Prayers for the Life of the World

Prayer of Awareness (Philip Newell - Praying with the Earth)

It is in the depths of life that we find You

at the heart of this moment

at the center of our soul

deep in the earth and its eternal stirrings…

And so at the opening of this day

at the threshold of our worship,  we wait

not for blessings from afar

but for You the very Soil of our soul

the early Freshness of morning

the first Breath of day.

 

Responsive Prayers for the Life of the World

Adapted from Imagine Integrity  (Colossians 3: 1-4, 12-17,)  Bruce Sanguin

 

Mighty and tender God,

You, the deep within all,

You, the encompassing heart of all,

we enter now into Your kingdom

(realm/commonwealth,/kin-dom),

Your community of wholeness,

a realm of peace…

 

We bring our hunger,

and the hunger of our world.

We bring our inner stranger,

and the exiled of the world.

We bring our hurting selves,

and the hurting of the world.

We open to healing...

 

Inspired, we imagine integrity

in our inner life,

our relationships,

our planet,

and our political systems….

 

We dare to imagine the reign of Christ,

Love’s Servant,

Your heart

for an unfolding cosmos......

 

Prayer of Jesus (VU#959)

 

Our Father in heaven

hallowed by your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today

our daily bread.

Forgive us our sin

as we forgive

those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil

for the kingdom,

the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever.

Amen.

 

Prayer of Blessing (Philip Newell)

 

May the deep blessings of earth be with us.

May the fathomless soundings of seas surge in our soul.

May the boundless stretches of the universe echo in our depths

to open us to wonder

to strengthen us for love

to humble us with gratitude

that we may find ourselves in one another

that we may lose ourselves in gladness

that we give ourselves to peace.