Praying Together 2021

18 Week Gather Light a candle as a sign of God’s presence and sit quietly. Ring a bell or chime to start the prayer. The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. COLLECT Let us pray that we will serve God with gladness in this time of Lent. (pause) Lord God, open our eyes to the needs of others and give us the joy and peace of serving you in freedom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah 58:6-8 I’ll tell you what it really means to worship the Lord. Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused! Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don’t turn away your relatives. Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, and you will quickly be healed. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. RESPONSE Confident that our God is near, we remember God’s care for the needs of the world. For the strengthening of those who are sick: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For the freedom of those unjustly imprisoned: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For the feeding of those who are hungry: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For the shelter of those who are homeless: (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 God bless us and protect us and bring us to eternal life. Amen. 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. Thursday after Ash Wednesday 18 February 2021 “Share your food with everyone who is hungry.”