Lord,
At the beginning of another year
As Sarah Masen sings
“We come with what we have done
We come with who we are
We are a beginning.”
Lord, may we be a beginning
We ask that you give us a brand new impetus
We do not want to live on the momentum of what we have done
We seek a new impetus from your Holy Spirit
Even for the things we continue to do as before
So Lord
In our passion for you
In our compassion for others
In our love for one another
In our forgiving of enemies
In our commitment to serve in Orillia
In our commitment in work, leisure and volunteering outside OCC
In our pastoral care
In our mission
In our Kingdom building
From our neighbourhoods in Orillia and area
To Ethiopia, Uganda, Guatemala and wherever else
In our vision for your work
In our wisdom to carry it out
In the grace needed to be pastoral sensitive as we do
Lord, re-fuel us with an invigorating energy
Shift our propelling forward
From momentum
To impetus
Keep us up to your speed
In the work you have called us to do
Give us your grace towards your holiness
May our deepest gladness meet the world’s deepest need.
In the name of Jesus
In whose name we pray,
Amen
prayer by Steve Stockman Modified to fit our context