Category Archives: Prayers

A Prayer at the End of a Quarantined Day

10 Sunday May 2020

Posted by in Current Events, Pop, Prayers, Quarantine Liturgy and Prayers

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God of the Night Sky,
whose stars brighten our transition into tomorrow
bless the holiness that is the end of this day.

For the deeds left undone and the words unsaid,
may your grace bring me peace.

For any disappointments I’ve created and love unshared,
pour your mercy on me.

Thank you for understanding me-
my fatigued body
my exhausted mind
my heart full of grief.

Oh how I miss this world before this.

I miss my Sunday mornings full of energy
and my Thursday night meetings.
I miss running into a store when I need one item,
and I miss eating in restaurants with friends.

So there is sadness this day,
and you know this God.

So bless my tears.
Bless my humanity.
Bless my friends separated by space but not hearts

With a body that hurts and a heart that aches,
know that I’ve given this day my all.

“Now I lay me down to sleep…”
I pray to you, God, a soul of peace.

Amen.

A Prayer for the Ones Ailing and Dying Alone

26 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by in Current Events, grief, Pop, Prayers

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Peace-bearing God-
We know that your presence fills each space and time in our universe.
When we cannot enter a space,
You are present.
When our loved ones are on the brink of Sheol, the roughest of spaces,
You are present.

So many who are on our hearts are in hospitals and care facilities.
The doors are locked to the outside world,
And loved ones are barred from entering.

Their bodies ache and may be failing them,
And what they want most-
To be surrounded by the ones they love-
Is a privilege denied.

So many are about to go on ventilators,
And all they want to do is share love with their dear ones-
A small consolation that is near impossible.

We ask that they find bedside friend through you, Holy Attendant.
May final breaths be filled with memories of loved-filled times.
May moments of healing be invigorated by hope seen in small moments
And friendly strangers.

And for the loved ones outside of doors
Whose deep desires are to be at bedsides
Instead of in silent homes-
May they find peace through you God.
May they find ways to share their love
Before the end arrives.

May your Divine Comfort give all who ail and all who love them
The strength they need.
If death nears,
May they find all of the peace they need from you, God.
We thank you for all of the caregivers in hospital rooms and care facilities
Who can give the ailing a little bit of comfort.

May hearts that are shattered find the healing they need through you.
And may we realize that none of us are every fully alone.

Amen.

A Prayer When I Feel Like I’m Getting Sick

25 Saturday Jan 2020

Posted by in Health, Pop, Prayers

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God of the Handkerchiefs, Spirit of the Humidifers,
As my throat increases in scratchiness,
And the chills and aches invade my space,
May your strength fill my cells with health.

Hear my lament: “Nooooooooooooo!  Achoo!”
*Cough Cough*
“UGH!”

If this is, indeed, an illness,
May this be brief, and my I gain my strength back soon.
Give me the patience to rest.
May my schedule be light this week
And my tasks few
So that I can nurse myself back to health.

If this happens to be a false alarm,
May I pay attention to my body
And avoid the plague like the plague.

Amen.

A Prayer on a Bad News Day

07 Tuesday Jan 2020

Posted by in Current Events, grief, Life, Pop, Prayers

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God who fills the cracks in this world-
Today was a horrific news day.

As the world falls apart,
And our neighbors endure pain,
And hate spreads across our planet,
We lament, we weep, we cry for you.

Why have you forsaken us as the earth shakes?
Why have your children screamed words of hate?
Why have bombs and planes and so much else fallen?
Why do illnesses spread throughout our loved ones?

The news was heavy… no, suffocating.
Like the air from fires,
The dust from earthquakes,
The smoke from bombs,
And the fuel from planes.

So we look towards you in our confusion, our pain, our sadness.
We try to makes sense of things that won’t make sense anyway.
And we go to bed, shedding tears upon our pillows-

Hoping that the sun will fill the skies tomorrow,
That pain is alleviated,
That fires are extinguished,
And healing begins.

Amen.

A Liturgy for Epiphany

31 Tuesday Dec 2019

Posted by in Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers, Liturgy, Pop, Prayers

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Call to Worship (Inspired by John 1)

One: The light shines in dimness
Many: And dimness did not overtake the light.
One: The light shines in each space.
Many: No gloom, no despair will overtake it.
One: The light shines in our souls.
Many: The shadows of life did not shade Divine light.
One: We celebrate the light of Christ
Many: A steadfast presence from the beginning
Which will shine through the end of time.

Invocation

Holy Lamplighter, as night prematurely encroaches upon us each day, may your illumination brighten our souls.  As we wait for dawn’s first glimmer, may the warmth you carry radiate across this community.  Kindle our hearts made cold by the world’s frostiness, and brighten the road ahead as we ponder what is most important in our lives.  Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation

One: Spirit of God, we have blocked your light and love from our neighbors.  We have barricaded the Divine glow which enlightens and empowers all of us.  We have turned our backs on the gleam of your wisdom, God.

All: Yet no matter how far we flee, your light still flows near.  You will never hide your light from us.  Encourage us to open doors and shutters to your brilliance so that your illumination will reach our souls.  May this enlightenment bring us closer to your intentions for this earth.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace

One: God’s warmth melts our hardened hearts.  God’s brilliance lights the path on which we will start again.  May we embrace God’s luminosity as we start on this new year journey.  Amen!

Call to Offering

As we seek the presence of God in our lives, we will begin to sense how God is calling us to use our gifts to build our church, our community, and our world.  It is a privilege to share what we have been given to love and light this this earth.

Prayer of Dedication

Divine Lamplighter, in gratitude, we share our treasures, our talents, and our time with this congregation.  We humbly ask that you illuminate our minds and hearts as we use all our resources to craft a just world for all.  Amen.

Benediction

One: As we travel dim streets during this new year, God,
Be our Divine Lamplighter.May your light shine on the road ahead of us.
May the warmth from your flame melt the frost covering our hearts.
May our souls come alive at the sight of your brilliance.
And may your light draw us closer to our neighbors as we begin this season together.

Amen!

A communion liturgy for Epiphany can be found here.

(c) 2019 Michelle L. Torigian.  Permission to use with attribution.

A Prayer for World Kindness Day

13 Wednesday Nov 2019

Posted by in Life, National Day Prayers, Pop, Prayers

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Divine Tenderness-

As our world withers from the chills of words
And our souls are flooded from the tides of hate,
We embrace the tiny seeds of kindness still abiding around us.

For the ones who reach across aisles and tear down barriers
Our hearts celebrate.
For the ones who stand up to animosity
And refuse to let hatred win,
We send our songs of thanksgiving.

May we step out of our way to be kind to our neighbor today.
May we eschew cynicism after all of the prejudice we’ve seen.
May we embrace the light within ourselves and all of your creation.

May your holy glow push through the cracks in barriers
To reach each of your children here on earth.

Amen.

A Prayer at First Frost

03 Sunday Nov 2019

Posted by in Pop, Prayers

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God whose love spans the seasons-

Late Autumn’s first frost has spoken,
Giving the world its sparkling gray hairs
And its plants wrinkles and jowls-
A reminder that Summer’s youthful glow
Has fallen away.

Frost’s beautiful glisten distracts us from the cold reality
Of the realm around us.

Divine Warmth, as the temperatures continue to dive,
Bless the ones whose homes lack heat,
The ones whose have no shelter,
The ones who can’t afford heated cars and lined coats.

Only through our work with you can your children feel your warmth.
Challenge us to give and serve
So that winter’s first frost
And the chill of the long nights
Will not have the last word.

Amen.

A Prayer as We Remember Our Saints

01 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by in grief, Pop, Prayers

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God of Expanding Love,

Our week pauses as we remember the ones who walked with us here on earth. Our day stops as we cherish the memories of the people whose energy are forever embedded within our souls…

For the saints who let us call them grandparents. For our time together in the kitchen and wandering around garage sales, as we learned stitches from them and listened to their stories. May their talents challenge us to be our best selves.

For the saints who led us in classrooms. For their steadfast encouragement which still walks with us today. May their educating spirit uplift our souls until our last days.

For the saints who hit the clubs with us in our twenties and spent countless hours with us as we cried over broken hearts.  For the ones who sat on the phone with us as we shared our joys. May our friendship abide in eternity.

For the saints in the pews near us. For their faith which carried us when we couldn’t see the road ahead. May their songs continue to be remembered on Sunday mornings, in meeting spaces, and fellowship gatherings.

For the saints which called us their children. For their Divine-like love that comforted us when our fevers spiked or skinned knees. May we forever celebrate the peaceful moments of their love.

For our beloveds that no longer walk this earth with us. For the moments of laughter now embedded in our souls. May each tear shed and each tale told be a testament to our love shared.

If only we could hear your voice alive again…

If only we could engage in simple disagreements…

If only we could tell you how sorry we were for that one thing we did wrong in 1995…

Our hearts feel torn by the assault of grief. Our minds feel foggy from mourning’s arrival.

And yet here we are – weeks, months, years, decades removed from the last time we shared space with them. Here we are surviving. Here we are- carrying their love into tomorrow.

God of the broken-hearted, as we walk together into the future, allow us your peace which goes beyond understanding, a peace that will enrich our strength as we continue on our journeys. May the tools left behind by our saints empower us to build your kin-dom here on earth.

Amen.

A Prayer Before Daybreak

05 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Life, Pop, Prayers

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God of Mystery-

As the night peels away from the far reaches of the sky
And the dew visits the tips of grass’ blades,
May your calmness wrap around our souls
Like a blanket.

May the sounds of morning’s friends
Welcome us back from dreamland.

Rescue us from the grasps of anxiety
And the claims of hopelessness.

Sing to us the songs of mercy,
And grant us the grace to embrace this fresh start that we see with each sunrise.

Amen.

A Prayer Upon Receiving a Diagnosis

24 Saturday Aug 2019

Posted by in Health, Pop, Prayers

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Molecular God who abides in my veins,
As the words spill from the doctor’s mouth
Of a new diagnosis,
Of a new reality,
Of a new normal,
Hold steady my shaking soul.

There are words now for the pain I’ve been feeling,
And I’m happy that it’s finally not “all in my head.”
Yet now it’s real.
Now I really must face this.
Now I must see that this body of mine is finite
And admit I will not live forever.

May good days be good, and may they be plentiful.
May bad days be few and far between.
May medicines work.
May side effects be rare.
And may the aches not distract me from your presence.

Amen.