Prayer for Community. Father, we pray for the small groups, casual conversations, and discussions during the retreat. We pray that they would be uplifting, encouraging, and transparent. Divinely coordinate the groups and uniquely match women based on their needs. To prayers for self and family, intercessions for each other and the faith challenges/opportunities faced each day, the congregation, then the community at large, the nation, and the world. Bring the focus back down to one: Jesus. End with prayers of thanks and praise. No matter how broad the prayer concern is, the prayers need to be specific. Many individuals around the country and world are participating in daily and weekly phone study and prayer fellowship groups using the conference call method. The 40 Days devotional book by Pastor Smith is being studied by many using this method of fellowship.

Introduction

• Learning to Pray

• Health and Wellbeing

• Love and Marriage

• Children and Family

• Mealtime Blessings

• Holidays and Special Occasions

These blessings are traditional dinner prayers for saying grace at mealtimes. The prayers are short and simple, great for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, or any dinner gathering.

Bless Us, O Lord

Traditional Catholic Prayer

Bless us, O Lord,

And these Thy gifts

Which we are about to receive,

Through Thy bounty

Through Christ our Lord we pray.

Amen.

We Give Our Thanks

Traditional

For food that stays our hunger,

For rest that brings us ease,

For homes where memories linger,

We give our thanks for these.

Truly Thankful

Traditional

Lord, make us truly thankful for

these and all other blessings.

I ask this in Jesus Christ's name,

Amen.

God Is Great

Traditional

God is great!

God is good!

Let us thank Him

For our food.

Amen.

God Is Great (Extended Version)

Traditional

God is great and God is good,

Let us thank Him for our food;

By His blessings we are fed,

Give us Lord, our daily bread.

Amen.

Give Us Grateful Hearts

Book of Common Prayer

Give us grateful hearts,

O Father, for all thy mercies,

And make us mindful

Of the needs of others;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Make Us Grateful

Traditional

For this and all we are about to receive,

Make us truly grateful, Lord.

Through Christ we pray.

Amen.

Bless, O Lord

Traditional

Bless, O Lord,

This food to our use

And us to thy service,

And keep us ever mindful

Of the needs of others.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

God Our Father, Lord, and Savior

Traditional

God our Father, Lord, and Savior

Thank you for your love and favor

Bless this food and drink we pray

And all who shares with us today.

Amen.

Our Heavenly Father, Kind and Good

Traditional

Our Heavenly Father, kind and good,

We thank Thee for our daily food.

We thank Thee for Thy love and care.

Be with us Lord, and hear our prayer.

Amen.

Moravian Dinner Prayer

Traditional Moravian Prayer

Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be

And bless these gifts

Bestowed by Thee.

And bless our loved ones everywhere,

And keep them in Your loving care.

Amen.

Dinner Prayer Hymn

Traditional Hymn

Lord, bless this food and grant that we

May thankful for thy mercies be;

Teach us to know by whom we're fed;

Bless us with Christ, the living bread.

Lord, make us thankful for our food,

Bless us with faith in Jesus' blood;

With bread of life our souls supply,

That we may live with Christ on high.

Amen.

Humble Hearts

Traditional

In a world where so many are hungry,

May we eat this food with humble hearts;

In a world where so many are lonely,

May we share this friendship with joyful hearts.

Amen.

(see also Prayers for the Offertory)

Opening prayers for worship

Here we are Lord; your people, your Church meeting together in your presence. We welcome each other and we welcome You. Make yourself known to us new ways through our worship, our prayers and our understanding of your Word today.

This is your day
and we shall praise you!
This is your day
and we shall declare your name!
This is your day,
and we shall worship
a risen Saviour and our King!

We meet as family in the presence of our heavenly Father. We meet as brothers and sisters in Christ, accepting the responsibility this places upon us - to love one another as you have loved us. We meet as your lights in this dark world, and pray that through our words and our lives others might be drawn into your family, and accept you as their Saviour and Lord. Amen

Lord God, in a universe that seems so immense it is easy to feel insignificant as we stand here today. Yet we know that we are precious in your sight - unique individuals loved and blessed in so many ways. We stand in awe of the one who has created all things and dedicate this time and all our days to your service. Accept this offering we pray, our sacrifice of praise and worship. Amen

Bless us as we meet together,
dear Lord we pray.
Bless the singing of your praise,
the reading of your Word,
the sharing of our fellowship,
the prayers that will be heard.
Bless us as we meet together,
dear Lord we pray.
Amen

In our meeting together let us remember that we worship the God who created this world, the God who spoke through his prophets from generation to generation, led his people from captivity to liberty, healed the sick, fed the hungry and was faithful even when faced with rejection. The same God who wants all people to be drawn to his love and grace, to know his forgiveness and the joy of his Salvation. Let us put aside all that hinders and join together in worship and praise. Amen.

In the meeting of our lives,
be the focus of all that we are.
In the singing of the hymns,
the prayers that we shall make,
the reading of your Word
and the preaching of the same.
Speak to us, encourage and forgive us.
In the meeting of our lives, Lord,
be the focus of all that we are. Amen

Glorious Trinity
make your presence
known in this place,
through our worship,
our prayer,
the reading of your Word,
and in the fellowship we shall enjoy. Amen

Through our hymns and songs, our prayer and meditation, the joining of our lives in fellowship we worship you, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Enfold us in your love, and empower our worship that your name might be glorified in this place and in our lives.

We are gathered here today, Lord God as your people to offer you our sacrifice of prayer and worship. We come from different walks of life; some are well educated, others not; some have walked with you for many years, others are just starting their journey; some are strong, others weak; some are full of joy, others burdened by care.
You love each of us in equal measure. You pour your blessings on us in equal measure.

We join together to worship the God of Abram, the God of Jacob and the God of David. We worship the One True God; creator of all; Lord of all; our strength and hope; our light and our salvation. We join together as family, joined by the hands of fellowship, brothers and sisters of our heavenly Father. Amen

This is the day that the Lord has made.
This is the day when he can be found.
God of all, breath of life,
Living water, Saviour, friend.
Come as the hungry, feed on his Word
Come as the thirsty, drink of his Love
Come as the faithful, worship the Lord.

We worship a God of Promise, whose saving Grace brought a people from captivity into a land of promise, whose enduring love still leads us from places of captivity into a promise of peace, forgiveness and eternal life. The promises of God endure forever. The promises of God will be fulfilled. Amen.

We meet together in the presence of a God whose love is freedom, whose touch is healing, whose voice is calm. We meet not in our own strength but in the knowledge that God's Spirit abides within us, in our worship today and in our daily lives when we depart from this place. The blessing receive is shared, in the hope that others might be drawn to the God we serve. Amen

Into your presence we come,
God of Grace and Peace,
who was, and is and ever shall be
the eternal One.
Into fellowship we come,
bound together in the love
that died and rose again for us,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Let us be still for a moment as we draw near to worship God... Take just a few seconds to remind yourself why we are gathered together today... Listen, God speaks even through the background noise of the world around us...
Lord God, in this short time together, open our ears and our eyes to see your vision for this place and our part within it. Teach us, hear our prayers and enable us for service wherever you might take us, to your praise and glory. Amen.

May the Peace which passes all understanding, which has its source within the very nature of Father, Son and Spirit be with us as we meet, to still our souls and join our hearts as one. May the gentle whisper of the God of peace speak to us through our worship, the reading and understanding of scripture, and be the message of our lives as we leave this place. Amen

We meet as family in the presence of our heavenly Father. We meet as brothers and sisters in Christ, accepting the responsibility this places upon us - to love one another as you have loved us. We meet as your lights in this dark world, and pray that through our words and our lives others might be drawn into your family, and accept you as their Saviour and Lord. Amen

Sovereign Lord, we meet together to celebrate the gift of your Holy Spirit to the church. Bless us as we seek to serve you in this place. Fill us with your Spirit as you did early one morning in Jerusalem over two thousand years ago, that we might better be your voices, hands and presence in the world, and draw others into your kingdom. Amen

Lord God, in a universe that seems so immense it is easy to feel insignificant as we stand here today. Yet we know that we are precious in your sight - unique individuals loved and blessed in so many ways. We stand in awe of the one who has created all things and dedicate this time and all our days to your service. Accept this offering we pray, our sacrifice of praise and worship. Amen

Bless us as we meet together,
dear Lord we pray.
Bless the singing of your praise,
the reading of your Word,
the sharing of our fellowship,
the prayers that will be heard.
Bless us as we meet together,
dear Lord we pray.
Amen

In the meeting of our lives,
be the focus of all that we are.
In the singing of the hymns,
the prayers that we shall make,
the reading of your Word
and the preaching of the same.
Speak to us, encourage and forgive us.
In the meeting of our lives, Lord,
be the focus of all that we are. Amen

Closing prayers and blessings

We have gathered here today, Lord God as your people to offer you
our sacrifice of prayer and worship.
We have fed on your Word, been refreshed through your living water, felt the encircling of your Spirit around this fellowship and around individual lives.
As we go from this place may we continue to know your presence and power in the very different lives that we lead, to your praise and glory.

As we take our worship, praise and prayer from this place and into our daily lives, may our lives be sustained through the love of our Heavenly Father. May we feel the presence of our Saviour walking beside us, and know the power of the Spirit in both our actions and our words.

May the Father’s hand
keep you from stumbling,
the footprints of Jesus
give you confidence to follow,
and the fire of the Spirit
keep you warm and safe
in your walk with God this day.

May the love of Jesus Christ
bring us wholeness,
the grace of God the Father
grant us peace,
the breath of Holy Spirit
instil passion
and the unity between them
give us strength
for this and every day. Amen

May God's Word be in your heart.
May God's Word be on your lips.
May God's Word be in your touch.
May God's Word direct your feet.
On this day and all your days to come
May God's Word be the life you live.

May the grace of God uphold you,
the peace of God surround you,
the love of God flow from you
and the strength of God protect
and bring you safely through this day.