We are in this together. We are in this together. We are a community, a beloved community, earth community. The goodness of Creation is real, the holy is in our midst, we are in this together, and together we move through the seasons of our times – the upheaval, the violence, the despair, the hope, the joy and laughter – all of it.
That is what I’m trying to touch on in this responsive prayer.
The entire reading is below; it is also in a PDF document for ease of formatting.
Leader: As people of faith, let us affirm who we are and whose we are, and where we are called to be: We are in this together. We move together in covenant with each other and with God, for the sake of all God’s children, all of Earth Community.
People: We are in this together, for the sake of God’s world.
Leader: We are the Body of Christ, and each one a beloved and essential part of it. We are not alone. We need each other. We are here to love each other.
People: We are the Body of Christ, empowered by Christ for the sake of God’s world.
Leader: In the United Church of Christ, we come from a history of mergers, of disparate groups coming together to form a greater whole. Our ancestors in faith knew what it meant to struggle, argue, create, disagree, and move into and for a future of diversity, hope, and community.
People: May it be so with us, for the sake of God’s world.
Leader: We affirm the goodness of Creation and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst, creating and re-creating Beloved Community. And, strengthened by the love of God and our love for each other, our nation, and our world, we move through this season with hope and hard work.
ALL: We move together, into a future of justice, healing, hope and community, for the sake of God’s world. Amen!