Lector: Oh Christ the King, how our souls long to know you.   We praise you and thank you for the great sacrifice you made to benefit the whole of your creation.  You have taught us that suffering is a part of the path to your kingdom and that love is stronger than all else.

You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

We are so blessed here in Emmanuel—to have this church community and our island community.  Our hearts fill with gratitude as we look around us—the beauty of our surroundings, the loving faces of our friends and families, the valued service of our priests, Berto and Hugh, the reach of our larger faith community as administered by our Bishop Greg and our Archbishop Michael.  Your blessings are everywhere apparent in their deeds, and we ask for continued  protection and guidance in all they do.

You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

We pray for the leaders of the world, for administrators, law-givers and law-enforcers, that they may hear and heed the voice of wisdom in their decisions and actions. Where there is conflict, may seeds of peace grow. May guns grow rusty with disuse. May the winds be gentle and the floodwaters quell.  May those in need of shelter be safe.  May the hungry be nourished in body and in soul.

 You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

In this time of formal thanks-giving, we  pray especially for the indigenous people of this continent.  Oftentimes theirs has been a harsh path.  We are thankful for all the lessons they have taught, and we grieve for what they—and many sentient beings, including ourselves–have lost through thoughtlessness and ignorance. May all thrive in fairness and friendship as we go forward, sharing our concern for the natural creation, and jointly finding ways to benefit all beings. 

You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The days are soon upon us when the Tree of the  House of David will sprout a new branch. At the same time, the earthly cycles of life and death, of sorrow and renewal, persist. We now pray together for those on our Parish prayer list:

We also offer loving prayers for the bereaved and for concerns known privately to ourselves and to you, Dear Creator.  (Pause; mention these silently or aloud). May all find the comfort and healing that only you can bring. 

You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 Presider:  How grateful we are to be part of the river that makes glad the city of God. Your reach is limitless; you are indeed the sovereign of our yearning  hearts. Our prayers pour out as libations to you. Help all to be gracious and grateful in all we do.  We place our trust in your luminous wisdom, now and forever.  Amen.