category: Prayer

Bidding Prayer based on Psalm 126

By Rachael Keefe

Come, let us unite in prayer for the church throughout the world. (silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) God of creation who remains steadfast through our sorrows and our joys, we lift up to you the entire body of Christ in its many …

Bidding Prayer based on Psalm 126

Come, let us unite in prayer for the church throughout the world.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God of creation who remains steadfast through our sorrows and our joys, we lift up to you the entire body of Christ in its many forms. Grant us the courage to welcome with joy all who bear your name.

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

AnMtg2013NH-RevLet us pray for the United Church of Christ, here and elsewhere.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God of yesterday and today, we have sown seeds in many places. Sometimes the harvest is not what we had hoped it would be. Sometimes change and conflict bring pain and sadness. Keep us ever mindful that we are your body and there is yet much sowing and reaping you would have us do. We thank you for all those called to lead the United Church of Christ, especially for Geoffrey Black our minister and president, Gary Schulte our conference minister, and all those gathered here. Let the joys of living in your abundance awaken the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ to all that is possible when we rejoice in all that you have done for us.

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

Let us pray for all the peoples of the world.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God of all nations, hear our prayers for those who weep, whose seeds cannot grow, and whose harvest will not be reaped. Even the poorest among us have more than many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Let us no longer take our blessings for granted. Give us hearts for service that others may know more fully the bounty of your harvest.
 

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

Let us pray for our nation and those who lead it.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God of planting and harvest, you do not waiver in your love for us even when we turn away. This nation has a richness that is often buried in political strife and economic fears. We are in need of your wisdom and guidance that we do not give up before the harvest. Be with those who lead this country, especially Barak Obama. Guide them in all decisions that one day we may be a nation who offers justice and equity to all who call the United States home.

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

 
Let us pray for all those who are in need of healing.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God of healing and restoration, we lift up to you all who are struggling for health of body, mind, or spirit. How often our mouths are filled with laughter and our tongues with shouts of joy, and we forget those who suffer. Let us not overlook all those who need compassion and comfort, kindness and hope, all those who long to rejoice in your love. We are grateful for the abundance we have in you. May our joy lead to a passion to share your gifts with all people.

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

Let us pray for all those who grieve.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God of life who conquered death, we lift up to you all those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Hear us as we give you thanks for all your servants who now find their rest in you. Especially (read the list).

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

Let us give thanks to the Lord for the great things God has done for us.
(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)
God who invites us all to join in your harvest, we open our hearts and lives to you in gratitude. You have blessed us with a calling to be the body of Christ in this time and place and we rejoice. May our rejoicing serve as an invitation to others to join us in celebrating life in you.  We seek to follow in your ways, glorifying you in or worship and in our lives, that we may all come home with shouts of joy. Hear the prayers of your people. We pray in Christ’s name.

We give thanks to the Lord who has done great things for us
and we rejoice!

I wrote this bidding prayer for the 2013 Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ. The accompanying image was the logo I designed for the same meeting.

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About Rachael Keefe

Rachael is an author, a pastor, a teacher, and a poet. Her latest book (The Lifesaving Church - Chalice Press) is on faith and suicide prevention. She is currently the pastor of Living Table UCC in Minneapolis, and has launched a spiritual direction practice.

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