Snowy Congregational Prayer

God, we have come to worship stomping snow off our boots,
our eyes watering and cheeks stinging from the cold.
Some of us have had to shovel our way out of our homes,
others have picked our way carefully on slippery sidewalks.
Thank you for bringing us here to worship
through this crystal-covered world,
where all the outlines and the sounds are softer.
Thank you for the mysterious beauty of this winter season. 
We pray today for all who face hardship because of winter;
for those who can’t afford heating, or who can’t afford both heat and food,
and for those who are living outside, or are walking the streets
until the shelters open their doors.
This weather binds us together;
open our hearts to reach out to those in need,
checking on people who need help because they can’t get out,
or lending a helping hand with clearing cars and sidewalks.
We pray for travellers, and those who operate ambulances
and public transit, who work hard to get people where they need to go.
Thank you for the perspective of children, who love the snow,
and find it magical, a change from the routine,
a dazzling playground made just for them.
This week give us the eyes of children to see the gifts all around us;
the pleasures of each other’s company,
the delight of good food, and good games,
and the contagiousness of a good belly laugh.
Even as some find joy and beauty this week,
we know that others feel frozen with grief.
We pray for those who are sorrowing over the loss of loved ones,
especially the ____________ family.
Others in our community feel the heavy weight of sickness,
or they’re coping with pain or the anxiety of waiting for test results.
There is the anxiety for our world, of economic troubles in ________
of wars that won’t end in ___________________.
We need your Spirit hovering over the earth like snowclouds,
dropping peace upon us one small flake at a time,
blanketing us with your love, transforming our bleak landscape
into something that can sparkle in the light of your Son.
We long for this with all our hearts, and so we pray,
let it be so, Amen.