Gracious God,
We praise you for your goodness to us. You have showered us with the blessings of love and grace, and our lives have been transformed. We come to this place of worship today to sing our rejoicing and to speak our thanks and praise to you – honoring you for these amazing gifts.
Make our souls still, dear God. In this busy and noisy world, we come for a few moments this morning to hear your still small voice in the quiet of this hour. Remind us not to worry about our lives, even though that is what we often do on the other days of the week. Show us how to seek first your Kingdom – and to know the abundant life which follows. Teach us that you are always doing a new thing in the world, in our church, and in our lives. The new things of your reign on the earth often begin small, like a mustard seed. We need to hear that this morning, because too often the old things from our past seem so large that they dominate the way we think and feel. Make our souls still, so that we may listen to you and truly hear you and watch the seeds of your kingdom grow.
You have told us to ask you for our daily bread – for the things of life that we need each day. So, we come asking for healing and comfort for those who are ill, peace and assurance for those who are dying, hope, passion and purpose for those who are alive and well. Give us wisdom to follow your guidance, courage to trust in your will, and perseverance to continue faithfully in the ministry that you have given to us. Shape us to be good stewards of all the gifts that you have shared with us.
At this Table set before us, dear God, we see a picture of your love for us. As we take the bread and cup, we receive your love in new and fresh ways. Show us how to demonstrate that love to the world once we have left this room. Where there is too much senseless violence – help us to show peace. Where there is division, let us live in the Unity of the Spirit. Where there is hopelessness, allow us to offer your hope to the world. Where there is selfishness, strengthen us to demonstrate humility and service. Form us, O God, to be followers of Jesus.
We pray these things in the name of our Living Lord, Jesus Christ, who showed us love and taught us to pray, saying
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.