Prayer to Do Good in Gods Kingdom Oh Lord, this meeting has occurred because we want to do good for Your kingdom. You have all power. - Author Unknown. Dear and beloved stranger, please eat this food with us that we may all be nourished. Dear God, we seek Your honor in everything we do and say. Heres a beautiful Buddhist meal gatha that is entirely secular: We receive this food in gratitude to all beings May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. First, the Republican: As this food is about to serve us as nourishment, may we also serve one another. We ask that you would guide and direct Father, we thank you so much for our time here together For all the friends we have made For all the days of laughter and fun And for all the times of great discovery and learning. Enable them to draw upon the wisdom and experience of yesterday as they respond to the questions and concerns of tomorrow. Help us not to waste valuable time, as we all have many tasks to complete today. Amen. However, we are not the Taliban. I pray that this meeting focuses upon You and Your plans for us as a body of believers. Even when such religious commencements make an effort to include people of all faiths they may exclude people with no religion. Lord God and giver of all good gifts, we are grateful as we pause before this meal, for all the blessings of life that you give to us. I pray that you will fill each employee with satisfaction at the great work they are doing for the sake of their country. Lord God, Thank you for your hope and grace. Blessed are you for ever and ever. Dear and beloved stranger, Please eat this food with us that we may all be nourished. Then, let us think of the people who made the food and drink and brought it to us, who serve us and wait on us, and who clear up and clean up after us. And as we discuss the affairs of this church/school/ministry/business, we ask for Your will to be done. - Edward Hays. Help us to enjoy every moment, making memories that will last a lifetime. May we have a spirit of camaraderie in this room and work together on our shared mission. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Help us make new connections and gain wisdom to do the work youve set before us. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. the achievements and accomplishments . A classic humanist alternative to a Christian Grace is: For what we are about to receive Invocation for the Sovereign Pontiff - Lord Jesuss, shelter our Holy Father the Pope . We ask in Jesus' name. A Prayer for a Class Reunion I was asked to offer the "invocation" at the 50th Class Reunion of my high school the other night. Come upon us and cause us to have a productive meeting. Help us to be men and women after. This is true whether the meal is an informal family dinner around the kitchen table or a formal wedding reception. Help us avoid thinking of what we want to say when we should instead be listening and absorbing what is being communicated. 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. Amen. For the significance of this wedding day we thank you. You have blessed us with supportive people who seek the welfare of Your people and Your church/school/ministry/business. Amen. Or how about this variation on a Native American thanks giving: We give thanks for the plants and animals who have given themselves so that we can enjoy this meal together. And how would you react if we were to organize a walkout during a Christian invocation? In Jesus Christ's holy name, Amen. May everyone be engaged and involved, and may all concerns be addressed. The day is coming to a close, and, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we pause to break bread together. 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. Let our aims in this meeting be aligned with Your direction. - Christian mealtime prayer. May each member of this team feel valued, and may we each recognize the skill sets and knowledge that each person brings to the table. And vow to respond in turn to those in need Two of the councilmen who walked out, Wendell Gilliard and Robert George, stated their reasons in a March 27 Charleston Post and Courier article by Jason Hardin. 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. We ask all this in the glorious name of Jesus Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit World without end. This a prayer from the Baha'i Writings: "O Thou kind Lord! Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May we be strong in virtue firm in time of trouble, and always ready to help others in time of need. Stop What Youre Doing: The First Trailer For "Are You There God? Loving Father, we thank You most of all for being here in our midst. We thank you for families that offer emotional, financial, and spiritual support. George Rodger, of Aberdeen, Scotland, used this god-free grace at the start of a wedding meal: Let us enjoy good food and good drink, But there are also some longer or more formal wordings. With all the tensions going on in our nation right now and the Greater . Lord Jesus, we praise your holy name for ever. Amen. Father, let Your will be done in this meeting so that this can be a meeting that is based upon Your desires for us. In Christianity this prayer is called "Grace." I'd like to close in a bipartisan manner by quoting from two presidents I greatly admire-one a Republican and the other a Democrat. Thank you for the blessing of bringing (name) and (name) together in marriage today. Browse through these encouraging prayers for a dose of inspiration. Here are some great invocation prayers to help start the meeting off right. Change of Command Ceremony for a Squadron/Battalion - Invocation (Christian) (written by Chaplain Daryl Densford, prayed the 5-15 CAV Change of Command Ceremony, Ft. Knox, KY, 2005) Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for this beautiful day that we can stand before you. Here in Your presence many friends and families are gathered to celebrate in fellowship. The prayer is straight forward and provides us with the early understanding that all this is possible because of. When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer. 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. - Mother Teresa. Amen. Amen. We desire Your glory and blessing in all we do. You are our Wisdom and our Strength. and for those with whom we are about to share it, We give you honor and glory, Lord. Thank you for our health, our work and our play. Youll find weekly encouragement to help you become more than yourself through Gods Word at her website,kristinebrown.net. Amen. Give us balance in times of distraction and uncertainty. May they and we, because of our faith in You, our God, taste in the victory of life over death. Sometimes when we pray we have special requests to ask of God. For the way You love, we thank You. Lord, bless this food and grant that we may thankful for thy mercies be; teach us to know by whom we're fed; bless us with Christ, the living bread. Be with us this hour, and every hour, I pray. Traditional Wedding Reception Prayers For those who want to wrap tradition into their wedding, we have traditional wedding reception prayers for you. As we work together to fulfill your purpose, we commit to walk in grace, humility, and truth. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. God, you remind us how important it is to spend quiet time with you in Psalm 46:10, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. As we begin our retreat, we give our cares and worries to you. I gave the invocation at the installation banquet for the Board of Directors for the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce this week which was made more meaningful because I was one of the people being sworn in as an advisory member of the board. We pray that all voices will be heard and that we will have a mindset of inclusivity. Thy creatures bless and grant that we may feast in paradise with Thee. The prayer may also ask God for help; for example, that the decisions you're about to make be good ones. Amen. You are welcome in this place. Be here and everywhere adored. For rest and home and all things good. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts. Reveal problem areas and show us the best solutions that will apply. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 183. Be present at our table, Lord, be here and everywhere adored. May your presence be the extra taste to this meal which we eat in the name of your son, Jesus. Thank you for leading them in their learning, for keeping them safe as they studied, and for watching over them in their final exams. We shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint. - Author Unknown. Prayer for Good Plans God, You are the Builder of all things. May all be fed. We lift up this bread; may it be food and symbol for all of us who shall eat it. for the warm hospitality Fortunately, lemonade is now being squeezed from these lemons. Bless us, O God. We honor them for their loyalty to God and Country, for their good deeds, and for their friendship. - Christina Baldwin. 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. after we said our temporary goodbyes to our dear Alma Mater. Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Feed our souls on the bread of life and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds. All present join hands in a circle around the table, and are silent for half a minute or so as they collect their thoughts, meditate or pray. . We focus our hearts and minds on you. You are worthy of praise. Amen. Bless this food [this bread] and grant that all who eat it may be strong in body and grow in your love. Understanding of Objectives Prayer God of truth, enlighten us now as we meet together so that we each have a clear understanding of the issues we need to discuss. When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency, bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help, by word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. You know everything. May all be fed. Amen. Amen. Please submit one here: Submit a Prayer, To provide feedback, please email: jesuitresource@xavier.edu. Guide us in the things we do and. Show us Your purposes. 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 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. Jesuitresource.org is developed by The Center for Mission and Identity at Xavier University with support from the Conway Institute for Jesuit Education. Gods Will Be Done Prayer Oh Lord, please instruct us and teach us in the way that we should conduct this meeting. - Edward Hays, "Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home". Amen. We invite you into our presence. It is important to come before God in prayer with a humble spirit. Prayer 1. Lord, make us thankful for our food, bless us with faith in Jesus' blood; with bread of life our souls' supply, that we may live with Christ on high. come and gather together this day. Open our hearts to your love. Sir Henry Guildford: Henry VIII, I, iv. Please guide us in this meeting. Jorie Nicole McDonald leads editorial video efforts for Southern Living. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. May your hearts be filled with dreams to face each day with hope and motivation.". Forgive us for any wrongdoing, and give us a clean heart. Our prayers for our children never cease.". It reminded me of the importance of praying at the beginning of every occasion. Amen. We thanked God for the gift of getting together with friends and invited Him into our midst. Bless our eyes and taste so that we may eat this food in a holy and mindful manner. Two score and 10 years ago the class of '64 left the friendly confines of Wapak High on a journey full of victories and defeats, joys and . Enable us to acquire and understand the accurate information we need and its implications, so we can make informed decisions. Bless our eyes and taste so that we may eat this food in a holy and mindful manner. We must hold firmly to our unity, borne forward now not of tragedy but of loving kindness. 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. This day of celebration is a blessing from you. Lord, it is such a thrill to know that I have been awarded this scholarship and I pray that I will work conscientiously and hard for the . We turn to you in prayer and ask you to bless us and this food you have given us. It is when we wear our majority hats that we need to be most mindful of how we treat others. Help us all to continue the good work we are . Give us balance in times of distraction and uncertainty. If you desire to entertaining books, lots of novels, tale, jokes, and more ctions collections are along with launched, from Prayers for our Chamber of Commerce. Come and reveal Your will in every aspect of our life and ministry. Short invocation prayer for a graduation ceremony Lord God, We ask for your almighty hand to be upon all those who graduate today. Help us hear the complete message being communicated. Loving God, bless all those gathered here today as we come together in friendship and fellowship. Thank you for the good plans you have for us. Psalm 118:24 says, This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Father, with joyful hearts in the spirit of thanksgiving, we ask you to bless this banquet and each person here. opening prayer for a worship service Opening prayer for a worship service God of grace, We open our hearts, minds and souls to worship to you. Can you now understand how uncomfortable many non-Christians feel when they are continually subjected to Christian prayers at secular events? 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. He said, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).