God who calls us beloved,
We come here today amidst the chaos of our lives.
Beauty and joy and horror and pain, we exist wrapped up in all of it, witnessing all of it, living all of it, and you are with us here.
We celebrate those in our community who have stepped into the waters of baptism, speaking loud their commitment to a life of love, justice, compassion, and grace.
We celebrate those stepping into leadership in this new year, taking on the responsibility to care, connect, steward and support our community as we co-labor with you, God, in our world.
We pray for our friends and neighbors, those in our community and those far away who are targeted or oppressed, marginalized or facing violence.
O healing river, send down your waters
Christ have mercy, Teach us peace.
We pray for those in our community facing illness or disease, loneliness or discomfort, life changes, or new circumstances
O healing river, send down your waters
Christ have mercy, Teach us peace.
We pray for the leaders among us, of our community, of our city, of our state, of our nation, of our world. May they feel convicted and rightly burdened by the weight of their responsibility and tender through the connection of our shared humanity.
O healing river, send down your waters
Christ have mercy, Teach us peace.
God of both old and new, constancy and change, routine and renewal –
Keep each one of us under your care, and guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Create in us clean hearts, O God; and sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
We pray all of these things in the name of Jesus, the one who taught us to pray – saying:
Our Father…