Saturday, February 2, 2008

Opening Prayer For Annual Meeting

God of the seasons turning,
another year has come and gone and once again we gather for the Annual Meeting of this Congregation.
To this place we bring all the celebrations and hardships, the joys and the sorrows of the past 12 months.
Here we pause to remember those whose lives we have celebrated as we said the last farewell of death. (pause)
Here we remember the highlights of the year: Harvest and Ham suppers, An Evening of Singing, worship and picnic out at the lake, friends gathering together to share stories and reflections of faith. (pause)

Here also we gather to look forward to what the coming years have in store.
We know that they will not always be easy, that life will always have a mixture of easy and difficult.
As we meet and discuss the life and work of this part of your family we pray that you would be a part of our discussion.
May your Spirit move in our hearts, opening them to hear what each of us has to offer, bringing light to both possibilities and realities, drawing us always to consider what you would have us be and do in this time and place.
Remind us that we are called to be bearers of Christ’s life, light, and love to all we meet.
Help us to live in such a way that we draw closer to your vision for us and journey faithfully in your Way.

In this time together we celebrate the many gifts we all have to offer.
Help us offer what we can to your service and your glory, mindful of our great giftedness in so many ways throughout our lives.
These things we pray in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the one we call Christ, in whose name and hope we gather together as a community.
Amen.

37 comments:

  1. Thanks, with your kind permission, I will adapt this for our Annual Meeting.
    Barbara Harris, St. Mark's Upland, CA

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  2. I too with your permission will use this for our Annual Meeting. Thank you for your beautiful words.
    Victoria Harriss-Provost
    Senior Warden
    St. Stephen's, Lynn, MA

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  3. Gord, thank-you for posting your prayers! With your permission, I would like to use this prayer for our meeting this week.

    Katherine - Canada

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  4. hi - I adapted this for use at our annual meeting, in Kentville, NS. Thanks for this lovely prayer.

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  5. Thank you for this wonderful prayer. With your permission, I will use it for our annual meeting. Peace
    Wanda, NY state

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  6. Thank you so much! This is the perfect prayer for our annual business meeting! With your permission, we will also use it as part of our church business meeting.

    Grace in Jesus,
    Pastor Adams

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  7. PAstor Adams,
    go ahead. I post these for others to use if they find them helpful

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  8. I am so grateful for your words and your welcome gift of sharing this. Just when I need it most the inspiration of others comes into my life.
    Thanks

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  9. Thanks and a great resource. It is inspiring. I wish to use it with permission after adapting it. Dom.

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  10. I would like to use your prayer, with some adaptations, at our AGM....with your permission. Thank-you so much for your inspirational, and very applicable, words. Corina (PEI)

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  11. Gord, thank you for this opening prayer. with your permission I would likee to use it as a template while using a portion of it at the meeting.

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  12. Wonderful! May I use this for our annual meeting at St. Peter's, Hillsdale, MI?

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  13. Thanks the permiting others to use this beautiful prayer Gord. I'll be adopting it for our AGM.

    Osita. BC, Canada

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  14. I'd also like to adapt this for the annual meeting at Grace Lutheran in Driscoll, ND.

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  15. I would like to adapt this for our annual meeting at Grace Church, Traverse City, MI.

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  16. I would like to use this wonderful prayer, with local adaptation, this Sunday at our Annual Meeting. Thank you. - Kathy

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  17. With your permission, I'll adapt this prayer for our Vestry meeting on February 11, 2018, Thank you!

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  18. Thanks Gord for sharing. I'll be using this prayer this evening at our annual meeting, with credit to you of course:)

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  19. Thank you for this lovely, thoughtful prayer. God bless your ministry.

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  20. Gord, your prayer continues to bless the one, holy, universal Church. It will be used, with your kind permission, at our church this Sunday. Thank you.

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  21. Please add Toronto to your list of "adaptees". Every blessing to you. Thanks.

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  22. Wonderful prayer. I wish to adapt some wordings & request permission as part of our Prayers of the People to bless our Annual Membership Meeting. Your words are so inspiring. Thank you.

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  23. Thank you for this beautiful opening prayer. With your permission, I would like to adapt some of your wordings.

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  24. With your permission, I would like to adapt, and use at our annual meeting. With thanks+

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  25. I would also, with your permission, like to adapt and use this prayer at our annual meeting. Thank you

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  26. I would also like to use this, with some adaptations, for our annual meeting.

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  27. Thank you for this beautiful prayer! With your permission, we'll adapt and use this at our annual meeting.

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  28. Thank you for sharing this prayer. WIth your permission, our church family will adapt and offer the prayer at our annual meeting.

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