Eternal God, you are our God and we are your people.
You have claimed us as your own and have placed a seal on our hearts.
You nurture and sustain us in the garden of life.
Living God, we thank you for your gift of life eternal
and for all those who, having served you well,
now rest from their labours.
Today we give thanks for those who during the last twelve months
have died and entered into glory
and those whom we hold in our hearts.
We thank you for their life and love,
and rejoice for them “all is well,
and all manner of things will be well.”
Be near to those who are grieving. Hold them.
Fill them with your comfort and peace.
Compassionate God, you attend to the wounded places of our hearts and lives,
You grieve with us in our losses, our fears.
You journey with us in our celebrations, our sorrows
You are close even in the mundane routines of our days.
You delight in us, and you love us.
We pray for your healing grace to be with those whom we hold in our hearts…….
We also pray for our Households of Faith: May each of these families rest in your peace and be filled with your joy. May love rule in their hearts and fill their homes.
We pray for this world,
for the places and precious people
who are striving to recover from hurricanes,
raging fire, and floods. We especially think of those suffering in B.C.
We pray for peace among nations.
Make us instruments of that peace.
We pray for our children and our youth
that they may come to know you more fully,
growing to be all of who they have been created to be.
Bless the gifts of money we offer
and bless each ministry supported whether across the street
or around the world.
Eternal God, you are our God and we are your people.
Continue to write your law of love on our hearts.
Give us an unwavering passion for justice,
and a tenacious faith that will not rest
until the hungry are fed,
until the oppressed find relief,
until the outsider finds welcome. Amen