Welcome! Thank you for joining us for worship today. In our services we gather before our almighty God to receive his gifts and to offer him our worship and praise. Through God’s powerful Word and Sacraments he renews our faith and strengthens us to serve in joy.

In a sense, prayer comes naturally to us. We want so we ask. We hurt so we cry out. We are blessed so we give thanks. What does not come naturally, however, is a proper understanding of the privilege of prayer. Prayer is a privilege based entirely on the unearned relationship we have with our Father through Jesus. And the purpose of prayer is not to tell God what we want, but to claim that which God wants for us. Prayer brings our will into conformity with God’s will, not the other way around. This week, we give our undivided attention to what God says about this access we call prayer. Along with Jesus’ disciples we say, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).