Here’s a beautiful new year’s prayer from the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. It was written by David Arnott.
Prayer for the New Year
Almighty and Eternal God
In the midst of all that is dark and icy
In the midst of a winter’s day that grabs our senses
with a cold beauty and yet fear of accident,
we your people,
brought together because of our love of Jesus Christ,
come to proclaim light in the darkness
life in the presence of death
warmth in the midst of cold and
love in the face of hate.
For it is out of darkness that you bring light
out of chaos you bring order
out of despair you continue to bring hope
even to people like us.
Lord God
no matter what has happened in the past
no matter what the last 52 weeks have brought
your love has reigned supreme.
Your love has reigned supreme
while our response
has wilted and faded
like the leaves on an autumn tree.
Bring us back to the hope of a winter’s day, Lord God.
Bring us back to the brightness of a blue sky
that reminds us of warmer days of summer.
Bring us back to the evergreen trees that stand tall and proud
in the frost signs of hope to come.
Bring us back to the white not of snow and ice
but to a purity of heart and mind,
for your love unlike the snow and ice does not grow cold.
Lord God, forgive us for failing to appreciate all your gifts
in the cycle of your created order.
Even when we think all is dead you are providing signs of life.
Even when we believe all is finished
you are sowing seeds for a harvest still to come
Forgive us for failing to see them.
As we stand on the threshold of a New Year
so allow us to grasp the picture you have for us of all that lies ahead.
It is a picture full of hope, full of purpose and full of love
and forgive us for ever thinking that might suggest otherwise .
All this we ask in Jesus’ name
Our Father . . .
Amen
— written by the Rt Rev David Arnott, and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website.
For more worship resources for the New Year, click on New Year in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page, or visit this Index of New Year Resources.
