An Action Item to Start!
Diversity is what makes unity possible, especially with love in our hearts! #RespectTheDignityOfEveryHumanBeing!
Good Evening Beloved Community!
Welcome to our Saturday Prayer time and Vigil! Let us take time to explore today's "Way of Love" word #Go and celebrate the feast day of Cornelius Hill-PRIEST and CHIEF AMONG THE ONEIDA, 1907. Before we do that let us engage in "The Be Stills".
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Take a look at the word go and journal your thoughts about this action word. Get ready because starting next week we will be learning what this means in the way of faith and social justice.
Go -definition- Merriam Webster Dictionary
go verb
\ ˈgō How to pronounce go (audio) \
went\ ˈwent How to pronounce went (audio) \; gone\ ˈgȯn How to pronounce gone (audio) also ˈgän \; going\ ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce going (audio) , ˈgȯ(-)iŋ ; "going to" in sense 13 is often ˈgō-ə-nə or ˈgȯ-nə or ˈgə-nə \; goes\ ˈgōz How to pronounce goes (audio) \
Definition of go (Entry 1 of 4)
intransitive verb
1a : to move on a course : PROCEED
go slow
went by train
— compare STOP
b : to travel to a place
goes to the office every morning
went to the gas station before heading home
c : to travel to and stay in a place for a period of time
went to Paris for a month
plan to go to their beach house for the summer
2 : to move out of or away from a place expressed or implied : LEAVE, DEPART
went from school to the party
going away for vacation
3a : to take a certain course or follow a certain procedure
reports go through channels to the president
b : to pass by means of a process like journeying
the message went by wire
c : to proceed without delay and often in a thoughtless or reckless manner —used especially to intensify a complementary verb
why did you go and spoil it
go jump in a lake
d(1) : to extend from point to point or in a certain direction
the road goes to the lake
(2) : to give access : LEAD
that door goes to the cellar
4 obsolete : WALK
5 : to be habitually in a certain state or condition
go bareheaded
6a : to become lost, consumed, or spent
our time has gone
b : DIE
c : to slip away : ELAPSE
the evening went quickly
d : to come to be given up or discarded
this clutter has to go
e : to pass by sale
went for a good price
f : to become impaired or weakened
his hearing started to go
g : to give way especially under great force or pressure : BREAK
the roof went
7a : to move along in a specified manner : FARE
everything was going well
b : to be in general or on an average
cheap, as yachts go
c : to be or become especially as the result of a contest
the election went in her favor
d : to turn out well : SUCCEED
worked hard to make the party go
8a : to apply oneself
went to work on the problem
b : to put or subject oneself
went to unnecessary expense
c chiefly Southern US and Midland US : INTEND
I didn't go to do it
9a : to have recourse to another for corroboration, vindication, or decision : RESORT
go to court to recover damages
b : to be guided, governed, or regulated
We were just going by what we'd been told.
The police tried to locate the culprit, but they didn't have much to go on.
: to act in agreement or cooperation
… the echo of my girlfriend's voice comes into my head, saying, "Whatever happens, just go with it."
— Jason Schwartzman
10a : to begin an action or motion
here goes
b : to maintain or perform a certain action or motion
still going strong
c : to function in the proper or expected manner : RUN
the motor won't go
11 : to be known
goes by an alias
12a : to act in accordance or harmony
a good rule to go by
b : to come to be determined
dreams go by contraries
c : to come to be applied or appropriated
all proceeds go to charity
d : to pass by award, assignment, or lot
the prize went to a sophomore
e(1) : to contribute to an end or result
qualities that go to make a hero
(2) : to be of advantage
has a lot going for her
13 : to be about, intending, or expecting something —used in a progressive tense before an infinitive
is going to leave town
14a : EXTEND
his knowledge fails to go very deep
b : to come or arrive at a certain state or condition
go to sleep
" … I finally went to pieces and couldn't stop crying for two hours. … "
— Gwendoline Christie
— see also GO INTO sense 2 (below)
c : to come to be : BECOME
the tire went flat
—often used to express conversion to specified values or a specified state
gone Hollywood
go condo
d : to undergo a change
leaves go from green to red
15a : to be in phrasing or expression : READ
as the story goes
b : to be capable of being sung or played
the tune goes like this
16 : to be compatible, suitable, or becoming : HARMONIZE
the tie goes with his suit
17a : to be capable of passing, extending, or being contained or inserted
will these clothes go in your suitcase
b : to have a usual or proper place or position : BELONG
these books go on the top shelf
18 : to have a tendency : CONDUCE
it goes to show
19a(1) : to carry authority
what she said went
(2) : to be acceptable, satisfactory, or adequate
anything goes here
b : to hold true : be valid
the rule goes for you, too
20 : to empty the bladder or bowels
transitive verb
1 : to proceed along or according to : FOLLOW
if I were going his way
went the conventional route
2 : to travel through or along : TRAVERSE
went the length of the street
3a : to make a wager of : BET
go a dollar on the outcome
b : to make an offer of : BID
willing to go $50 for the clock
4a : to assume the function or obligation of
promised to go bail for his friend
b : to participate to the extent of
decided to go halves on the winnings
5 : YIELD, WEIGH
this fish goes ten pounds
6a : to put up with : TOLERATE
couldn't go the noise
b : AFFORD
can't go the price
c : ENJOY
I could go a soda
7a : to cause (a characteristic sound) to occur
the gun went bang
b : SAY —used chiefly in oral narration of speech
… I started trying to write a novel. I spent about six months on it. And at a certain point I go, "You know, I don't want to finish this. …"
— Quentin Tarantino
8 : to engage in
don't go telling everyone
9 of a sports team or player : to have a record of
went 11–0 last season
go (v.)
Old English gan "to advance, walk; depart, go away; happen, take place; conquer; observe, practice, exercise," from West Germanic *gaian (source also of Old Saxon, Old Frisian gan, Middle Dutch gaen, Dutch gaan, Old High German gan, German gehen), from PIE root *ghē- "to release, let go; be released" (source also of Sanskrit jihite "goes away," Greek kikhano "I reach, meet with"), but there does not seem to be general agreement on a list of cognates.
A defective verb throughout its recorded history; the Old English past tense was eode, a word of uncertain origin but evidently once a different verb (perhaps connected to Gothic iddja); it was replaced 1400s by went, past tense of wenden "to direct one's way" (see wend). In northern England and Scotland, however, eode tended to be replaced by gaed, a construction based on go. In modern English, only be and go take their past tenses from entirely different verbs.
The word in its various forms and combinations takes up 45 columns of close print in the OED. Meaning "cease to exist" is from c. 1200; that of "to appear" (with reference to dress, appearance, etc.) is from late 14c.; that of "to be sold" is from early 15c. Meaning "to be known" (with by) is from 1590s; that of "pass into another condition or state" is from 1580s. From c. 1600 as "to wager," hence also "to stand treat," and to go (someone) better in wagering (1864). Meaning "say" emerged 1960s in teen slang. Colloquial meaning "urinate or defecate" attested by 1926, euphemistic (compare Old English gong "a privy," literally "a going").
To go back on "prove faithless to" is from 1859; to go under in the figurative sense "to fail" is from 1849. To go places "be successful" is by 1934.
go (n.)
1727, "action of going," from use of go (v.) to start a race, etc. Meaning "an incident, an occurrence, affair, piece of business" is from 1796. Meaning "power of going, dash, vigor" is from 1825, colloquial, originally of horses. The sense of "an attempt, a try or turn at doing something" (as in give it a go, have a go at) is from 1825 (earlier it meant "a delivery of the ball in skittles," 1773). Meaning "something that goes, a success" is from 1876. Phrase on the go "in constant motion" is from 1843. Phrase from the word go "from the beginning" is by 1834. The go "what is in fashion" is from 1793. No go "of no use" is from 1825.
go (adj.)
"in order," 1951, originally in aerospace jargon, from go (v.).
Do you see any of these synonyms in prayer?
Go - Synonyms - Thesaurus.com
goh ]
noun spirit, vitality
SYNONYMS FOR go
activity
animation
bang
birr
drive
energy
force
get-up-and-go
hardihood
life
moxie
oomph
pep
potency
push
snap
starch
tuck
verve
vigor
vivacity
zest
noun try, attempt
SYNONYMS FOR go
bid
crack
effort
essay
fling
pop
shot
slap
stab
turn
whack
whirl
SYNONYMS FOR go
flee
fly
leave
move
pass
progress
retire
travel
abscond
approach
cruise
decamp
depart
escape
exit
fare
hie
hightail
journey
lam
mosey
near
quit
repair
split
vamoose
wend
withdraw
beat it
bug out
get away
get going
get lost
get off
hit the road
light out
make a break for it
make for
make one's way
move out
pull out
push off
push on
run along
run away
set off
shove off
skip out
take a hike
take a powder
take flight
take leave
take off
verb operate, function
SYNONYMS FOR go
continue
move
run
score
work
act
click
flourish
maintain
perform
persist
prosper
succeed
thrive
carry on
make out
pan out
verb span, stretch
SYNONYMS FOR go
extend
lead
make
range
reach
run
connect
cover
fit
spread
vary
give access
verb contribute, work towards an end
SYNONYMS FOR go
come
develop
happen
proceed
serve
turn
avail
befall
chance
concur
conduce
eventuate
fare
incline
occur
persevere
persist
result
tend
transpire
wax
fall out
lead to
turn out
work out
verb agree, harmonize
SYNONYMS FOR go
like
set
accord
belong
blend
chime
complement
conform
correspond
dovetail
enjoy
fit
jibe
match
mesh
relish
square
suit
be adapted for
be designed for
verb die, collapse
SYNONYMS FOR go
break
drop
fail
finish
give
spend
bend
cave
conclude
consume
crumble
decease
decline
demise
depart
deplete
devour
dissipate
exhaust
expend
expire
fritter
perish
squander
succumb
terminate
waste
weaken
worsen
yield
fold up
pass away
pass on
run through
use up
verb elapse
SYNONYMS FOR go
pass
expire
flow
lapse
transpire
be spent
pass away
slip away
waste away
verb endure
SYNONYMS FOR go
allow
stand
take
abide
bear
brook
let
permit
stomach
suffer
swallow
tolerate
consent to
put up with
+++++
No quotes today!
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Come let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Before Worship
O Almighty God, who pourest out on all who desire it the
spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw
near to thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind,
that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may
worship thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Joseph Barth: A Grace
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
2 Timothy 4:2
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Matthew 10:7
And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Matthew 10:27
What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
Luke 9:2
And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.
Luke 9:60
Verse Concepts
But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
Acts 5:20
“Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.”
We are children of God, so God has sent the Spirit into our hearts.Galatians 4:6
We are the body of Christ and individually members of it.1 Corinthians 12:27
Jesus said, ‘The bread of life is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.’John 6:33
Through faith we are all children of God in union with Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:26
God has given us eternal life, and this life is in Jesus the Son. Anyone who has the Son has life.1 John 5:12
According to the riches of God’s glory, may you be strengthened with the might through the Holy Spirit in your inner being, and may Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with the fulness of God.Ephesians 3:16-19
We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.2 Corinthians 4:18
I LAY BEFORE YOU - Howard Thurman
The concern which I lay bare before You today is:
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me— I would seek the root or cause of such disaffection, and with the illumination of Your mind, O God, to understand it.
I give myself to Your scrutiny that, whatever there may be in me that is responsible for what has happened, I will acknowledge.
Where I have wronged or given offense deliberately or without intention, I seek a face-to-face forgiveness.
What I can undo I am willing to try; what I cannot undo, with that I seek to make my peace.
How to do these things, what techniques to use, with what spirit— for these I need and seek Your wisdom and strength, O God.
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me, I lay bare before You.
Light of the World Phos hilaron
Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *
you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *
the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
Psalm 141:1-3,8ab Domine, clamavi
O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge.
THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES - Anonymous
Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:
We light this candle of remembrance.
For the hope of a better world, in which righteousness and peace shall prevail among the people of the earth, and to create which is the task of the generations in which we stand, as well as for the courage and faith we shall need if we are to carry on this unfinished work:
We light this candle of consecration.
May the flame upon the altar of free faith shine in our hearts al ways, reminding us of the dark places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in every moment of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.
God let us light our candles to pray that we may love radically with open hearts, open souls, open spirits, and open minds. Let our love be seen not only in words but deeds. Let our lives show the love that you have given us daily without fear. God let our love be the measuring stick from which we may guide ourselves to do better when we fall short in loving all of our family members. God help us to love with words that have deep and abiding meaning that will build up and not tear down. Give us the courage to support our family members who desire to love and live openly as beloved children of God. God help us to know that Love truly is Love without condition and needs to be celebrated daily in many and exciting ways. God help us to love radically in the service of others and with enough Love Energy to set the world ablaze with enlivened and joyful hearts. We pray these our prayers in the name of God and in the name of Love who is God. Amen.
Or this vigil form:
God when you called us into being, you made us in your image and likeness and that we were and are to be the Lights of the World help us we pray as we light these our candles tonight to shine our love lights into places where there is darkness. Give us strength we pray that we may have courage to shine those lights where we normally wouldn't see ourselves going. We pray for all of our family members who are in dangerous and terrifying places. We pray for an end to violence, terror, bullying, abuse, and degradation and division. We pray for a world renewed by peace, love, mercy, and clean water and a healthy environment. We pray for all of us who are brokenhearted and who need to have our wounds dressed and tenderly cared for. We pray that we may be the shoulders to lean upon and cry and the soft place in which to fall and feel safe. Give us the courage to be this place even to the least of these, our enemies, and those who hate us. God of all Compassion, Acceptance, Love and Mercy we offer our additional prayers and thanksgivings remembering_________________. God we lay these our prayers, and thanksgivings at the feet and arms of your Son Jesus. We also remember that The light and love of Christ in me recognizes the Light and love of Christ in You. Amen.
A Prayer of the Four Directions - Chief Seattle
Great Spirit of Light, come to me out of the East (red) with the power of the rising sun. Let there be light in my words, let there be light on my path that I walk. Let me remember always that you give the gift of a new day. And never let me be burdened with sorrow by not starting over again.
Great Spirit of Love, come to me with the power of the North (white). Make me courageous when the cold wind falls upon me. Give me strength and endurance for everything that is harsh, everything that hurts, everything that makes me squint. Let me move through life ready to take what comes from the north.
Great Life-Giving Spirit, I face the West (black), the direction of sundown. Let me remember everyday that the moment will come when my sun will go down. Never let me forget that I must fade into you. Give me a beautiful color, give me a great sky for setting, so that when it is my time to meet you, I can come with glory.
Great Spirit of Creation, send me the warm and soothing winds from the South (yellow).
Comfort me and caress me when I am tired and cold. Unfold me like the gentle breezes that unfold the leaves on the trees. As you give to all the earth your warm, moving wind, give to me, so that I may grow close to you in warmth. Man did not create the web of life, he is but a strand in it. Whatever man does to the web, he does to himself.
Now in silence we pray and remember all indigenous family members who have lost their lives in genocide and acts of hatred. We give thanks for our indigenous family members who helped the all the people who came to this country navigate, live, and survive.
We light our second candle in this circle in honor of our Buddhist family members who have given us mindfulness techniques and beautiful mandalas to help us focus on what's important.
Be aware of the contact between your feet and the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet. We have caused a lot of damage to the Earth. Now it is time for us to take good care of her. We bring our peace and calm to the surface of the Earth and share the lesson of love. We walk in that spirit.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
Offering the Mandala
Here is the great Earth,
filled with the smell of incense,
covered with a blanket of flowers,
the Great Mountain, the Four Continents,
wearing a jewel of the Sun and Moon.
In my mind I make them the Paradise of a Buddha,
and offer it all to You.
By this deed, May every living being
Experience the Pure World.
- Tibetan Prayer
We light our second candle in this circle in honor of our Buddhist family members who have given us mindfulness techniques and beautiful mandalas to help us focus on what's important.
“May all beings everywhere
Plagued by sufferings of body and mind
Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy
By virtue of my merits.
May no living creature suffer,
Commit evil, or ever fall ill.
May no one be afraid or belittled,
With a mind weighed down by depression.
May the blind see forms
And the deaf hear sounds,
May those whose bodies are worn with toil
Be restored on finding repose.
May the naked find clothing,
The hungry find food;
May the thirsty find water
And delicious drinks.
May the poor find wealth,
Those weak with sorrow find joy;
May the forlorn find hope,
Constant happiness, and prosperity.
May there be timely rains
And bountiful harvests;
May all medicines be effective
And wholesome prayers bear fruit.
May all who are sick and ill
Quickly be freed from their ailments.
Whatever diseases there are in the world,
May they never occur again.
May the frightened cease to be afraid
And those bound be freed;
May the powerless find power,
And may people think of benefiting each other.
For as long as space remains,
For as long as sentient beings remain,
Until then may I too remain
To dispel the miseries of the world.”
-Dalai Lama
Be aware of the contact between your feet and the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet. We have caused a lot of damage to the Earth. Now it is time for us to take good care of her. We bring our peace and calm to the surface of the Earth and share the lesson of love. We walk in that spirit.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
Offering the Mandala
Here is the great Earth,
filled with the smell of incense,
covered with a blanket of flowers,
the Great Mountain, the Four Continents,
wearing a jewel of the Sun and Moon.
In my mind I make them the Paradise of a Buddha,
and offer it all to You.
By this deed, May every living being
Experience the Pure World.
- Tibetan Prayer
We light our Third Candle in honor of those who practice Islam and that we may seek to find common ground as brothers and sisters of the Abrahamic Faiths:
Oh God,
You are peace.
From you comes peace,
To you returns peace.
Revive us with a salutation of peace,
And lead us to your abode of peace.
- Prophet Muhammad
O God, Make Us a Light
O God, illuminate our hearts with light,
our eyes with light and our ears with light;
and let there be light on our right and light on our left.
Let there be light above us and light below us;
let there be light in front of us and light behind us.
O God, make us a light.
- The Prophet’s Prayer
Let us take time in silence to pray for all Muslims and those whom we have wronged because of misunderstanding. We give thanks for the Islamic culture who brought to civilization many things we take for granted especially the number Zero!
We light our fourth candle in honor of those who practice Judaism and for their contributions to society and as a bridge to Christianity.
We pray this prayer of unity:
We Pray for All
We pray for all who come here this evening.
Although differences in thought and belief divide us,
let the desire to serve you,
the love of truth
and the pursuit of holiness unite us.
Strengthen the spirit of friendship
among people of various faiths
and increase mutual understanding between us.
We look to a time
when greater knowledge of you and your word
shall bind all who serve you
into one holy fellowship.
- Liberal Jewish Prayer Book
“Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel
Let us take time in silent prayer to remember all of the Jews who have perished in holocaust and terror and may we never forget.
Let us light our fifth candle for all who practice Christianity and then remember the words that Christ has taught us.
God is Love and where true love is,God himself is there!
God is Love and where true love is God himself is.
God is Love and where true love is God
God is Love and where true love is.
God is Love
Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that God is.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be
Ubi Caritas
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ's love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
As we are gathered into one body,
Beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,
And may Christ our God be in our midst.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
And may we with the saints also,
See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good,
Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.
IN LAK’ECH
Tú eres mi otro yo.
You are my other me.
Si te hago daño a ti,
If I do harm to you,
Me hago daño a mi mismo.
I do harm to myself.
Si te amo y respeto,
If I love and respect you,
Me amo y respeto yo.
I love and respect myself.
Luis Valdez
"Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?' These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will be many fruits, here in this world and the life to come." - Henri Nouwen
A Smudging Prayer
Creator,
our Father in heaven,
we come to you as your children.
We confess that we are weak and broken images of you.
We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ. May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies.
We pray that your Holy Spirit will help us to worship in spirit and truth.
We pray in the name of Jesus, so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you. Amen.
The Arusha Call to Discipleship
Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
SLOW US DOWN…YET ALSO -Anonymous
Slow us down, O God. Ease the pounding of our hearts by the quieting of our minds;
Yet also, wake us up. Shake the complacency out of our souls by opening our minds to the cry of the wounded, the refugees wandering without homes, the homeless at home, and the children who starve.
Steady our hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time;
Yet also, quicken our steps with a vision of the urgent action now required to cure the causes of stunted growth, premature death, battered women, and abused children.
Give us, amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlast ing hills;
Yet also, alert our eyes not to the comforting illusion of constancy divorced from change, but rather to such sharp reality as deep poverty surrounding us at home and abroad.
Break the tensions of our nerves and muscles with the soothing mu sic of the singing streams;
Yet also, give us, amid the calm days of our years, souls which are prepared to cope with the confusion necessarily occurring amidst new creation in the cities, towns, and the countries of the earth.
Help us to know the magical, restoring power of sleep;
Yet also, break the chains of euphoria deluding us to think that we are acting responsibly when we do no more than listen to music which protects our feet from marching.
Remind us of the fable of the hare and the tortoise, that we may know that there is more to life than increasing its speed;
Yet also, remind us of the fable of the astrologer who fell plumb to the bottom of a well, not seeing his feet while reading the sky.
Slow us down, O God, and inspire us to send our roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values, that we may grow more surely toward the stars;
Yet also, wake us up, so our eyes may see the people around us and our arms may be open to embrace the suffering who cry.
From The Resistance Prays
Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. – Matthew 19:13-15
Jesus, who let the little children come to you: help us who are under siege in so many ways bear in mind those who yet suffer more than we. Bring us from this time of struggle into a new system that’s better than the old one, and a new administration that truly values life. Amen.
Chief Yellow Lark: I Come Before You
Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to the world: as I come before You, one of Your many children, I am small and weak; I need Your strength and wisdom. May I walk in beauty; may my eyes behold the red and purple sunset; may my hands respect what You have made; may my ears be sharp to hear Your voice.
Make me wise, so I may know what You teach in every leaf and rock. Make me strong, so I may be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. May I ever be ready to come to You with clean hands and straight eyes, so that when life fades like a sunset, I may come You without shame.
+++
For Peace Among the Nations
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the
world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among
them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they
may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
For the Diversity of Races and Cultures
O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you
for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world.
Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and
show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until
our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all
your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.
Psalm 90:1-2, 14-17
90 Domine, refugium
1 Lord, you have been our refuge *
from one generation to another.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or the land and the earth were born, *
from age to age you are God.
3 You turn us back to the dust and say, *
"Go back, O child of earth."
4 For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past *
and like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep us away like a dream; *
we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6 In the morning it is green and flourishes; *
in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7 For we consume away in your displeasure; *
we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8 Our iniquities you have set before you, *
and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9 When you are angry, all our days are gone; *
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The span of our life is seventy years,
perhaps in strength even eighty; *
yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow,
for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11 Who regards the power of your wrath? *
who rightly fears your indignation?
12 So teach us to number our days *
that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? *
be gracious to your servants.
14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16 Show your servants your works *
and your splendor to their children.
17 May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; *
prosper the work of our hands;
prosper our handiwork.
Amos 5:14-15
14 Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.
15 Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Plains Indian Prayer
GREAT GOD, WE SUMMON YOU
Great Spirit, who dwells in every object, every person and every place: we summon You from the far places into our present awareness.
God of the North, Who gives wings to the waters of the air and rolls out the snow-storm covering the earth with silver carpet: temper us with toughness to withstand the biting blizzard.
God of the East and of the red sun’s rising, brace us that we neither neglect our gifts nor lose in laziness the hopes each day affords.
God of the South Whose warm breath of compassion dissolves our fears and meets our hatreds: teach us that they who are truly strong are also kind.
God of the West and of the sunset, bless us with knowledge of the freedom which follows the well-disciplined life.
God of the earth beneath our feet, storer of unreckoned resources: we would give thanks unceasingly for Your great bounty.
Great God within, may we be aware of the goodness of the gift of life and be worthy of its priceless privilege.
Romans 14:12-19
12So then, each of us will be accountable to God.*
Do Not Make Another Stumble
13 Let us therefore no longer pass judgement on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling-block or hindrance in the way of another.* 14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15If your brother or sister* is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. 16So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. 19Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification.
Earth Prayer
Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice.
You lived first, and you are older than all need, older than all prayer.
All things belong to you -- the two-legged, the four-legged, the wings of the air, and all green things that live.
You have set the powers of the four quarters of the earth to cross each other.
You have made me cross the good road and road of difficulties, and where they cross, the place is holy.
Day in, day out, forevermore, you are the life of things.
Hey! Lean to hear my feeble voice.
At the center of the sacred hoop
You have said that I should make the tree to bloom.
With tears running, O Great Spirit, my Grandfather,
With running eyes I must say
The tree has never bloomed
Here I stand, and the tree is withered.
Again, I recall the great vision you gave me.
It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives.
Nourish it then
That it may leaf
And bloom
And fill with singing birds!
Hear me, that the people may once again
Find the good road
And the shielding tree.
- Black Elk 3
John 10:7-18
7 So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes* it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’
The Journey
When the earth is sick and dying,
There will come a tribe of people
From all races…
Who will put their faith in deeds,
Not words, and make the planet
Green again…
- Cree Prophecy
Zuni Prayer
Cover my earth mother four times with many flowers.
Let the heavens be covered with the banked-up clouds.
Let the earth be covered with fog; cover the earth with rains.
Great waters, rains, cover the earth. Lighting cover the earth.
Let thunder be heard over the earth; let thunder be heard;
Let thunder be heard over the six regions of the earth.
- Zuni Prayer for Rain
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
-United Church of Canada Creed
The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Or
Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever. Amen.
For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
From The Arusha Call To Discipleship
Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Everliving Lord of the universe, our loving God, you raised up your priest Cornelius Hill, last hereditary chief of the Oneida nation, to shepherd and defend his people against attempts to scatter them in the wilderness: Help us, like him, to be dedicated to truth and honor, that we may come to that blessed state you have prepared for us; through Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
may the gifts of your Spirit
be our goal and our strength
now and always.
Praise and glory to you creator Spirit of God;
you make our bread Christ’s body
to heal and reconcile
and to make us the body of Christ.
You make our wine Christ’s living sacrificial blood
to redeem the world.
You are truth.
You come like the wind of heaven, unseen, unbidden.
Like the dawn
you illuminate the world around us;
you grant us a new beginning every day.
You warm and comfort us.
You give us courage and fire
and strength beyond our everyday resources.
Be with us Holy Spirit in all we say or think,
in all we do this and every day.
Sioux Indian Prayers
GREAT SPIRIT
Great Spirit,
The star nations all over the heavens are Yours,
And Yours are the grasses of the earth.
You are older than all need,
Older than all pain and prayer.
Great Spirit,
Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives to all that live.
I NEED YOUR STRENGTH
Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to the whole world, I come before You as one of Your many children.
Grant me to walk in beauty and that my eyes may ever behold the crimson sunset.
May my hands treat with respect the things which You have created.
May my ears hear Your voice.
Make me wise that I may understand what You have hidden in every leaf and every rock.
I long for strength not to conquer others but to conquer myself.
May I ever come to You with pure hands and candid eyes, so that my spirit, when life disappears like the setting sun, may stand unashamed before You.
Jane Goodall: A Prayer for Peace
We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which
we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times
keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings
and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with
generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature
and control our greed for material things, knowing that
our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being
for who he is, for who she is,
reaching to the spirit that is within,
knowing the power of each individual to change the world.
We pray for social justice,
for the alleviation of the crippling poverty
that condemns millions of people around the world
to lives of misery – hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving,
who are condemned to homelessness, slave labor, and prostitution,
and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture
even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war,
for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places
through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.
We pray for suffering animals everywhere,
for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation,
intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping,
training for entertainment, abusive pet owners,
and all other forms of exploitation
such as overloading and overworking pack animals,
bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.
We pray for an end to cruelty,
whether to humans or other animals,
for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving
and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.
We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.
FOR PEOPLE CRITICALLY ILL,
OR FACING GREAT UNCERTAINTY
God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm
and soothes the frantic heart;
bring hope and courage to all of us
as we
wait in uncertainty.
Bring hope that you will make us the equal
of whatever lies ahead.
Bring us courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.
Sidney Mead: For Wisdom
God of all, grant us our due portion of wisdom.
May our minds be set fast on justice; may our hearts be soft with compassion as we daily walk humbly with You, the God of both.
May we be eyes when others cannot see, ears when they cannot hear, hands when their work languishes, and feet when they stumble on the way.
Grant us grace to love our brothers and sisters as they are, for what they can be; and more grace to resist trying to make them over into our image.
Diann Neu: Blessed Be Our Hands
Blessed be the work of our hands.
Blessed be these hands that touch life.
Blessed be these hands that nurture creativity.
Blessed be these hands that hold pain.
Blessed be these hands that embrace with passion.
Blessed be these hands that tend gardens.
Blessed bed these hands that close in anger.
Blessed be these hands that plant new seeds.
Blessed be these hands that harvest ripe fields.
Blessed be these hands that clean, wash, mop, scrub.
Blessed be these hands that become knotty with age.
Blessed be these hands that wrinkle and scar from doing justice.
Blessed are these hands that reach out and are received.
Blessed are these hands that hold the promise of the future.
Blessed be the works of our hands and hearts.
Tonight we set our hearts on Love! That is all !
Gracious God inflame our hearts with love for all of our family members and even our enemies.
Gracious God inspire us to use love as the healing balm that helps and doesn't hurt.
Gracious God help us to start loving ourselves and stop taking ourselves and our family members for granted.
Gracious God give is strength to love even in the face of adversity.
Gracious God we pray that love will be the force to drive away all hate from all those who choose to bully, abuse, and hate.
Gracious God send loving warmth and comfort to those who are grieving and pre- grieving.
Gracious God we pray that love and peace may prevail upon earth.
Gracious God be our light out of darkness so that we may shine with your brightness.
Gracious God set our hearts on Love! That is all!
In the name of God who is Love, Jesus who is our redeemer, and The Holy Spirit the Holy Comforter. Amen.
Gracious God set our hearts on Fire with Love! That is all!
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind, in the waves, and in our hearts
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind,in the waves.
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind.
Be still and hear the whisper of God.
Be still and hear the whisper.
Be still and hear.
Be still.
Be.
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
In your presence O God, we come together as one family of love. Give us courage to lay down the weaponry of hate and find common ground.
In your presence O God, take all the gunk in our lives that prevent us from truly serving you and the least of these.
In your presence O God, give us courage to discern where you are sending us and help us to respond accordingly with "Here I am send me"!
In your presence O God, make us truly the Beloved Community intent upon serving you and our family members with CALM (Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy)
In your presence O God, help us to stand fast and ready to speak truth to power and seek out ways to be the change you want to see in the world.
In your presence O God, may we feel and know your love for us so that we may serve others.
In your presence O God, we offer these our prayers________________________________
In your presence O God we lift up these our prayers to you in the name of your only begotten Son Jesus. Amen.
The Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis
Luke 2:29-32
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through
the blood of the eternal covenant: Make you perfect in
every good work to do his will, working in you that which is
well-pleasing in his sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be
glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gaelic Prayer: Ancient Blessing
May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within. May the blessed Sunlight shine on you and warm your heart until it glows, so that a stranger may come and be warmed by it, and also a friend. May the light shine out of the two eyes of you like a candle set in two windows of a house, bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm.
May the blessing of the Rain be on you-soft, sweet rain. May it fall upon your spirit so that flowers may spring up. And may the Great Rains be on you. May they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there many a shining pool where the blue of heaven shines reflected, and sometimes a star.
May the blessing of the Earth be on you-the great and round earth. May you have a kindly greeting for folks you pass as you’re going along the roads. May the earth be soft under you when you lie upon it, tired at the close of the day.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to
generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.
Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
Good Night Family of Love. Remember that you are loved, appreciated, and matter more than you'll ever know.
Peace, love, prayers, and God's blessings,
Sara
P.S.
Here are our bonus prayers to pray when we feel stressed.
Breathing Exercises with Thich Nhat Hanh
“*Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath.
Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath.*
It's very simple, but very effective. When we bring our attention to our in-breath and our out-breath, we stop thinking of the past; we stop thinking of the future; and we begin to come home to ourselves...Don't think this practice doesn't apply to you. If we don't go home to ourselves, we can't be at our best and serve the world in the best way... Our quality of being is the foundation for the quality of our actions.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of my whole body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of my whole body.*
Breathing mindfully brings us back to our bodies. We have to acknowledge our bodies first because tension and suffering accumulate in the body. Breathing in this way, we create a kind of family reunion between mind and body. The mind becomes an embodied mind.
...We can't do our best if we don't know to release the tension and pain in ourselves.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of the tension in my body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of the tension in my body.*
When we look at the suffering around us, at poverty, violence, or climate change, we may want to solve these things immediately. We want to do something. But to do something effectively and ethically, we need to be our best selves in order to be able to handle the suffering...
*Breathing in, I am aware of a painful feeling arising.
Breathing out, I release the painful feeling.*
This is a nonviolent and gentle way to help our bodies release tension and pain. It is possible to practice mindful breathing in order to produce a feeling of joy, a feeling of happiness. When we are well-nourished and know how to create joy, then we are strong enough to handle the deep pain within ourselves and the world.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society
The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh: A Litany for Peace
As we are together praying for Peace, let us be truly with each other.
Silence
Let us pay attention to our breathing.
Silence
Let us be relaxed in our bodies and our minds.
Silence
Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves.
Silence
Let us be aware of the Source of Being common to us all and to all that is.
Silence
Evoking the presence of the Great Companion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion—towards ourselves and toward all living beings.
Silence
Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all nourished from the same Source of Life.
Silence
Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of needless suffering.
Silence
Let us pray that we may live in a way which will not needlessly deprive other living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live in health.
Silence
With reverence for Life and with awareness of the sufferings that are going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
++++
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that You are Love.
Be sill and know that I Am Love.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Slowly inhale.
Hold.
Slowly exhale
Pause. Count to 10.
Resources
A to Z Quotes
The Resistance Prays.
Prayers of Power
Enriching Our Worship
Book of Common Prayer Online
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
In Lak 'Ech- Luis Valdez
Walk With Me On Our Journey
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Other Resources as Noted
Lectionary Page and Satucket Lectionary
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