A THANKSGIVING PRAYER

A Thanksgiving Prayer for the Nation and World  -

We the people of Epworth Chapel, Baltimore join others in prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for the nation on the eve of Thanksgiving.


"God of our weary years, God of our silent tears; thou who has brought us thus far along the way. Thou who has by thy might, led us into the light - keep us forever in thy path we pray" (James Weldon Johnson). O God, you see all and know all – and amidst the various and sundry vicissitudes of life, we are mindful that you are in control of all that is and is to be. We pause to offer thanks to you for your grace and mercy towards your people. We are a people of divergent perspectives, with a diversity of hopes and dreams and visions. But we come before you acknowledging the commonality that all persons share in you, the creator of the universe.

O God, we offer you thanks for this nation. We take this opportunity to offer prayers for the nation and our world. We pray for the people of every city and county in every state in America. We pray that you would bless every home and every community - every school and every place where your people gather for work and leisure. Bless those persons who are older and those who are younger. We pray for peace and safety for all of us who live and move throughout every community across our nation, and we pray likewise for communities like ours around the world.

Lord God, we pray especially for your blessings upon those persons who bear the burdens of want and disparity among us - whether it be for lack of food or shelter, inadequate health-care or inadequate education.

We ask your blessings upon those who serve and lead the nation in elective and appointive office, and those who will do so in the future. Bless them with a portion of your wisdom, patience, integrity, justice and compassion.

“Now dot thy still dews of quietness; let all of our strivings cease; take now from our souls the strain and the stress; and let our ordered lives confess; the beauty of your peace” (Howard Thurman). Amen.