Our Lord and our God,
The One who makes all things new
In You alone we seek guidance
As we desire to live in to Your vision for Your world
 
Creator God, we pray for a world in which all of Your creation is loved and valued
For a world in which we see You making Yourself known in all things,
For a world in which the least among us are the greatest recipients of our care,
For a world in which justice rolls down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream
For a world where in Your name all oppression will cease
 
And we pray most fervently, God,
That we Your people, we Your church
Would bear witness to this world which has come and is coming
That we would take Your vision to a world so desperately in need of hope
Of love, of light
That we would be the light of the world that You have called us to be.
 
We open our darkened hearts
And our darkened understanding
To the light of Your love
Help us, brilliant God, to walk in Your light
Even as we follow Your son Jesus Christ
Who is Himself that light, and in that light.
 
It is in His name, and through the power of Your Holy Spirit that we pray,
 
Amen.
 
Kyle Bauman is a member of the Kansas East Annual Conference and a candidate for ordination in the Elder track.  He is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas and will begin studies at Duke Divinity School in August of 2009.