Lector: Loving Creator, Author of all that Is, hear the words of your children who bow before you in bewilderment and gratitude. We thank you for love, for friendship, for beauty, for fresh water and clean air, for our community. We thank you for the continuing guidance and wisdom of our priests, Berto and Hugh, our bishop, Greg, and our Archbishop Michael, and spiritual leaders throughout the world. May all hear your voice and convey the highest wisdom to the hearts of seekers everywhere.
People: May all express your love in service and kindness to one another and the planet.
Loving Creator, your son, Jesus Christ, told us that his most important teaching was that we love one another as ourselves. We pray fervently that all those who wield power embrace your highest teaching, treating all of life with respect and care. We pray fervently for our President, Donald, our Governor, Jay, and all those in power throughout the world.
People: May all express your love in service and kindness to one another and the planet.
It’s difficult to know what to do about the planet, dear Creator. We desperately need to do a better job of upholding your creation, starting with ourselves. Help us to turn back the damage done to the environment by human carelessness and self-interest. Help us to find a way to live in balance and harmony with all of creation, giving up some of our pleasures and indulgences as we surrender to a higher law. May the hardest hearts become tender in recognition of your universal love, and may all who have gone before, everyone here now, and those who are yet to come, humbly take their places with Lazarus beside Abraham and all the Blessed Ones.
People: May all express your love in service and kindness to one another and the planet.
We pray especially for the homeless, the destitute, the lonely and confused and all those in need of healing body, mind, and spirit, especially those we now name: (insert Parish Prayer List). In addition we add, silently or aloud, others whom we know are in special need of prayer at this time (a pause). May those who mourn be consoled, especially the families and friends of John Willis and Beth Jurgensen and the Prince family. We miss them greatly, along with other departed members of our wider spiritual family, and are most grateful to have known them and their generous service.
People: May all express your love in service and kindness to one another and the planet.
Presider: Loving Creator; open our hearts to your abounding love. Let us never lose sight of those in need, nor of the luminous love that flows from your heart and invites us to follow you. Give us the courage and selflessness to take the leper by the hand, as you would do. Help us to trust your message of loving kindness that we might become more like your son and our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.