It is customary throughout Protestantism to include a pastoral prayer in the Sunday worship service. In this, the pastor draws together the concerns of the gathered community and offers them up to God. It is a priestly function.
My hunch is that in many cases the pastoral prayer is the least prepared part of the service, perhaps because its importance is not grasped by pastor or people.
06/20/2012
PASTOR DAVIS/MASTER TEACHER
