Prayer for the Beginning of Lent

by Lesley Hamilton


Good Morning GOD, we come to you with what is in our hearts today. As we enter this season of lent, we prayerfully reflect, with courage and grace, on the gifts we have to offer you. What should we start doing? What should we stop doing? What should we continue doing? Jesus left the desert and took up his ministry, understanding his purpose. We pray --- that in our own wilderness journey, for but a small measure, of the clarity of purpose YOU bestowed upon Jesus ---following his.

In this time of change lord, we pray for strength of character; to lay down our fear --- and let you lead us towards spending our time, money, resources, and most importantly, our love, on your behalf. In glad faithfulness, and in Jesus’ name, we pray for willing hands --- to feed, clothe, and promote justice for ourselves and each other in this world. We have learned today, and pray to remember GOD... when we feel isolated or cast into the wilderness that --- wherever we go, and whatever we do, there we are... and so are you, Lord GOD... we are always home with you in our hearts... and pray that in Jesus’ companionship we will be guided toward right action. As the Hebrew people were exiled for 40 years, so were the people of Africville right here in Halifax, and they are not home yet. The black community, now known as Seaview Park, was dismantled in 1969 in favour of A. Murray MacKay, a commuter bridge that, to this day, saves urban workers a few minutes of time and aggravation going to and from their jobs. We pray sincerely GOD, for forgiveness as bystanders in this exile, which sent 400 Black Nova Scotian's to the wilderness. As the Government and Africville representatives attempt to reconcile these issues in our community GOD, we pray that whatever the outcome, we are able to support our neighbours in seeking justice. Although monetary reparation is small mercy, we pray, dearest Lord, that the beloved and storied Seaview Place Church and Interpretive Centre is rebuilt as a symbol of homecoming from the wilderness for Africville citizens.
Finally, we pray to be forgiven GOD, for the times when we have isolate ourselves and others in some form of wilderness. May we be inclusive in our welcome and may we learn from each other in this church family, as we companion one another in faith. We pray to leave this place today in truth; KNOWING completely that everything, absolutely everything, will be ok, in life and death, if only we engage you GOD, as our most intimate and trusted companion, in all circumstances, every minute, of every day.
AMEN

A Prayer for Our Families

by Nancy Bowes

Dear Father and Mother God,

Thank you for the blessing of family: for the warmth, the reassurance, the guidance, the love we receive from them, especially in our early days, but truly, throughout our days. They are the foundation on which our daily lives are built: their needs, their expectations keep us steady, keep us oriented to a world outside ourselves. Help us to be the kind of children and siblings and parents you would have us be: giving, forgiving, accepting, loving unconditionally.

God who sees and knows all that we are and all that we do,

Forgive us for the many times we put ourselves before our families: for the times we treat our nearest and dearest as means instead of as ends in themselves. Forgive us too for our harsh judgments upon the families who act differently than we suppose we would in their circumstances. Help us to hold them up, so they can be loving families. Help us to notice, and dare to offer to help, when we suppose they must need support – whether that is in the grocery store at 5:00 p.m., when a child is crying wildly or in our backyards, when a single young mother is struggling to feed and care for a child.

As we have prayed for the people of Haiti and the rescue teams, armed forces personnel and aid workers, so let us also add to our prayers the families in Canada and around the world who this week are opening their arms and their homes to Haitian orphans: may they find strength in you to be loving parents to their new children and may those children find food, safety and love in their new homes.

Lord of all the earth,

Thank you for the brilliant blue skies of winter, for the sun to warm us and the moon to light our way through the longest, darkest nights. Keep prompting us, please, to preserve your fragile earth, to treat it as a legacy for our grandchildren, instead of as a resource to be mined.

Lord,

Our families are scattered all over your earth. This week and always, keep them safe, keep us in touch, keep us in your care.

In the name of your Son Jesus,

Amen.