We all enjoy our New Year’s traditions: sparklers, black-eyed peas for good luck, football games and parades. One of my favorite New Year’s Day traditions is the tradition of pastors praying for each member of their congregations by name.
As I prayed for each of you this New Year’s Day, I gave thanks to God for you, saying:
O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on your servant _____ as s/he begins another year with you. Grant that s/he may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen her/his trust in your goodness all the days of her/his life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I also prayed for this congregation as a whole, for our life together as children of God, for our elders, our session, and for myself as your pastor, saying:
O God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, by your grace you have called us to be a family of faith. Bless me as the pastor, bless our elders, our session, our people and bless our life together. By your Spirit, grant that we may show the power of your love to all; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for one another this year, rejoicing in the gift of presence that each of us brings to our part of the body of Christ, knowing that we are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other, clothed in love and bound together in perfect harmony, with the peace of Christ in our hearts, the word of Christ dwelling richly in us, and giving thanks to God in all things. from Colossians 3:12-17
In gratitude,
Rev. Rebecca
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