And now bless the God of all,
who everywhere works great wonders,
who fosters our growth from birth,
and deals with us according to his mercy.
May he give us gladness of heart,
and may there be peace in our days
in Israel, as in the days of old.
May he entrust to us his mercy,
and may he deliver us in our days! Ecclesiasticus 50:22-24
And now we come to worship.
And now we are gathered as one.
And now we turn our hearts.
And now we bless the God of all,
who everywhere works great wonders.
Great God, we long for your deliverance
from this world’s sorrows and troubles:
in your mercy give us gladness and peace, Amen.
[Ecclesiasticus is a book from the Apocrypha, a group of books from biblical times that did not make it into Scripture in Protestant churches, but are seen as useful for instruction.]
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.