When all is not what it seems,
when evil masquerades as good,
when it seems the wrong path is calling us,
Jesus, we need your help.
When sexually explicit images appear before us,
when curiosity and desire urge us to linger,
when it seems innocent just to look,
Jesus, we need your help.
At this time of year as we sing “Silent night”
with its echoes of calm and heavenly peace,
we say a prayer for all who live in homes
where peace is absent.
We pray for children who live with fear,
whose homes are not a place of safety,
who live with beatings, both physical and verbal.
We pray for seniors and other vulnerable people
whose caregivers do not care
as they are neglected or degraded.
Such a good idea, the family.
Generations supporting each other,
the network of love binding us together,
stronger than any genetic tie.
How can such a good idea fall so flat?
Here’s the damage:
broken trust
broken vows
broken feelings
broken futures.
Here we are Lord !
We’ve come today to this worship service for many reasons;
we’ve come because we need to meet you,
we’ve come out of habit, or because someone made us come,
we’ve come because we hope the music will lift our spirits,
we’ve come because we are hungry for your word,
we’ve come because we want to see our friends,
we’ve come because we want to make friends,
we’ve come because you are the friend we need most of all.
Here we are — touch each person with your divine presence:
shape us into the church that you want us to be. Amen.
As night falls
as I lay my body down
as muscles relax,
take, God, the burdens of the day,
hold, God, my loved ones in safety,
remove, God, all clinging fears,
give, God, the sweetest dreams,
grant a restful sleep
in Jesus’ name.
As the dawn rises,
as I lift my body up,
My heart is heavy.
Heavy like a bulky suitcase carried too long,
Heavy like the pressure at the bottom of the pool’s deep end,
Heavy like feet at the end of a long day’s walk,
Heavy like carrying bad news to a friend,
Lifter of the heavyhearted, hear my prayer.
Help me to remember the strength that first lifted
and bore the weight easily.
Help me to remember the sweet surrender of diving
and the adventure of going deep.
Help me to remember the lightness of step…
God, save the children tonight.
Save them from empty stomachs and hunger pangs.
Preserve them from beatings and harsh words.
Protect them from bullets and bombs.
Shield them from sexual abuse.
Guard them from pain and disease.
Shelter them from anger and discord.
In their innocence, grant them peace.
God saves the children tonight.
Saves them when someone sends food for body and soul.
Preserves them when a neighbour intervenes….
Thank God for old friends
who take the long view—
who are not startled by temper flares
or momentary lapses of judgement.
The ballast of high regard
floats all ships:
you think well of me
and I strive not to disappoint.
Thank God for old friends
who see the lighter side,
God of love, thank you for marriage
and the way love’s face
changes with time.
Thank you for love’s beginning;
the tidal pull that draws together
as sure as sea and shore,
the beauty of that meeting,
its strength and intense fragility,
sweet as an apple blossom
pale in the moonlight….
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.
I love to write and to lead worship! If you are finding my writing helpful, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to use or adapt the material here, it is all written by me. If printing material, please credit “Copyright Carol Penner www.leadinginworship.com” (and say whether you modified it). If publishing, please contact me for permission. Contact me at carol@leadinginworship.com
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