Earth Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Leading in Worship

Wildfire Prayer

December 2, 2018

Help us, God! We need your help!
Send rain now! Hold back the wind!
We see people fleeing wildfires;
they grab each other and go, leaving everything,
not knowing if they will ever see their homes again.
The smell of smoke. Ash falling.
The glow of flames devouring the landscape,
every living creature running for dear life.
We are terrified by this fiery power.
Send rain now! Hold back the wind!
Spare our communities, spare our land.
Protect firefighters and emergency workers and police

Prayer for the Fish We Will Never See

November 17, 2018

Lord, you know we give thanks for fish often enough,
the ones on plates on our table, served up hot and tasty.
Today we say a prayer for the fish we will never see,
the ones who live in the streams by our home,
the ones who swim up rivers to great lakes,
and the fish in the wide and salty ocean.
Swimming in the dim light they inhabit a wilderness
of water, theirs from the beginning of time.
We see only the edges, the surfaces.
Hear our prayer for the mighty lake sturgeon,
and for the carp, the bass, the silver chub.
We pray for the salmon we will never eat,

Earthy Congregational Prayer

November 17, 2018

God of sea and sky,
God of this great earth laid out under the sun,
we come with thanks on our lips and praise in our hearts.
Thank you for life and breath,
and senses to experience the beauty all around us.
Thank you for the dear ones we love, those around us, those far away,
and those who we will only see again in heaven, by your mercy.
We ask for your comfort for those who grieve
and those who are sick, especially…
Today, we come with prayers for this earth,
and help for humankind as we live upon it.
Show us the way to live responsibly, not wastefully.
Open a curiosity in us to learn about the fish in streams and lakes nearest to us,
curiosity about the birds that fly over us,

Winter Solstice Prayer

December 21, 2016

ven at mid-day today the winter solstice sun
crouched low over the southern horizon.
Low noon, and the day is short.
Darkness sits with us early and late,
lingering longer the further north we go.
Bundled against the cold,
the lack of light weighs on us,
and we are plagued with dark worries
in these troubled times.
And yet, you order this big old earth.
Sailing through space it tips only so far,
but no further from the sun.
Thank you for solar power and centripetal forces

A Prayer for the Stream Behind My Apartment Building

November 30, 2016

Creator God:
I am sorry for this little stream,
its banks straightened and cemented.
Graffiti decorates the culverts,
and it’s dotted with plastic bags and bottles.
But trees still grow and shelter,
dappling with shadow,
ducks and dragonflies dally,
birds swoop and the wild creatures come to drink.
Now in fall, yellow leaves sail on its dark surface,
it’s still a place that delights.
This little stream retains its beauty,,,

Winter Solstice Prayer

December 2, 2015

God of Creation:
the winter solstice sun is low,
crouched over the southern horizon.
All day long shadows pivot and turn
pointing to a longer night, the longest night.
And so we pray,
Lord, we are longing for light!

Our community has touched
the darkness of death this week,
as we said good-bye to our dear friend ___________.
Thank you that we who dwell in darkness

Great Provider Table Grace

June 27, 2015

God of farms and fields,
God of the earth’s rich harvest,
God of markets and grocery stores,
God you Great Provider:
each day our bodies meet you
in tabletop worship.
Thank you for giving us food for life,
for our bodies’ deepest hunger. Amen.

Creation Care

September 19, 2014

I’m another in the long line of admirers.
Eve and Adam admiring the garden,
Abram staring, open-mouthed, at the stars,
Elijah running through a beautiful rain,
and David singing, always singing on the hillsides.
God’s praises being sung through the ages,
praise to a Creator whose work stands the test of time.

This time, it’s my turn.
I close the computer, open the back door
and step into the garden.
My heart is a sounding board
for the night sky, deep with stars.

Thanksgiving Prayer for Farmers

October 12, 2013

Thank you, God, for farmers!
For those people who have touched the soil,
who have known it intimately,
the feel of it in their fingernails,
the taste of it, the way it smells after the rain.
For those who have cared for animals,
touched them, heard their cries,
nurtured them carefully.
Being a farmer can be a hard life,
the bills don’t match the income,
the weather doesn’t co-operate

About Carol Penner

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

Earth

Wildfire Prayer

Prayer for the Fish We Will Never See

Earthy Congregational Prayer

Winter Solstice Prayer

A Prayer for the Stream Behind My Apartment Building

Winter Solstice Prayer

Great Provider Table Grace

Creation Care

Thanksgiving Prayer for Farmers

About Carol Penner

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