My God, my God,
where were you?
My innocent child,
my beautiful innocent child,
a child of God, your child,
this child has been abused.
First and foremost,
protect my child, Lord.
Keep them from further harm.
Heal the hurt.
Mend the memories.
Restore what is lost….
Thank you God for the slanting rays of the sun in the morning,
making everything golden and new.
For the blessing of snow, falling on everything,
covering everything like a benediction.
Thank you for the shock of cardinals against bare branches,
and the liveliness of squirrels running through trees.
Thank you for the smell of coffee and tea in the morning,
for warm houses and comfortable clothes,
for days off and time to relax.
Thank you for this day, which we have been given as a gift!
We long to know you, and your will for our lives.
We confess there are places in our lives where we are confused and puzzled.
In complicated family relationships, we don’t know where to turn.
In heavy financial difficulties, we feel stuck.
God our Creator,
when we entered this world as tiny babies,
you gave us caregivers who watched and waited on us,
who fed and clothed us, who taught us how to live.
We pause in this moment of silence to give our own thanks
for one special person who has changed our life:
For their work, and their love which has shaped us,
we give you thanks! [Silence]
[or alternatively if you have a small congregation, invite people to come and light a candle in memory and thanks for a caregiver]
We pray today for caregivers;
mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers,
aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters and cousins,
God of Great gifts,
we give you these gifts today
knowing that you are the Father of gifts.
You mother us constantly
providing for us, caring for us.
As we have been abundantly provided for,
so we give abundantly to the work that you give us to do,
the work of the church,
the care for those who are poor.
Accept these gifts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
A child is a precious gift,
given into the hands of birth parents, adopted parents,
caregivers, relatives, and a church community.
Together we undertake the raising of children
and together we ask for help, God!
Give us endurance as we care for babies,
putting their needs ahead of our own,
caring through the bone-weariness of sleepless nights.
Give us patience as we care for toddlers,
guiding and correcting with warm voices and hearts.
As our young ones learn language,
help us to delight in the joy of discovery,
“Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore?
But even if mothers forget, I’d never forget you—never.
Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.
The walls you’re rebuilding are never out of my sight.”
Thank you, God, that worship is always our true home.
Thank you that it is here that we are welcomed,
here that we can show our true selves
and be truly accepted and loved for who we are.
Help us in this hour to rest in your love,
in the presence of our church family,
children of God, together.
Everyone needs a champion,
someone who will be in your corner, always,
someone watching your back,
someone watching you, treasuring you,
keeping you in their heart.
Parents are nature’s champions,
biologically led to love and nurture,
feed and foster,
support and sustain.
They can’t keep their eyes off you….
God of grace, thank you for the gift of motherhood:
for the joy of giving birth, for the delight of loving a child,
for the unfolding of a relationship over time.
From mothers cradling babies, to adults caregiving for aging parents,
the relationship of mother and child is a gift from you!
Thank you for all who mother us,
biological or adoptive mothers, caregivers, relatives and friends;
women who have been there for us, who have made us who we are.
Thank you, God, that even though mothers may fail us, you never fail us
and that you mother us through your love….
Words and images zoom through air,
ricochet in cyberspace,
bounce off tiny screens and speakers
to eyes and ears and brains;
yours, mine.
in fractions of seconds gigabytes
scatter and dart at our whim and call.
Human ingenuity sparkles;
we have taken the shout, the messenger,
the smoke signal, the letter, the telegram
and raised it to the nth degree.
We are the world connected.
And so today we stand with our tools in our hands:
you in your room in Israel,…
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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