Prayer for Unity Amidst Diversity

Here’s a thoughtful prayer of petition for unity. It seems particularly timely these days.  It was posted on the “Monthly Prayers” page of the Christian Aid website.

Prayer for Unity

God of all creation 
who called every being into life 
who is mindful of humankind in all its diversity 
who embodies us with dignity, 
granting different gifts and talents to shape life in this world 
we ask for your Spirit to unite us 
where we face lack of understanding and disunity 
in our churches, in our communities, in our countries. 
And in silence we lay before you the burdens of our hearts.

(Silence)

We ask for your Spirit to unite us 
in the face of the conflicts, hatred and violation of life 
experienced in so many regions of the earth 
and in silence we bring to you the pain of the victims.

(Silence)

We ask for your Spirit to unite us 
wherever fear prevents us from caring for our neighbour, 
from meeting people of different ethnicities, cultures

and faith communities with respect 
and in silence we bring to you the brokenness of human relationships.

(Silence)

God of all creation, 
in Christ we are reconciled, 
and so we ask for your uniting Spirit 
to help us to overcome all our divisions 
that we may live in peace.

~ posted on the Monthly Prayers page of the Christian Aid website. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/

Opening Prayer: With Open Arms

Here’s a suggested opening prayer inspired by three of the suggested scripture readings for Proper 15, Year A: Matthew 15:21-28, Romans 11:1-2, 29-32, and Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 – all of which speak about how the mercy of God extends to all who trust in Him.

With Open Arms

With open arms You welcome all who call on Your name—

who acknowledge You as Lord, and look to You in faith.

No one stands outside the circle of Your mercy and love.

And so we come to offer You our worship—

to declare that You are our God,

and that we are Your people,

called and chosen by You from the very beginning.

Through the presence of Your Holy Spirit

open our eyes to see You here;

open our minds to receive Your truth,

and our mouths to speak and sing Your praise.

For You alone are God—

worthy of all praise and worship,
now and to the end of time.

Amen.

Prayers of the People: Proper 15A

Here is a prayer of intercession based on three of the scripture readings for Proper 15, Year A: Genesis 45:1-15 (where Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers), Matthew 15:21-28 (where the Gentile woman pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter), and Romans 11:1-2, 29-32 (where Paul reassures believers that God’s call is irrevocable, even to those who have turned their back on Him).

Feel free to adapt the prayer to suit your needs.

Prayer of Intercession: Proper 15A

(Gen. 45:1-15; Matt. 15:21-28; Rom. 11:1-2, 29-32)

Merciful God,
In love You created us,
and in love You sustain us, day after day.
So it is with confidence that we bring our prayers to You,
knowing that You will hear and respond.
                    
We pray for those who are estranged from spouse or family,
friends or neighbours;
who find it difficult to forgive past wrongs done to them;

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who for years have carrried feelings of guilt or regret
for something they did or something they neglected to do;
who find it difficult to ask for forgiveness or forgive themselves;

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those who find themselves far away from You,
struggling to overcome their doubts or disillusionment,
and who wonder how to find their way back;

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those watching someone they love try to cope
with serious illness or injury,
and who long for Your miraculous intervention;

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the many others in our world who are suffering this day—
from grief, or loneliness, hunger, poverty, violence or illness;

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Sustain all those who look to You in hope.
And strengthen us—Your people—
so that we may be a light to all those who find themselves in darkness.

In the name of Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

Amen.

Prayer for Others: Matthew 15

Here’s a prayer of intercession inspired by Matthew 15:21-28, where Jesus heals the Canaanite woman’s daughter. It was posted on the Christian Aid website.

Prayer of Intercession

(inspired by Matthew 15:21-28)

O Christ our Lord,
as the Canaanite woman brought her daughter’s need to you,
overcoming stigma and rejection to do so,
confident of your healing in her life,
we bring the needs of others in prayer:

Those for whom pain is a constant companion
Those who daily live with chronic illness or ill-health
Those who struggle with the confusion and distress

    of mental illness
Those who care for and treat people who are ill

   and sometimes have agonizing decisions to face
Those for whom treatment is not available or affordable
And for ourselves in our own weakness

To all your children everywhere,
Lord Jesus Christ,

bring healing,

bring peace. Amen. 

~ posted on the Monthly Prayers page of the Christian Aid website. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/

Call to Worship: Psalm 67: 1-3

God, show your faithfulness to us,

bless us, and make your face smile upon us!

For then the whole earth will acknowledge your ways,

and all the nations of earth will know of your power to save.

May all the nations praise you, O God;

may all the nations praise you!

Litany of Praise: Psalm 67

Here’s a litany of praise based closely on Psalm 67, on of the suggested scripture texts for August 14, 2011.

Litany of Praise

(based on Psalm 67)

May God be merciful to us and bless us;

may He smile with kindness upon us.

Then everyone on earth will learn to follow Him,

and all nations will see His power to save.

Let the people praise You, O God—

let all the people everywhere praise You!

May the whole world celebrate and sing for joy,

because You judge fairly and with integrity,

and guide all people, near and far.

Let the people praise You, O God—

let all the people everywhere praise You!

Our God has richly blessed us,

providing abundantly for all our needs.

May God continue to bless us,

and may the whole world come to know and worship our God.

Blessing: God Dawns on You

Here’s a blessing/benediction inspired by Psalm 67.  It was written by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere.

Blessing

(inspired by Psalm 67)

May God be gracious to us
And bless us
And make his face shine upon us

In the darkness that was
And the dawning that is
And the daylight that is to come

May we praise God today
And join the angels of heaven
And all of creation

In the name of the Father
And the Son
And the Spirit
Amen

~ written by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere, inspired by Psalm 67.  Posted on Soul Shepherding. http://www.soulshepherding.org/

Benediction: Psalm 67: 1-3

May God show kindness and bless us,

and make his face shine on us.

Then the earth will acknowledge your ways,

and all nations your power to save.

Let the nations praise you, God,

let all the nations praise you.

Closing Prayer: Psalm 67

Here’s a closing prayer I wrote for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website.

Closing Prayer

(based on Psalm 67)

Merciful God, we ask for Your blessing.
Look with kindness on Your gathered people,
that we might reflect Your goodness to the world around us.

Then all of the nations will come to know Your ways
and acknowledge Your saving power.
They will praise You as we praise you now.
For You are a God of justice and compassion,
abundantly providing for the needs of the world.

Bless us, O God, and make us a blessing,
that the whole earth may come to experience
Your abundant goodness.  Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst/Canadian Foodgrains Bank  http://www.fastforchange.ca/benediction.aspx#closing%20prayer

Call to Worship: Psalm 67

Here’s a responsive call to worship based on Psalm 67.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 67)

Let the peoples praise you, O God; 
let all the peoples praise you. 
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
for you judge the peoples with equity 
and guide the nations upon earth. 
Let the peoples praise you, O God; 
let all the peoples praise you!

Call to Worship and Prayer: Psalm 67

Here’s a call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Psalm 67.  It was written by John A. Nelson.

Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 67)

May God be gracious to us, and bless us,
and cover us with the radiance of grace.

May your way be known everywhere, God:
in the hidden places of our hearts;
in the comfort of our homes;
in every corner of our world;
in the farthest reaches of creation.

You transform us; you heal our lives;

you renew the earth and every creature:

Let our praise for you shake the rafters with songs of joy!

Unison Invocation

God, we remember with wonder and joy
that your spirit is reaching everywhere:
rejoicing in the liveliness of all living things;
touching what is wounded or ill with healing power;
gathering in the lonely, the lost, the least;
soothing ancient animosities;
creating and recreating a vision of hope.

Come now, Holy Spirit.
Let our worship rejoice in you,
and lift our hearts,
and bind us in one family of loving grace.
We ask in Jesus’ name; Amen.

~ from The World is Our Home, written by John A. Nelson. Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways Archive. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/

Closing Prayer: Psalm 67

Here’s a closing prayer inspired by Psalm 67.

Closing Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 67)

God, mark us with grace and blessing!

Let our lives reflect your light and your goodness,

so that the way in which we live might bring others

to an awareness of your presence and your love.

Teach us to trust You with our whole heart,

and to praise You in every circumstance,

so that your grace and mercy might reach out through us

to the entire world.  Amen.

Responsive Call to Worship: Psalm 67

Here’s a responsive call to worship litany based on Psalm 67.  It was written by Joan Stott. 

A Call to Worship from Psalm 67 

Holy are you, O God of grace and mercy.
May all the nations praise you, O God.
May all the nations of the earth joyfully
sing because God’s justice is supreme!

May the love that lights up the face of God
shine with favour upon us and bless us;
teaching us God’s way of living and loving
so that we may witness to that love and grace.

We gather to worship our wise and holy God.
We are in awe and revere you for your saving works.
We come together to seek your blessing, O God.
Praise be to our generous and just God. Amen.

~ written by Joan Stott, and posted on the Geelong City Parish UCA website. If used in shared worship, please provide an acknowledgement as follows: © 2010 Joan Stott – "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year C, used with permission. http://www.wesleychurchgeelong.net/

Psalm 67: Prayer of Petition

Here’s a concise prayer based on Psalm 67. It was written by Chris Altrock.

Prayer of Petition

(inspired by Psalm 67)

God bless us.

So we can bless others.

That they might then bless you.

~ written by Chris Altrock, and posted on the TrueNorth blog. http://chrisaltrock.com/2011/10/prayer-from-psalm-67/ 

Benediction: Psalm 67

May the God we serve pour grace and blessing into our lives!

May the face of God shine light upon us!

May we celebrate God’s love and justice in such a way

that everyone around will come to know God,

and will experience God’s grace and blessing for themselves.

God go with you!

Prayer: Sojourning God

Here’s a prayer of petition and commitment written by Rev. Mindi.

Prayer

May your ways be known throughout the earth,
your saving power among people everywhere.  Psalm 67:2

Sojourning God,

we pray for Your companionship to be made known to us,

in times of ease and times of struggle.

Help us to hear the calls of the oppressed and the poor.

Guide us to live in ways that do not put our wants

above the needs of others.

Call us to heed the challenge of the prophets,

to step out in faith

and put our neighbors needs as important as our own.

In the name of Christ,

who loves us even when we try to walk away,

even when we think the sacrifice is too great,

and gives us renewed hope, we pray. Amen.

~ written by Rev. Mindi, on her Rev-o-lution blog. http://rev-o-lution.org/

Prayer: Blessings for All

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and confession inspired by Psalm 67.  It comes from the Bread for the World website.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession

(inspired by Psalm 67)

The land has supplied a bountiful harvest,

and the True God, our God, has poured out His blessings to us all.  Psalm 67:6 (The Voice)

Most gracious God,

who gives the fruits of the earth for the benefit of all your creatures,

we give thanks to you for abundant harvests and plentiful food.

We pray for those in our land who are denied these gifts,

and seek your forgiveness for our complicity in their want.

We thank you for our government,

designed to be responsive to the will of the governed,

and for the choices that are ours in this land of opportunity.

We pray for those whose voices are not heard and for those who do not hear.

Forgive us when our choices are selfish ones,

and forgive us especially when we do not choose to raise our own voice

against the pain of those among us who suffer needless want.

Most of all, 0 God,

we give you thanks for the revelation of your love in Jesus Christ,

who came that everyone might have abundant life. Amen.

~ from Thanksgiving Service of Commitment, posted on the Bread for the World website. http://www.bread.org/

Benediction: Psalm 67

Here’s a benediction from Psalm 67 based on The Voice translation of scripture.

Benediction

(based on Psalm 67:1, 5, 7 The Voice)

May God pour His grace and blessings into us

and turn His face to shine His light on us.

May the people praise You with their whole hearts, O God;

may every man, woman, and child on the earth praise You.

God is the source of our blessings;

may every corner of the earth respect and revere Him.

Readers' Theatre: John 6: 51-59

Here’s a two-voice setting of John 6: 51-59, the suggested gospel reading for Proper 15 B (the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost).

Readers’ Theatre

(John 6:51-59)

One:     I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.

            Anyone who eats this bread will live forever;

            and the bread that I shall give

            is my flesh, for the life of the world.'

Two:     But the people began arguing with one another.

            How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

            But Jesus replied:

One:     I assure you,

            unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood,

            you cannot have eternal life within you.

            But those who do…have eternal life

            and I will raise them up on the last day.

            For my flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink.

            Those who do eat and drink, live in me, and I live in them.

            I live by the power of the living God who sent me;

            in the same way, those who partake of me

            will live because of me.

            I am the true bread that came down from heaven;

            I am not like the manna that your ancestors ate and then died!

            If you eat this bread, your life will never end.

Prayer for Famine Relief Workers

One of the suggested lectionary texts for August 14, 2011 is Genesis 45:1-15.  It’s the story of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers after many years of slavery in Egypt.                               

Like the story of the feeding of the 5000 a few weeks ago, this passage also offer an opportunity for congregations to reflect on the famine currently facing the people of Eastern Africa. 

At the time of the Joseph’s reunion with his brothers, Egypt and much of the Middle East had been caught in the grips of a long famine.  Because of a dream interpreted by Joseph, Egypt (unlike its neighbours), had been able to prepare for famine years in advance, storing up grain when it was plentiful so that they would have enough in times of drought.

In the Genesis account, Joseph explains to his brothers how God had deliberately allowed him to be sold into slavery in Egypt years before, in order that he might be in a position to save his family and countless others from starvation.

The passage made me think of the many people today working in relief and development agencies around the world. Here’s a prayer I wrote for them.   
                              

Prayer of Intercession for Relief and Development Workers

God,
Just as You sent Joseph to Egypt
to help the people there prepare for a time of famine,
so You continue to call people to use their skills and abilities
to help alleviate hunger and suffering in our world today.

Hear our prayers for those who work in relief and development organizations
around the world.

We pray for aid workers on the ground in needy countries,
dispensing food and medical supplies, and offering health care and other services;

for program administrators,
making decisions about when and where to send resources;

for communicators,
raising public awareness and sharing stories with the world;

for clerical and support staff,
providing behind-the-scenes support and keeping things running smoothly;

for fund raisers,
raising the money needed to purchase food and supplies;

for agency directors,
providing ongoing leadership and direction;

for procurement officers,
purchasing food and supplies and arranging for their shipment;

for Board members,
helping set the overall vision and ensuring accountability.

For all these people,
and for the partner organizations they work with in the developing world,
we give You thanks, God.

Strengthen and encourage them in their work.
Make Your presence known to each.
Give them the love and compassion they need to do their work well—
to be Your hands and feet in our hurting world.

Amen.

—Christine Longhurst/Canadian Foodgrains Bank

This prayer appears on the website of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.  For more worship resources related to the current famine in Eastern Africa, visit their website.