I have a meeting this afternoon for my church’s Adult Faith Formation Committee, and I’ve been tasked with bringing the opening prayer this month. Thank you! I will read your prayer (and give you proper credit, of course 🥰)
Thank you so much! This is a wonderful prayer. I want to remember its outline the next time I am asked to offer prayer in any setting (not just church business meetings).
Thank you for this. I am an elder in my church, as well as serving on several committees, and traditionally all our meetings open and close in prayer. More often than not, when someone is asked to pray, everyone looks at their laps. While praying in public has always been a challenge for me, I remember the words of a friend who served as a deacon to our homebound church members; she told me that we should all be prepared if someone in our church family asks us to pray with/for them. Interestingly, I find the young children in my Sunday school class (some as young as kindergarten age) not only willing, but eager, to help us “pray in” and “pray out” of class. They offer up sincere prayers, and I always learn a bit more about their lives when they pray.
When I served on the leadership team at my church, we started every meeting by reading this "Behavioral Covenant" together. I think it was something that the church leadership previously came up with and agreed upon together. But it quickly became my favorite part of the meeting, and I think you could adapt it easy to be a prayer. It still rings in my head when I find myself in potentially tricky conversations, and has helped me not avoid conflict quite as much as I used to. <3
We seek to build each other up and not teach each other down.
We seek to be sensitive to each other's feelings, experiences, hopes, and frustrations.
We offer our opinions and accept the opinions of others with humility and charity.
We believe the best of each other and give each other the benefit of the doubt.
We seek to communicate clearly, completely, and directly.
We respect lay leaders and the office of pastor.
We seek to discover what is best for our church as a whole, not what may be best for us or for any small group within the church.
We accept disagreement, conflict, and evaluation as normal and natural.
We seek to be sensitive to and discerning of the Holy Spirit's presence and movement.
This brought up so many feelings. I started working at a church fresh out of college, so every work meeting I attended began with prayer and a scripture reading and a devotional time and sometimes even a set of worship songs. When I left my job at the church and started government work, I attended my first meeting that didn’t open in prayer and I felt LIBERATED. It’s a challenge to bring prayer into the workplace without it becoming performative.
Yes! I really struggle with this. I love opening with prayer (or even just a mindful moment). That deep breath before diving into a meeting is meaningful to me. But I struggle with the performance.
Thanks you, Beth, for this sincere prayer as someone who is not working for (employee) rather someone who is serving in (volunteer) their church. I love that you begin asking to “approach your work w/humility.” While on staff at my church, I was astonished by the lack of humility, especially from those who preached about it.
I struggle with this too. I keep this one saved in my phone because I can usually get inspiration ::
This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring
forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I
am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still,
help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it
patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly.
Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit
of Jesus. Amen.
BCP ‘in the morning’
Oh I love this. Thank you!
I love this Beth.
That is simply a beautiful prayer… I've saved it for future use in similar settings. Thank you!
I have a meeting this afternoon for my church’s Adult Faith Formation Committee, and I’ve been tasked with bringing the opening prayer this month. Thank you! I will read your prayer (and give you proper credit, of course 🥰)
This is GOLD. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful, Beth
Wonderful. Thank you, Beth
Thank you so much! This is a wonderful prayer. I want to remember its outline the next time I am asked to offer prayer in any setting (not just church business meetings).
Thank you for this. I am an elder in my church, as well as serving on several committees, and traditionally all our meetings open and close in prayer. More often than not, when someone is asked to pray, everyone looks at their laps. While praying in public has always been a challenge for me, I remember the words of a friend who served as a deacon to our homebound church members; she told me that we should all be prepared if someone in our church family asks us to pray with/for them. Interestingly, I find the young children in my Sunday school class (some as young as kindergarten age) not only willing, but eager, to help us “pray in” and “pray out” of class. They offer up sincere prayers, and I always learn a bit more about their lives when they pray.
There's absolutely nothing better than hearing children's prayers
Beth,
When I served on the leadership team at my church, we started every meeting by reading this "Behavioral Covenant" together. I think it was something that the church leadership previously came up with and agreed upon together. But it quickly became my favorite part of the meeting, and I think you could adapt it easy to be a prayer. It still rings in my head when I find myself in potentially tricky conversations, and has helped me not avoid conflict quite as much as I used to. <3
We seek to build each other up and not teach each other down.
We seek to be sensitive to each other's feelings, experiences, hopes, and frustrations.
We offer our opinions and accept the opinions of others with humility and charity.
We believe the best of each other and give each other the benefit of the doubt.
We seek to communicate clearly, completely, and directly.
We respect lay leaders and the office of pastor.
We seek to discover what is best for our church as a whole, not what may be best for us or for any small group within the church.
We accept disagreement, conflict, and evaluation as normal and natural.
We seek to be sensitive to and discerning of the Holy Spirit's presence and movement.
In all things, we seek to honor God.
This is really lovely. We have a covenant that we share, too. (I like yours better!)
This brought up so many feelings. I started working at a church fresh out of college, so every work meeting I attended began with prayer and a scripture reading and a devotional time and sometimes even a set of worship songs. When I left my job at the church and started government work, I attended my first meeting that didn’t open in prayer and I felt LIBERATED. It’s a challenge to bring prayer into the workplace without it becoming performative.
Yes! I really struggle with this. I love opening with prayer (or even just a mindful moment). That deep breath before diving into a meeting is meaningful to me. But I struggle with the performance.
+1 (though I didn’t go to work in gov’t)
Thanks you, Beth, for this sincere prayer as someone who is not working for (employee) rather someone who is serving in (volunteer) their church. I love that you begin asking to “approach your work w/humility.” While on staff at my church, I was astonished by the lack of humility, especially from those who preached about it.
May we all bring & experience grace in our day.