I invite you
to be in prayer with me. May my spoken words lead to your silent
words and the deepest longings within each of us as God gathers us
close to surround us with love.
O God, our
God, how glorious is your name in all the earth!
The psalmist
rejoices in creation and in the creator and invites us to do the
same. The beauty that surrounds us - in the trees and the
flowering bushes; in the intricate formations of clouds above and
the softness of the earth below; in the songs of the birds and the
gentle sounds of wind in the leaves. We ponder the work of your
hands, O God, and are in awe as we come to know that these same
hands have also created us - not only created us, but made us in
your own image.
O God, our
God, how glorious is your name in all the earth!
Gather us
together as we remember and reflect and relive through our
memories - for that’s what kind of day this is - a day of
remembering - D Day - sixty years ago, a lifetime ago- the
beginning of the end of the 2nd world war. So many
went to fight for our freedom and too many didn’t come home; but,
this is also a time to forgive and to be forgiven. They gave
their lives that we might live in freedom - and we pause to
remember and to give thanks…..
O God, our
God, how glorious is your name in all the earth!
Gather us
together as we remember: in the midst of a war in Iraq that won’t
quit; the continued conflicts in the middle East, in The Congo, in
Ireland, in India and so many other places in our world, we ponder
our own freedom. We live in freedom from war within our own
borders; but many live below the poverty line, many are homeless,
others are unemployed - our freedom came at such a high cost.
At what cost still do we live in this freedom.
O God, our
God, how glorious is your name in all the earth!
Gather us
together as we remember and pray for those in this congregation:
those who are sick, those who are shut in, those who mourn for
those who have died in this time and in times long ago, those who
struggle with depression, those who live with chronic or terminal
illness and for those who live within the light of healing and the
knowledge that the age of miracles is not yet past. We pray for
the work of this church; our mission of Peace; our vision of a
cleaner and healthier environment. We pray for Bruce and Susan
and Neil. Support them and strengthen them to continue their work
in this place and community.
O God, our
God, how glorious is your name in all the earth!
We are in the
midst of election campaigns on this continent - in our country and
in the United States. We pray for those who want to lead our
country - there is so much talk, too many promises - we are
surrounded by it and it invades our homes and our personal spaces
- so we pray for us, the people, those who ultimately will vote
and put our X in favour of one! Guide the minds and hearts of
those who vote and those who would govern our country. In the
midst of this many world leaders gather on the beaches of Normandy
with veterans and others to remember and to be with. And, then
here, a favourite past president dies - flags fly at half mast -
and many reflect on his life and his contributions to the
country. His family mourns and moves on to celebrate his life.
O God, our
God, how glorious is your name in all the earth!
As you have
gathered us in to surround us with your love, release us now to
leave this place and go forth in your name to do the work you have
given us to do - to spread the good news of Jesus, as we
pray the prayer he taught us.
