Praying Together 2021

21 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 for God’s protection. (pause) O God, whose love never fails, keep us from danger and provide for all our needs. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the book of the prophet Hosea 2:16-17, 21-22 The Lord says this: I will lead my people into the desert and speak gently to them. They will turn back to me, as they did when they came out of Egypt. I will make you my people forever, and we will be joined together by fairness and justice, and by love and mercy. I will make you faithful, and you will accept me as your Lord. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. RESPONSE Trusting in God’s loving kindness towards us, let us pray for the needs of the world. For those who do not feel loved: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who find it hard to forgive: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For courage to turn back to God: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who work for justice in the world: (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. Tuesday Week 1 Lent 23 February 2021 “I will make you my people forever.”