The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil;
for thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
—Matthew 6:9-13
Prayer at the End of the Catechism
for thee I live,
for thee I suffer,
for thee I die!
Lord Jesus, thine will I be in life and death!
Grant me, O Lord, eternal salvation! Amen.
—Evangelical Synod of North America (UCC predecessor)
Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy Name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Book of Common Prayer (1979)
Prayer for Illumination I
O send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let me bring them to your holy hill
and to your dwelling. Amen.
—Psalm 43:3
The Serenity Prayer
An Evening Prayer
Prayer for Illumination II
God of the living word,
give us the faith to receive your message,
the wisdom to know what it means,
and the courage to put it into practice. Amen.
—A New Zealand Prayer Book
God,
grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage
to change the things I can,
to change the things I can,
and the wisdom
to know the difference. Amen.
to know the difference. Amen.
—Reinhold Niebuhr (UCC Pastor & Scholar)
O Lord, support us all the day long,
until the shadows
lengthen,
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is
hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.
Then in thy mercy,
grant us a safe lodging,
and a holy rest,
and peace at the last. Amen.
—Book of Common Prayer (1979)
Prayer for Fulfillment
Eternal God,
the light of the minds that know you,
the joy of the hearts
that love you,
and the strength of the wills that serve you:
Grant us
so to know you
that we may truly love you,
and so to love you
that we may
truly serve you,
whose service is perfect freedom;
through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
—Augustine of Hippo
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
that I always may be holy. Amen.
—Augustine of Hippo
Prayer for the Fear of the Lord
Father, imprint upon our hearts
that because we belong to you,
no one can pluck us from your hand;
and because we fear you,
we need fear no other. Amen.
—A New Zealand Prayer Book
Prayer for Meaning I
Holy and eternal God,
give us sure trust in your sure purpose
that we measure our lives
not by what we have done or failed to do,
but by our faithfulness to you. Amen.
—A New Zealand Prayer Book
Prayer for Meaning II
You stir us to take pleasure in praising you, O God,
because you have made us
for yourself,
and our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.
So lead us by your Spirit,
that in this life we may live to your glory,
and in the life to come enjoy you forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—A Prayer Book for New Zealand, after Augustine of Hippo
Prayer for Strength
God, you have given us a lodging in this world,
but not an abiding city.
Help us, as a pilgrim people, to endure hardness,
knowing that at the end of our journey,
Christ has prepared a place for us. Amen.
—A New Zealand Prayer Book
Prayer for Faithfulness
God. our Ruler and Guide,
when we come to the place where the road divides,
keep us true to the way of Christ,
alive to present opportunities,
and confident of eternal life. Amen.
—A New Zealand Prayer Book
