation the wisdom to be discerning as they look for such men. Let us remember that we do not just elect men to serve, but more importantly we recognize men that God has called to serve.

Lord, there are many things for which to pray. Every person here this morning has to deal with his own temptations, his own weakness, his own attitudes, his own heart. Minister unto us through your Church. Give us joy in the midst of trial. Give us the spirit of forgiveness when we have been hurt. Give us trust when we tend to be suspicious. Give us submission when we are prone to rebellion. Give us hearts of compassion when we are prone to think first of ourselves.

Grant us the joy of knowing that the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to forgive us all of our sins. He invites us all. He invites sinners everywhere. No matter what the sin. No matter how great the sin. Come and buy without cost. It is free for us. Christ has paid the price. Simple faith is all we need. Not a complicated faith. That Jesus died for sinners and I am a sinner. That's all we need to be accepted. Give us the faith of simplicity.

Lord, save our nation. We have become undisciplined. We have become trapped by debt. We have become arrogant. We have become a place where the blind lead the blind. We are near falling into the ditch. For the sake of our children and our children's children, have mercy upon us.