Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

Let’s pray and give thanks for the assurance we have in Christ-our Great High Priest.

Father, you are merciful and gracious, you are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

You gave your only Son that we may live now and forever-our hope is in Him alone-the one who washed away our sins and bears us safely to the skies.

You are our God who will not forget, but promise to love and keep us till the end. And yet, it is often easy for us to overlook your sovereign goodness and promises when we struggle-when the floods rise-when the winds and the rains batter us.

We may be tempted at times, with an unbelieving heart to fall away from you-may that never be.

May we always look to you-to trust in you-in any and every circumstance.

Help us to exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today so that none of us will become hardened by the deceitfulness of our sin.

When the circumstances of life seem impossible to bear-may we be reminded that it is a gracious thing, when, mindful of you, we endure sorrows while suffering, even when they may seem unjust.

Help us to recall that you sent your Son as our example and that He suffered for us, so that we might follow in his steps.

Unlike us, he committed no sin, there was no deceit found in his mouth.

And, when he was reviled, he did not revile in return as we’re prone to do; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to You, the one who judges justly.

And ultimately, He bore our sins in his body on that Cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. It is by his wounds we’ve been healed.
It is by his blood that we are kept and made secure-no matter what trials we endure on this earth.

And as we sang, by grace, we will see the promised land-where every sorrow will be healed.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so You show compassion to those of us who love and fear you-who trust and obey you by His mercy and grace you will keep us till the end-for that we give thanks this and every day, in the precious name of our Lord-Amen.