Words for Worship: A Collection of Prayers

You created the earth, and it is Good. You created the universe, and it is Good.  At times we blame and curse the universe for the bad things that happen; we blame and curse the earth for the natural disasters we face. God, call us away from cursing into lives of blessing. Help us to share out of our resources with those in need. Call us to use our hands and feet to act in recovery efforts and in arms that reach out. Guide our hearts to remember all who have lost so much.

We are grateful, God, for the first responders who gave up fear and instead gave into hope to rescue others. We are grateful, God, for all those who have rushed to help, to pledge their resources, to bring comfort. We are grateful, God, for churches and schools who have flung open their doors to be homes for the homeless. We are grateful, God, for the hearts that have been broken open.

And we grieve, Holy God, for all those who have been lost. We mourn with the families who have lost loved ones, especially children. Creator God, who loves us like a mother and father, we cannot fathom the grief that is being experienced in this time. Call us away from the simple answers and responses that cannot heal wounds so deep. Keep us instead to the hope that is in You, the hope of resurrection, the hope of new life.

In the name of Christ, the one who brings us healing, the one who brings us hope, the one who leads us into life, we pray. Amen.

Leader: God of all Nations, call us into Your family.
People: We welcome all people of all cultures and languages, for we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Leader: God of all ages past and present, call us into Your family.
People: We walk hand in hand with our seniors and our children, called to be present and share with our homebound and our young ones, for we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Leader: God of Diversity, call us into Your family.
People: We embrace all people on the margins, including those of different genders and sexual orientations, for we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Leader: God of the Poor, God of the Hungry, God of the Oppressed, call us into Your family.
People: We will speak up and seek justice for all those who suffer, for we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Leader: God of Creation, call us into Your family.
People: Call us to embrace and love, to bless and uphold, to remember we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, as we gather to worship You

A Prayer for Trinity Sunday or Father’s Day:

Abba, Father, Mother, Creator–we call You by many names, but the names we choose show our relationship with You. We desire to draw closer to You, O God. We desire to hear Your voice above the chatter of the world, to know Your ways and to walk in them. Spirit of Life, Wind and Breath among us, we feel You move through us, guiding us on our journey, inspiring us to share Your love with others. Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of us all, our Brother and Friend, we desire to walk in Your ways and to love one another as You have first loved us. Triune God, we desire to relate to You and to each other more fully, so that we might draw into the depths of Your love, first glimpsed at creation, when Your voice called us and the earth forth out of darkness into Your light. Continue to call us, guide us and lead us into this world and beyond. Amen.

 

A Prayer for the Season after Pentecost:

Glorious God, we give You thanks for the seasons, for warmth and cold, sun and rain. We give You thanks in times of hope and fear, in times of frustration and calm, in times of unbalance and peace. We know that You are always present with us. When we fall into times of doubt, draw us out, O Lord. When we stumble into times of despair from the unjust world around us, lift us up, O Lord. When we see injustice around us and we feel hopeless, strengthen us and give us courage, O Lord. We are called to do Your work in our world; grant us Your wisdom, fill us with Your hope and stir in us Your desire to build up the family of God. In the name of our Creator, Christ and Spirit that fills us, we pray. Amen.