Month: May 2023

Come, Holy Spirit! Come, anew and fill us with your love.
Open our eyes to see the presence of God all around us,
in the stillness of this sacred space,
in the busyness and noise of full days,
in the joys and celebrations of our lives,
in the tragedies and struggles that break our hearts.

Come, Holy Spirit, and comfort those who grieve.
Grant them the peace that only you can bring.
Stir within us a trust in life beyond death,
as we ponder the mysteries of Christ’s resurrection
and the hope we have in new and everlasting life.

Come, Holy Spirit, and bring wholeness to the sick.
Strengthen those who are weak;
heal the wounded and broken;
give rest to the weary.

Hear us now as we name in silence our own needs for healing and wholeness.

Come, Holy Spirit, and inspire our troubled world to seek peace,
to love our enemies,
to lay down all weapons,

to respect the dignity of all.

Come, Holy Spirit, and ignite a fire in our bones,
a passion for justice that cannot be quenched
until all have bread,
until no one is marginalized or oppressed,
until everyone has the opportunity to thrive,
until the world is transformed and renewed.

Come, Holy Spirit, and revive your church.
Liberate us from complacency and apathy;
inspire us with Christ’s vision for a world reborn;
strengthen us in service for others;

and transform our hearts and our minds.

Gracious God, give us a glimpse of your kingdom
emerging around us
and drawing us into the new things
you are doing in the world.
It is for your kingdom that we now pray,
filled with your Spirit, using the words Jesus taught us.

Our Father…

Good and gracious God, teach us what it means to be strong and immovable in our faith. Guide us to live lives to the fullest of our capacities and gifts, all for your glory. May our words and actions be seasoned with grace and kindness, compassion and empathy. Nurture the good fruit of peace and generosity, self-control and joy in our lives and in your church.

When life is difficult, as it can be at times due to emotional, physical or relational pain, stressors of family life, work or school we confess, we don’t always show up our best selves. Forgive us when we harm others from our unhealed wounds and grant us a forgiving spirit toward those who do us harm. Restore us to wholeness. Heal and transform our brokenness into wisdom and gracious living. Foster in us a forgiving and obedient spirit ready to share the love of Jesus with all whom we share life.

God of the journey, make us strong and firmly rooted as we are being transformed by your love and care for us. Let the distractions of greed, selfishness, pride never take root in our thoughts or hearts. May we discern your voice and truth above all other voices in our lives. Grant us strength amidst suffering and perseverance and resilience to withstand the forces that lure us away from your good way.

God of peace, we pray for those who suffer due to war and violence; those displaced due to wildfire or floods. We pray for children who are hungry and parents unable to provide. We pray wisdom for world leaders and lasting peace that comes from making justice.

Listening God, we also bring our needs in prayer.

Be with the lonely, comfort the grieving and those who are journeying hard paths.

Grant deep peace for those living with anxiety, worries, or addiction.  

Heal those recovering from surgery.

Grant patience for those receiving treatment or awaiting test results.

We pray for those living with increased physical limitations,

and those journeying the shadow of death.

May your comfort and presence of peace draw near.

Faithful God, gather us into the warmth and security of your embrace,

and the stronghold of your love.

These things we pray in the name of Jesus

who taught us to pray saying…Our Father……

O God of Love, God of grace, we come before you this morning in gratitude and in worship.

We are privileged to be your eternal family, to be children of such a parent, loving us so perfectly. On this beautiful Mother’s Day morning we come to you celebrating the gift of family. We see your glory and your wisdom in the diversity of that gift—a diversity that has always existed. We pray for small families like Elizabeth and Zechariah and their precious only son, John, and for large families like Jacob’s, with his twelve sons. We ask your blessing on multigenerational families like Timothy’s, whose mother and grandmother raised him in the faith.  Bless single person families like Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. We pray especially for broken families like King David’s, whether that brokenness is the result of death, destroyed relationship, or simply distance. We also pray for those like Ruth and Naomi who came through the pain of loss to establish new family ties.

We celebrate that you are a God who creates in beauty and wonder; we see that beauty and your creative handiwork in all of nature around us as Spring awakens the earth into life. We also celebrate your creation of humanity; for babies, children, adults, and elderly. We would echo the words of amazement and wonder of the Psalmist David as he wrote “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139)

We also praise you because you are a God who heals, comforts, and restores. O God, bring comfort to those who are lonely, those who are living with grief, and those who today are facing what may seem like overwhelming  situations. May your presence bring hope and peace.

We also rejoice with those who have experienced your healing, your gracious wisdom, or the power of your grace in their lives. We give you praise and lift our hearts in worship.

Holy One, we give you thanks for all your gifts to us—

for daily food, for health, for each breath we take,

for freedom to choose,

and for the gifts of your Word, your power and your love.

Our hearts overflow,

as we consider how you have entrusted so much to us.

May we be worthy of that trust—

may we be a people who are unafraid to live

as fully and as richly as you want us to live.

Lord Jesus, as your followers

guide and strengthen us

to serve wholeheartedly,

live generously, love extravagantly,

even if it means being misunderstood.

May we always strive to do good

especially to those who have done us harm.

Spirit of God, we pray for the church gathered today,

both here and around the world.,

May each member be inspired,

to discover, develop and use all their gifts,

for the furthering of your mission.

We pray for our annual meeting today.

May we be open to your Spirit’s leading,

listening deeply, open to your transforming power.

We thank you today for each person who calls this church home.

For caregiving ministries, teaching and worship ministries,

Formation and fellowship ministries.

May our lives be enriched as we serve and grow in faith together.

Listening God, we also pray for those

who stand in need of healing, hope, and wholeness.

We pray for those who suffer, the lonely, the distressed,

the grieving and those who are journeying a hard path.

We pray for those living with addiction, anxiety, or worries,

those recovering from surgery or awaiting surgery,

those receiving treatment and those anticipating next steps.

We pray for the aged who live with increased limitations.

We pray for those journeying the shadow of death

and their families who hold them with love.

May we rest in the warmth and security of your embrace,

in the stronghold of your love.

These things we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus

who taught us to pray saying…Our Father……

God, our Gentle Shepherd,

We praise you for all the ways you lead us to respite and rest

You are provider and sustainer of our lives.

We will never be in want.

You lead us to fields of plenty.

You refresh our souls with the cool clear waters of your Spirit.

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd,

we follow You because we know Your voice.

With confidence we know You will lead us through the darkest valley.

You are faithful to accompany us

so we will fear no evil but be comforted.

You came to give us life and bless life abundantly. 

You have prepared Your table for us and anoint us to further your mission in the world.

Pour out the blessing of your Spirit:

as we worship, serve, and share life together,

as we respond to your voice.

Nourish and strengthen us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

we confess that we stray from your goodness,

your will and your ways of peace.

All of us are like sheep who have gone astray—

we have not loved You with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are sorry and we humbly repent.

Shepherding God, today we pray for one another…

including our wider Mennonite Church Canada community of faith.

Bless Doug Klassen and his ministry, MCEC leadership gathered this weekend,

and each of our sister congregations…

May our witness of peace bless your world.

We pray today for those who suffer.

We pray for the children. May hope be theirs.

We pray for those who live in plenty, but also those who live in want,

the lonely or isolated,

the grieving and those who struggle or find days hard.

May hope be theirs.

We pray for those living with addiction, anxiety, or worries,

those recovering from surgery or awaiting surgery,

those receiving treatment and those anticipating next steps.

We pray for the aged who live with increased limitations.

May hope be theirs.

For the needs of loved ones which we name before you now

aloud or in the silence of our hearts…………may hope be theirs.

Shepherd us O God, beyond our needs,

beyond our wants.

May we rest in the warmth and security of your embrace,

in the stronghold of your love.

May Your goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives.

These things we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus

who taught us to pray saying…Our Father……