Ecclesiastes 3:1–13
as one year ends and a new one begins,
we mark the turning of time and season with thanks and remembering
we give thanks for the lives born this year,
and pray for your presence with parents and carers of children
we remember the people who died this year,
and pray for your presence with the sick and dying
we give thanks for all kinds of seeds planted this year,
for your presence with those who plant and nurture, sow and reap
we remember all that came to an end this year,
in good time or too soon; and we pray for healing and peace
we give thanks for things built – homes, businesses, communities, relationships,
and we pray for your presence with those who build
we remember the things that were dismantled this year,
and we pray for your presence with all who feel bereft
we give thanks for the good times this year,
and for those with whom we laughed, rejoiced, delighted
we remember the times we wept this year,
and those who comforted us, and let us comfort them
we give thanks for the songs, the dances, the poems, of this year,
and for the artists who enrich our community, showing us who we are
we remember the laments of this year,
and we pray for your presence with all who mourn
we give thanks for our bodies, with which we embrace life and each other,
and pray for wholeness and strength for each other and ourselves
we remember the times we've had to hold back this year,
and we pray with hope for our coming together again
we give thanks for curiosity and wonder, for all we've learned this year,
and pray for your presence with teachers in every guise
we remember the things we've had to let go this year,
and pray for courage to endure cocoons so as to grow new wings and fly
we give thanks for the menders, repairers, restorers,
and pray for your presence with wounds and stitches still healing
we remember the rips, tears, breaks of this year,
and we pray for forgiveness all round
we give thanks for silence that has helped us to hear,
we pray for no more of the silence that exacerbates injustice
we give thanks for the stories, wisdom, experience we hold,
and we pray for discernment in using our voice
we give thanks for love, to give and receive,
and we pray for friends for the lonely
we remember the times we've hated this year,
righteous rejection of injustice and unhelpful blaming and shaming
we give thanks for your peace that we do not
fully understand, so must keep learning by living it
we remember the battles we have fought this year,
and pray for your presence as we continue the struggles
of climate change, for Black Lives – which matter –
with responses to the Covid, and with recovery
from fire and flood, storms and drought*
in every season, with every turning,
you are with us, you are listening;
Thank you for your presence
through this year that has ended,
thank you for your presence
into the year just beginning. Amen.
* please adapt these final concerns to specifics of time and place when you pray this prayer
