Please submit one here: Submit a Prayer, To provide feedback, please email: jesuitresource@xavier.edu. Wedding prayers and blessings from parents are often emotional as it comes from a deep place. Copyright 2023, iBelieve.com. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13. We ask your blessing through Christ your son. Throughout Scripture, special occasions were celebrated by holding a banquet, when your people would congregate to eat, fellowship, and enjoy your many blessings. Help us to work as a unified team in combining ideas for a great outcome. Be present at our table, Lord, be here and everywhere adored. Copyright 2012 Beth McLendon of The organized walkout vividly showed that we are engaged in one of the last civil rights struggles in which blatant discrimination is viewed as acceptable behavior. Sweet Reason, the humanist advice columnist, responds to a father's request for a "secular grace" for his daughter's wedding reception. May they always appreciate each other, and when required, forgive each other, as you have so freely forgiven them. Blessed are you for giving us family and friends to be with us in times of joy and sorrow, to help us in days of need, and to rejoice with us in moments for celebration. May we accomplish great things this day, and may we display an attitude of cooperation and respect. For those who find these humanist graces too long, or dont want to be reminded of the suffering of others just before a celebratory meal, there are these simple words of secular thanks and good wishes: We are thankful for the food on this table. Lord, let us not be misguided in this meeting so that we do not lead to decisions that produce ineffective results. Amen - Samuel F. Pugh. (an invocation prayer) Almighty God, Thank you for your love, risen from the grave and freely offered for us all. We place this meeting in Your hands. Go with a traditional prayer of thanksgiving for a familiar choice or go for something more unique. God, we love You and we gather to carry out the tasks that You have given us in order to fulfill our purpose. The next prayer reminds us that the origins of our food lie in the wonderous creative hand of God, fashioning " so many tastes and textures, colours and aromas ". This we ask in the name of Christ, Our Heavenly Father. Newest Page::Prayers for Revival for your church, Bible Devotions and Making Life Better Articles, Click here for Links to ALL our marriage pages, Links to All our Full Armor of God Prayers, How to Create a Great Relationship with Yourself, By Beth McLendon, Copyright 2012 - 2023 Inspirational-Prayers.com, This page is for those who are asked to pray a, People can often sense our closeness with the Lord. Councilman George said about me, "He can worship a chicken if he wants to, but I'm not going to be around when he does it." - Izola White. All rights reserved. The Prayer of Blessing. Invocation We fold our hands and bow our heads; And than thee Lord for our daily bread; For home and school and family, WE give thanks O Lord to thee. In either situation, you may find the following advice and examples useful. You are our Wisdom and our Strength. Answer. Love is patient, love is kind. September 12, 2015 / Dreams, Dreams and Prayers. . Thank you for this opportunity to come together and work together. Lord Jesus, we are your brothers and sisters, and we gather here in your name. 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. Help us move towards our goals with determination and always with an abundant sense of humor. We hope you will choose to visit other pages in our site. You are welcome in this place. Help us to stick to the agenda and not get distracted with discussions that arent pertinent to our objectives. We humbly ask that You give wisdom, vision, and courage to those who have been chosen to be our new leaders. Let us thank him for our bread. PRAYER FOR 50TH CLASS REUNION. -- Abraham Lincoln, And then, the Democrat: Remove the distractions that would keep us from you here today. Who have helped to bring it to our table, Show us Your purposes. "May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us." (Psalm 90:17) Father, as we pray for our Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, we realize they often deliver the first impression of our region to prospective . As we begin our meeting, we declare that your purposes will prevail. Let the sick and infirm rejoice, for their savior is born. God of the journeywe invite you into our . Prayer to the All-Knowing God God of Love, we trust in You with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. Secularists argue that government should not hold religious events because they have the effect of endorsing religion and relegating the non-religious to second-class status. Sometimes when we pray we have special requests to ask of God. O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities [and especially __________], that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us to generate good plans that are practical, sustainable, and easily implemented. Let the just rejoice, for their justifier is born. May the Risen Christ, our Lord and Savior, be our guest as we celebrate His resurrection with this Easter Sunday dinner. Bless them today as they go into this sporting event. We pause to be grateful for the hidden gifts of life in this food. Help us to grow in wisdom and grace alongside our group members. Nor does a secular benediction need to be explicitly atheist, or exclude anyone because of their beliefs. Please guide us, Lord. Lord God, Thank you for your hope and grace. Come, Holy Father and look with favor upon all of us gathered at this celebration. Jorie Nicole McDonald leads editorial video efforts for Southern Living. Thank you for your protection over our church, your guiding presence, and the provision to minister to a lost world. Oh god of this great universe, I thank thee for the wonderful opportunity you have given me in being a member of a Lions club, which I believe is one of the greatest humanitarian organizations in the world that is always ready to help and care for the blind and many other unfortunates. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. For an example of a secular invocation that is inclusive, although given by someone identified as representing a humanist viewpoint, read this article by Herb Silverman. Help us to tackle all the topics we need to discuss, come up with excellent solutions, and leave this meeting inspired and on time. God we give you all the glory to You tonight as we remember Jesus' birth on earth. In fact, a godless grace can be very moving: it allows time for reflection and thanks focused on this world, appreciating the value of nature and acknowledging the human effort which went into bringing food, family and friends together for a meal. All glory belongs to you. O Who is like you, God, who is holy and loving like you? Give us clarity on our purpose for this meeting and what objectives we should accomplish in this meeting. This we. First, the Republican: Since you redeemed us so dearly and delivered us from evil, as you gave us a share in this food so may you give us a share in eternal life. We invite you into our presence. We turn to you in prayer and ask you to bless us and this food you have given us. Here are 25 beautiful prayers for meals. May this food restore our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, new thoughts to weary minds. We are thankful for this time together. We pray that they, and we, may use our many gifts of intellect, heart, and soul to address the problems that the human community faces in bringing justice more fully into the world and in tending wisely to the lovely garden that is our earth and our home. Amen. Thank you for our health, our work and our play. Amen. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts. "Lord, into your most holy presence we now come. I believe that You will guide us in this meeting so that the results can be seen days, months, and even years after today. - Author Unknown. Creator God and Lord of Life, You who call forth from the darkness of death all those who love You, we rejoice, on this Easter Sunday, in the resurrection from the dead of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Our Father in Heaven, we give thanks for the pleasure of gathering together for this occasion. O God, you sustain all of us at every moment, as we work and weep and worry, and as we rejoice and celebrate! We ask for your guiding hand to lead us through this meeting. We seek You for guidance and instruction, we seek You also for wisdom so that we can make the right decisions today. Let us enjoy ourselves, without guilt, O Gracious God, we give you thanks for your overflowing generosity to us. A Countyman Gives Thanks - O God, Source and Giver of all things, who . We ask all this in the glorious name of Jesus Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit World without end. This past weekend I hosted a group of women at our church for a day of fellowship, connection, and refreshment. Invocation in Honour of the Five Wounds of Our Lord - O good Jesus, within Thy wounds hide me. Bless everyone here and those who couldn't be with us today. For the way You love, we thank You. It could be easily adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances. Amen. Thank you for their confidence to discover and explore new possbilities and knowledge to discern what is right and good and just. May the Lord bless you and keep you. We are servants of Thy threshold and are gathered beneath the sheltering shadow of Thy divine unity. Father, with joyful hearts in the spirit of thanksgiving, we ask you to bless this banquet and each person here. Before my public prayer, I privately pray and ask God to allow my closeness and love for him to show through me. Give us clarity so that we can effectively tackle each part of todays agenda. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it all, and all other blessings. What better way to honor the Lord than to open our gatherings, meetings, celebrations, and services with prayer? Lions Prayer. "Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your Son in the flesh redeems us from the old slavery under the yoke of sin, so we may receive him with joy as . JesuitResource.org is a service of Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity, Xavier University Center for Mission and Identity 3800 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45207 513-745-3777, Multi Faith Calendar of Religious Holy Days, Foundational Documents on Jesuit Catholic Education, Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity. In this festivity let us remember too For Hard Times For Financial Prosperity For Physical Health For Emotional Health For Protection For a Marriage For Babies and Pregnancy For Family For Spiritual Warfare For Spiritual Health For a Death For the Workplace For Bedtime, Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, 40 Encouraging Bible Scriptures on Resisting Temptation, Ephesians 6:4 Meaning of Do Not Exasperate Your Children, 50 Biblically Accurate Facts About Angels in the Bible, 50 Most Profitable Youth Group Fundraising Ideas for Your Church, 250 Ice Breaker Questions for Teen Youth Groups, 25 Important Examples of Pride in the Bible, Why Jesus Wept and 11 Lessons from His Tears, 25 Different Ways to Worship God and Praise the Lord. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 271. Give them through our hands this day their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give peace and joy. We pause in the midst of this prayer to remember all the holy dead of our family who live now in You and who await the final and glorious resurrection of the dead. As faculty, staff, and administrators at this University, we are grateful to you for the opportunity to participate in the development of these students, to honor them for their hard work and achievement, and to thank them for the inspiration they provide to keep us going in our chosen professions. Calm our anxious spirits. let us be truly thankful We lift up this bread; may it be food and symbol for all of us who shall eat it. Lord Jesus, our brother, be with us today. Please guide us in this meeting. Amen. For all of this, we give you thanks. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. We honor them for their loyalty to God and Country, for their good deeds, and for their friendship. With all the tensions going on in our nation right now and the Greater . May all be fed. Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of life You have given, and for blessing us with our beloved (celebrant's name) 's life. I pray that we feel Your presence during this meeting because You are with us wherever we go. Here are 10 special opening prayers you can pray at your gatherings. We present ourselves like an open book before You. And so, mindful of your continuous care, we pause to be grateful for the blessings of this table. Blessed are you, Lord our God, maker of heaven and earth and Father of all your people: we give you glory for your goodness and for your loving care for us. Minds in Gods Hands Prayer Heavenly Father, in our hearts we plan our course, but we pray that You establish our steps. We declare that this meeting shall be effective and Spirit-led. Enable us to think and strategize in ways that will achieve great results. Amen. Feed our souls on the bread of life and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds. Dear Father in heaven, thank you so much for this time together with our family, friends and church family. Prayer for Strength Precious God, I pray against the schemes of the devil over this meeting and instead I pray that You rule over this meeting. Thank you for each person present here today. -Robert Louis Stevenson. and the wisdom to know the difference. Prayer of Gratitude Gracious Father, for the meal that is before us, we thank You. Let Your will be done as we plan and make decisions. May all be fed. It was the first time in many months wed seen each other in person, and I realized what a precious gift God had given usthe gift of gathering and opening prayer. We acknowledge You in all our ways, and in all our meetings, so that You will direct our paths. Since you redeemed us so dearly and delivered us from evil, as you gave us a share in this food so may you give us a share in eternal life. People can often sense our closeness with the Lordwhen they hear us For what we are about to receive I pray that we will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. These prayers do a good job of recognizing God's power in our lives and encourage humility within us. Amen. This is true whether the meal is an informal family dinner around the kitchen table or a formal wedding reception. Feel free to make it fully your own, and personalize each prayer for the specific occasion and guests at your dinner party. we are thankful. Thank You For My Scholarship. Through our invocation prayers, we corporately come to God humbly, with reverence and praise, invite Him to purify our hearts and align them with His eternal purposes, and invite His presence. These prayers will be appropriate for most meetings that Christians would find themselves attending. Praying at a meeting is a great way to remind everyone that God is with each and every one of us. This day of celebration is a blessing from you. We declare that we will be blessed by this gathering. May your presence be the extra taste to this meal which we eat in the name of your son, Jesus. As we begin our planning, help us first seek you and your will. A Christian Wedding Reception Prayer Dear Lord, we gather in this place in a spirit of celebration and gratitude. Enable us to. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. . I especially pray for those who are deployed away from home. God, we thank you for this food. Dear and beloved stranger, please eat this food with us that we may all be nourished. I ask for your blessing on this ceremony, our awardees and all who are gathered with us today. Father, we praise you for your son Jesus, who knew the happiness of family and friends, and in the love of your Holy Spirit. Let Your presence be made known and lead this meeting today. Pause for silent reflection to remember those who have died. We ask your blessing upon these young women and men who we honor today for their achievements. Help us to find principles that we all can agree on and put these into action. Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this food. Let us not make decisions based upon what we know but let us act based upon Your wisdom. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. Sir Henry Guildford: Henry VIII, I, iv. We pause to be grateful for the hidden gifts of life in this food. for one another. May the blessing of God, his peace and love, rest upon our table. Loving Father, we thank you for bringing us together for this meal: may we continue to live in your friendship and in harmony with one another. However, when governments and other groups refuse to stop all religious commencements and invocations, they may sometimes agree to a humanist benediction as an alternative. - Christian mealtime prayer. - John Wesley. We ask for your hand of blessing on Prayer for Productive Discussions Lord of wisdom, we pray that You will bless this meeting. by war, oppression and exploitation opening prayers (athletic banquet or team cele-. Heres a beautiful Buddhist meal gatha that is entirely secular: We receive this food in gratitude to all beings Even when such religious commencements make an effort to include people of all faiths they may exclude people with no religion. Enable them to draw upon the wisdom and experience of yesterday as they respond to the questions and concerns of tomorrow. Thank you for the good plans you have for us. I don't ask you to close your eyes, but to keep your eyes constantly open to the serious issues that city government can and should solve or improve. Thank you for the faithful servants youve brought together to fulfill your purpose. Inspirational - Prayers. Amen. Fortunately, lemonade is now being squeezed from these lemons. For wind and rain and sun above. O God, our Father, we thank you for this gathering as we come together to honor the members of Recruit Class 131, their families and their instructors, on the day of their graduation. Below is a prayer that was delivered at a Cub Scout "Blue & Gold" banquet. Traditional Wedding Reception Prayers For those who want to wrap tradition into their wedding, we have traditional wedding reception prayers for you. Point our eyes to every positive outcome since our last meeting and let these favorable results and developments encourage every heart in this room. Scholarship Award Luncheon Prayer. 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 share with us today. Enable us to acquire and understand the accurate information we need and its implications, so we can make informed decisions. We thank you for the opportunity to And so, mindful of your continuous care, we pause to be grateful for the blessings of this table. A classic humanist alternative to a Christian Grace is: For what we are about to receive May all be healed. The first prayer is appropriate for a time of celebration, such as wedding reception or baptism. I pray that You bless us as we do not walk in the step of the wicked, but we delight in Your law. May these objectives keep us on track, and may they bond us together with a common goal. Many groups and government bodies begin their meetings with prayers or other forms of religious invocation conducted by a chaplain or religious minister. Please share this walk with us that we may all know nature's peace. Let our efforts be kingdom-motivated and Spirit-led so that we can be blessed by this meeting. May you be with us all, helping us each day to walk more closely with you. Thank you for blessing us with another year, and for giving us the chance to gather and celebrate this milestone. Colossians 3:23 says, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord As we observe the many accomplishments of our honorees, we acknowledge that none of it would be possible without you. We give you respect and acknowledge you as our Creator and Provider. We pray that all voices will be heard and that we will have a mindset of inclusivity. Be here and everywhere adored. Through the long sweep of time, and within the vast distances of space, we in this present moment, and in this place, acknowledge you and praise you. Be in our midst. Thank you for this special time of gathering in celebration. our meeting so that it is full of wisdom, productivity, and respect We hope that they are safe and well. Or this may be an opportunity to go around the table and have each person say what they are grateful for. Thank you for food in a world where many know only hunger; For our faith in a world where many know fear; For friends in a world where many know only loneliness. Bless our eyes and taste so that we may eat this food in a holy and mindful manner. Amen. We ask for your direction and guidance. The day is coming to a close, and, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we pause to break bread together. O Giver of life - we are here to celebrate 5 decades of life in the real world. Bless your church throughout the world, and all those who seek to do your will today. May everyone be engaged and involved, and may all concerns be addressed. to those who prepared it and those who served it. On that (this) day let us gather in sanctuaries dedicated to worship and in homes blessed by family affection to express our gratitude for the glorious gifts of God; and let us earnestly and humbly pray that He will continue to guide and sustain us in the great unfinished tasks of achieving peace, justice, and understanding among all men and nations and of ending misery and suffering wherever they exist. and for this good company. Blessed are you, Lord our God, for ever and ever. 3 Ways Satan Is Deceiving Today's Culture, 4 Reasons Christian Singles Are Tired of the Dating Scene, How You Can Have Eternal Life Through the Cross of Jesus Christ, A Powerful Morning Prayer to Start Each Day, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. - Mary Cronk Farrell. Amen. Kristine is the author of the book,Cinched: Living with Unwavering Trust in an Unfailing God,and the companion workbook. And as their friends, we thank you for the gifts of loyalty and kindness they have shared with us, and for the models of service and dedication they have been as we ourselves have struggled to grow to adulthood alongside them. Let slaves rejoice, for their . We ask that you would guide and direct I pray that You would give me, my children, my family, and friends what we need, whatever that may be, to see You and feel Your presence more clearly in our lives. Below are some non-religious poems and prayers that can help you say, "Thank you," whether it's to the universe, a higher power, or to someone you love. A secular version of the famous Serenity Prayer can also work before a meal: Grant me the serenity May we be strong in virtue firm in time of trouble, and always ready to help others in time of need. You are worthy of praise. Blessed are you, Lord God, king of the universe: you raised your beloved son from the dead and made him Lord of all. As you work together on behalf of all who live in this city, may you gain strength and sustenance from one another through reason and compassion. For an example of a more pointed invocation by an atheist, read this article. for those that made it possible, Youll find weekly encouragement to help you become more than yourself through Gods Word at her website,kristinebrown.net. Prayer for God to Answer Righteous God, we call onto You right now and we know that You will answer! - Author Unknown A Table Prayer Before Meals We look to you, O Lord, for food to nourish our bodies, for grace to strengthen our spirits, for love to enrich our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. We pray for open hearts and minds that will promote and accept better ideas. And as we discuss the affairs of this church/school/ministry/business, we ask for Your will to be done. Be present at our table, Lord. - Author Unknown. Prayers for our Chamber of Commerce. need. Amen. "Right-minded" people, whether religious or not, should be appalled by the contemptuous behavior exhibited by members of the Charleston City Council. Though once helpless and dependent on us, they have become the young adults we celebrate and admire today through a transformation that has never ceased to amaze us. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 183. You are the source of all of our blessings. Stop What Youre Doing: The First Trailer For "Are You There God? Thank you that each one is unique and brimming with potential. Thank you for every gift In Christianity this prayer is called "Grace." Thank you for bringing us together to recognize the hard work and dedication of this years award recipients. We are grateful that they and their families entrusted Xavier's faculty and staff to engage them intellectually, morally, and spiritually. It can be modified to fit many other types of settings involving government bodies. 2. Browse through these encouraging prayers for a dose of inspiration. Father, we do not rely on ourselves for effective results for we are only human and often make mistakes. These invocation prayers are An invocation is a traditional prayer for the support, counsel, or indulgence of an almighty power upon the works of a body of people such as our Rotary Club. Amen. It gives an example of what others can have with the Father. 07 of 25. I don't ask you to bow your heads, but to look up at what you can accomplish by applying your considerable talents and experience to the problems that confront us. - Edward Hays, "Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home". A grace for use as an Invocation at a Blue and Gold Banquet: Scouts, family members and friends . This is exactly the kind of publicity we need in the Freethought community. Amen. It is when we wear our majority hats that we need to be most mindful of how we treat others. Prayer for Our Fathers Intervention Eternal Father, blessed be Your Matchless name! Thank You, for everyone who has worked on this program. We have come together as a group united in passion and purpose. I pray that You intervene in this meeting, let it work for our good and for the good of the church. Typically, it invites and welcomes God's presence at an event or ceremony. Movements are successful when they appeal to folks outside the group. May this meeting be lively and productive, and may the desired outcome be achieved. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. Here are a few prayers that center on blessings. It's possible to use invocations for all occasions, such as graduations, city council meetings and religious . and for those with whom we are about to share it, May our eyes be opened, and, in this act of common sharing, may we see the risen Lord in one another.