Praying Together 2021

190 Gather Light a candle as a sign of God’s presence and sit quietly. Ring a bell or chime to start the prayer. May the peace of Christ be with you! And with your spirit. COLLECT Let us pray for God’s guidance and protection. (pause) God of wisdom, be our gentle guide on life’s journey and show us the right path. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 10:2-4 Jesus said to his disciples: “The gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out. When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. RESPONSE Gathered as members of God’s family, let us pray for the needs of the world. For ears to hear the voice of Jesus our shepherd: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who are lost or confused: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who will make a difficult choice today: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For wisdom to ask God for guidance: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For the prayers in our hearts today: (pause while students offer their prayers aloud) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. DISMISSAL May the light of Christ guide our way. Amen. May God bless us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Ring the bell or chime to signal the end of the prayer. Extinguish the candle. Wednesday Week 29 Ordinary Time 20 October 2021 “The sheep know their shepherd’s voice.”