Prayers of the People, Pentecost A

Creator God,
Hear our prayers for creation:
for wise stewardship of the earth's resources,
for the beauty that surrounds us,
for the wonder of your vast imagination,
for the joy of endless colors and shapes and sounds.
Hear our prayers, Lord,
for the air we breathe 
and the water we drink --
help us to be more diligent in protecting these
life-sustaining elements,
and making sure your children everywhere
have the same access to both.
Hear our prayers, Lord,
for the planting of trees 
and other air-cleansing plants,
for the preservation of forests 
and parks
where wildflowers grow freely
and where the land is unmarred
by human greed.
Hear our prayers, Lord,
for birds and fish and creeping things
and for all the ways they serve 
your grand design.
Help us insure their continued existence
by respecting their habitats 
and honoring their space.
Hear our prayers for all your creatures, Lord,
for kindness and compassion
for those who cannot care
for themselves --
whether injured or ill or elderly
or dealing with challenges, 
for the marginalized, the lonely, 
the oppressed and imprisoned,
for those living in poverty, 
and those whose communities are ravaged
by violence, by war.
Send your Spirit, we pray, to hover over your creation
and to stir within it
a sense of unity, a harmonious cooperation,
a loving commitment to wholeness
that you may look upon your creation once again
and call it good.