​We, the children of Zion, are glad.
We rejoice in you, O Lord.
You have dealt wonderfully with us.
You have redeemed us.
You have led us by your hand.
From the call to Abraham and Sarah,
to the birth of the church at Pentecost,
to the birth of our congregation,
you have led us.
You have provided leaders and faithful members,
who by God’s Spirit have nurtured us and cared for us.

And now, we ask that you call out from among us new leaders
on whom you will pour out your spirit.
Anoint our sons and daughters to prophesy,
to dream dreams and see visions.
Give them courage to dream your dreams.
Give them eyes to see your visions.
Give us willing hearts to follow those dreams and visions.
Mold and shape us by those dreams and visions
to be faithful and passionate witnesses
of your love, grace, and truth in the twenty-first century.
May it be so, in the name of our Lord. Amen.

~ posted on the Mennonite Church USA Archives site

​God! My God!
I search for you!
My whole being thirsts for you!
My body desires you
in a dry and tired land,
no water anywhere.
Yes, I’ve seen you in the sanctuary;
I’ve seen your power and glory.
My lips praise you
because your faithful love
is better than life itself!
So I will bless you as long as I’m alive;
I will lift up my hands in your name.
because you’ve been a help to me and I shout for joy in the protection of your wings.
My whole being clings to you;
your strong hand upholds me.
Fill me with your strength O Lord.
Amen
Taken from Psalm 63

​Oh, help me find rest in you O God, you and only you can bring rest. Remind me that my hope is found in you. You O God are my rock and my salvation— my stronghold!—I will not be shaken. My deliverance and glory depend on You. You are my strong rock. My refuge is in You O God.
Help me to trust in You at all times! I Pour out my heart before You! You are my refuge! Amen
Based on Psalm 62

​Creator of everything in heaven and on earth, we pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower us with inner strength through Your Spirit. May our roots grow deep into Your love and keep us strong. As we experience the incomprehensible love of Christ, may we be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from You. Amen.
From: connectusfund.org

​Holy Spirit, our Comforter, and our Friend, as we stand on Your Word, we ask that You rain down on us. Let Your power fall on us and change our hearts. Open heaven wide and pour out the rain of Your Holy Spirit over our church and our lives. Change us, renew us, empower us. We need Your touch again. Precious gift from heaven, send us Your cleansing rain. Amen.
From: CONNECTUSFUND.com

​God of small seeds and mighty plants, you take our meager lives and with your love cause them to produce acts of loving kindness for you in this world. You hear our cries and find us when we are lost and wandering in fear. You bring us home with you so that we may be made whole, rejoicing in your goodness. Help us to joyfully serve you all our days, knowing that you are always watching over us. Help us as we study your word and help our spirits to respond in eagerness to serve you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

— adapted from a prayer written by Nancy C. Townley

​God of all power, you are the One who called this world into being and we acknowledge that you have no equal in the extent of your power. Yet, you want to share your power—your strength—with those who are powerless; you ache to heal the brokenhearted and to bind up the wounds of the lost and rejected folk of this world. Such radical love leaves us speechless, but you gave it human form and shape in the person of Jesus, in whom your promises of healing and empowerment were fulfilled. We give you thanks and praise for blessing our lives in this way, and we pray that in Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we too can become radical lovers of the powerless, and passionate bearers of hope to those whose lives are filled with despair and hopelessness. O God, may our lives reveal our gratitude for your love in all we think, and do, and say. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

— adapted from a prayer written by Moira Laidlaw

​Lord God, heavenly Father,
in the wilderness your Son fed over five thousand people
with five loaves and two fish.
Graciously remain with us and bless us.
Preserve us from greed and the cares of this life
that we may seek first your kingdom and your righteousness
and in all things remember your Fatherly goodness;
through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.


Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549
​

​O Christ,
true Redeemer of the world,
when the angel rolled away the stone from the tomb
you triumphed over death in power
and you first announced your resurrection
to faithful women who eagerly sought you.
Deliver us from all weakness,
take away from our mouth
any ‘stone’ which would prevent
our confessing your name,
and grant that we may always delight in your service,
and loving you with increasing fervor,
may receive your eternal comfort.

Source: Mozarabic, 7th century

​Lord God, heavenly Father,
you revealed your Son
to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
Enlighten our hearts
also by your Word and by your Holy Spirit,
that we may become established in the faith,
hold fast to your Word,
delight to speak it,
and diligently meditate on it.
As we follow the example of Christ,
we must suffer much evil on earth,
but still give us a sure comfort in your Word,
until after this life,
we shall be raised to eternal life;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549

​God of all grace, you do not need us to agree with one another, but you do call us to love one another just as you love us. We know your love to be generous and gracious. You created us to be a part of your diverse creation, richer for being a gift, not a threat, to one another. So give us courage every day, not just to worship you but to follow where your love leads. Amen.

Helen Cameron, Northampton District Chair

​We confess to you, Lord, what we are:
we are not the people we like others to think we are;
we are afraid to admit even to ourselves what lies in the depths of our souls.
But we do not want to hide our true selves from you.
We believe that you know us as we are, and yet you still love us.
Help us not to shrink from self-knowledge;
teach us to respect ourselves for your sake;
give us the courage to put our trust in your guiding power.
Raise us out of the paralysis of guilt and fear
and take us into the freedom and energy of forgiven people.
And for those who through long habit find forgiveness hard to accept,
we ask that you would break their bondage and set them free.
Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
Dr. Maynard Pittendreigh

​Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness. Come, my Life, and revive me from death. Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds. Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the horns of my sins, kindling my heart with the flame of thy love. Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there. For thou alone art my King and my Lord. Amen – Dimitri of Rostov, Russia, 17th century, UMH #466

​Almighty God, you have created all people and all of creation. We give you thanks for this gift we’re invited to engage with hope, joy and love as your disciples. Open our hearts and our eyes to see our communities as you would have us to see them. Help us to find courage to sit and hear others when so often we want to be heard first. You are good and you are gracious, O God. Let us see all people as children of you, who created us all. It is in the name Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

​Let us ask the Lord to strengthen in all Christians faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. Listen to us, O Lord. Let us ask the Lord to sustain and guide Christians with his gifts along the way to full unity. Listen to us, O Lord. Let us ask the Lord for the gift of unity and peace for the world. Listen to us, O Lord.

Let us pray. We ask you, O Lord, for the gifts of your Spirit. Enable us to penetrate the depth of the whole truth, and grant that we may share with others the goods you have put at our disposal. Teach us to overcome divisions. Send us your Spirit to lead to full unity your sons and daughters in full charity, in obedience to your will; through Christ our Lord. Amen. – Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) Poland, 20thc, UMH #566

​O Great Spirit, whose breath gives life to the world, and whose voice is heard in the soft breeze; We need your strength and wisdom. Cause us to walk in beauty. Give us the eyes ever to behold the red and purple sunset. Make us wise so that we may understand what you have taught us. Help us learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Make us always ready to come to you with clean hands and steady eyes, so when life fades, like the fading sunset, our hearts come to you without shame. Amen
Traditional Native American Prayer, UMCH #329

​O God, the Holy Spirit, come to us, and among us; come as the wind, and cleanse us, come as the fire and burn, come as the dew and refresh; convict, convert, and consecrate many hearts and lives to our great good and to thy greater glory; and this we ask for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Eric Milner-White, England, UMH #335

​May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, superficial relationships, so that you will live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you will work for justice, equality and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.

Author Unknown
​

​

​