Dabbling with All Saints Day ( A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession)

This week in Church we are celebrating All Saints day... yes I do realise that it is also (reformation Sunday). I guess it is a way of countering the influence of Halloween that has crept into the New Zealand psyche over recent years... Due to a combination of American media  and large chain stores and supermarkets in New Zealand seeing the possibility of increased sales. It does focus on glorifying the creepy and the scary. While many Churches run light parties  as a counter to that this year we have decided to run an all saints day service to acknowledge the people who have gone before us and inspired us in our faith... here is my attempt at a prayer of thanks giving and confession for the weekend. Please feel free to use it make comment suggest amendments, or totally ignore it.

Loving God,

We gather as your people to worship you

We come together to affirm our faith In Jesus Christ

We come that we may be strengthened to serve and witness

We come knowing that we are part of your people

We come as a small part of your church universal

Joining with saints round the world and throughout time

 

Merciful God

We come to remember your goodness  and grace

That you created the world and all that is in it

You have made each of us in your image; unique and beloved

That you have lead and guided your people throughout history

That you sent your son Jesus to save us and restore us to yourself

That by your Holy Spirit you dwell with us

 

Faithful God

We remember those who have run the race and kept the faith

Those whose journey with you are told in the scriptures

The Patriarchs, monarchs, prophets and people of the Hebrew Scriptures

Apostles, church leaders, and first generation believers of the New Testament

We remember the Men and women who down through the years have faithful passed on the gospel

Those who by their word and deed, with sacrifice and suffering have made Jesus known

 

Gracious God

We remember the people who have gone before us in this place

In this land: as we celebrate 200 years of the gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand

And Here: In the generations who have faithful served you at this church

And in our lives as we remember all those who shared their faith with us

Grandparents, Parents, pastors, teachers, children and friends

Thank you for this great cloud of witnesses

 

God who holds our times in your hands

We remember and give you thanks for your goodness in the past

For all you have done and those who have gone before  

We acknowledge your grace and goodness to us now

We thank you for the people that you have called to journey with us

We place our trust in you for tomorrow

Your continued grace to us, our children and our children’s children  

 

Mighty God

Forgive us, we have done the things we should not do

Forgive us, we have left undone the good you call us to do

Renew us O Lord; fill us a fresh with your spirit

Enable us to faithfully serve you and one another in love

Empower us to witness to the great hope we have in Jesus Christ

That we might bring glory to you O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.