Prayers of the People - Sunday, May 16, 2010

By Joan O’Laney    

Gracious Spirit, Holy Friend, you who are the love surrounding us, teach us to love ourselves, to see ourselves honestly -- our beauties and strengths and capabilities -- our weaknesses and fears and anxieties. Help us to know what we really need and how to ask for it.

We pray now a prayer of Thanksgiving -- for all that brings delight and beauty, meaning and warmth into our lives. We are thankful for the land, for Earth and her fruitfulness, for all that She gives to us for ourselves, our families, and our friends. We may now name, silently or aloud, particular things for which we are thankful .......... For all these things, let us give thanks to the Creator. (Sung response)

We pray for the World, for those who suffer from war and oppression, from poverty, and from natural or human-made disasters, for those who are sick or in prison. This morning, we pray especially for First Nations peoples whose lands and resources are being taken from them including the Dehcho peoples of the Mackenzie Valley, Caledonia, Grassy Narrows, Barriere Lake, and for other places where there are ongoing land struggles that we might now name, silently or aloud .......... We pray that the Creator may give comfort and strength to all these people. (Sung response)

We pray for each other -- for those close to us. We pray for members of our communities who are ill or grieving or troubled in any way, for any whom we might now name, silently or aloud .......... May we bring strength and comfort. (Sung response)

Gracious Spirit, our thoughts this morning are particularly focused on the struggles of the Dehcho people for their lands. May we be steadfast in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, open to learning from them, and open to sharing our lives in community where all can participate fully.

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We pray for the wisdom to allow our Mother Earth to show us how to live in harmony with Her, with one another and with all creatures -- for healing and wholeness.

And may we become a part of the answer to our prayers.
Amen.

Let us now say together the Ecumenical Prayer which is printed in the Order of Service:

We pray with the church in Malawi and Zambia, Africa:
Gracious God,
in this season of new growth and promise,
we praise you for all living and all dying.
We thank you for that great circle
in which we are united with all who have gone before us
and all who will come after us.
Bring us all, good Friend, to the awareness
that today, you free our eyes from tears and
our feet from stumbling,
that today, we walk with you in the land of the living.

(Adapted from Gabe Huck)