Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Proper Prayers for Pentecost 21 (RCL Proper 31C on 3 November 2019)

For those who are not keeping the Feast of All Saints on Sunday, 3 November 2019, here are suggested proper prayers for your use.

Proper Prayers for RCL Proper 31C

RCL Complementary Series

Isaiah 1.10-18; Psalm 32.1-7 (BAS 32.1-8); 2 Thessalonians 1.1-4, 11-12; Luke 19.1-10

RCL Semi-continuous Series

Habakkuk 1.1-4, 2.1-4; Psalm 119.137-144; 2 Thessalonians 1.1-4, 11-12; Luke 19.1-10

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, whose chosen servant Abraham obeyed your call, rejoicing in your promise that in him the family of the earth is blessed, give us faith like his, that/so that in us your promises may be fulfilled; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [1]

Merciful God, gracious and benevolent, through your Son you invite all the world to a meal of mercy. Grant that we may eagerly follow his call, and bring us with all your saints into your life of justice and joy, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

Lord of the lost, you come into our homes and call us your own: may our tables be graced by your presence as guest and our possessions freed to serve the poor; through Jesus Christ, the Seeker. Amen. [3]

O God, you seek out and save the lost, and invite us to the banquet of your eternal home. Visit your people with the joy of salvation, so that we may rejoice in the riches of your forgiveness and reach out in welcome to share with others the feast of your love; through Jesus Christ. Amen. [3]

Just and merciful God, true Lord of every house, sure delight of every hearts, come into our midst today to speak your word and satisfy our hunger. Enable us to see you clearly, to welcome you with joy, and to give justice and mercy a place in our lives. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [4]

Holy God, all our worship is met by the cleansing gaze of your passion for justice. Enfold us in your grace that/so that we may embody our devotion in acts of justice and in defense of the helpless, to the glory of your name; through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of freedom, accept all we offer you this day. May we embrace the law of your service and know the glorious liberty of the children of God. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [1]

Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation. Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, so that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, so that we might for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing. Fill us with good things at your table, so that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord. Amen. [3]

Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen. [3]

Preface

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Saviour Jesus Christ; who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. [2a]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; you are the source of light and life for all your creation, you made us in your own image, and call us to new life in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on this first day of the week overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. In our unending joy we echo on earth the song of the angels in heaven as we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a holy people in Jesus Christ our Lord; you renew that mystery in bread and wine and nourish us, to show forth your glory in all the world. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the holy people who have served you in every age, we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Prayer after Communion

Heavenly Father/Giver of all gifts, bring to perfection within us the communion we share in this sacrament. May the unity we know this day live in our community and family. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [1]

We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life. In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

God of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people. Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, so that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. [3]

Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ. Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son. By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, so that more and more we will give you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Proper Prayers for All Saints (3 November 2019)

Proper Prayers for All Saints C

Daniel 7.1-3, 15-18; Psalm 149; Ephesians 1.11-23; Luke 6.20-31

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, whose people are knit together in one holy Church, the mystical Body of your Son, grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, ow and for ever. Amen. [1]

Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. [2]

God of all holiness, in your realm of glory, those who are poor now will receive the kingdom those who are hungry now will be filled, and those who weep now will laugh and leap in joy. Strengthen us by this vision, so that, with the saints before us, we may bring near your justice and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [3]

Holy God, giver of blessing to hungry and hated, you overturn tables of privilege and greed. Teach us a new way of being beyond reward, beyond revenge, so that we may do to others as we would have them do to us; through Jesus Christ, who prays for all who crucify him. Amen. [3]

All-holy God, you call your people to holiness. As we keep the festival of your saints, give us their meekness and poverty of spirit, a thirst for righteousness, and purity of heart. May we share with them the richness of your kingdom and be clothed in the glory you bestow. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [4]

Prayer over the Gifts

Holy and mighty God, we give you thanks for the triumph of Christ in the lives of all his saints. Receive all we offer you this day, and help us, like them, to run our course with faith, that/so that we may come to your eternal kingdom. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Preface

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Saviour Jesus Christ. By the witness of the saints you show us the hope of our calling, and strengthen us to run the race set before us, that/so that we may delight in your mercy, and rejoice with them in glory. And so, with ( _____ and) all the saints, with the choirs of angels and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn: [2a]

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; in the multitude of your saints you have surrounded us with so great a cloud of witnesses, that we, rejoicing in their fellowship, may run with patience the race that is set before us, and together with them receive the crown of glory that never fades away. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all who have served you in every age, we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name. [1]

Prayer after Communion

Lord of hosts, we praise your glory reflected in your saints. May we who share at this table be filled with the joy of your eternal kingdom, where Jesus is Lord, now and for ever. Amen. [1]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Means of Grace and the Hope of Glory: Pentecost 20 (27 October 2019)

The Means of Grace and the Hope of Glory

Reflections on Luke 18.9-14

RCL Proper 30C

27 October 2019

Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral

New Westminster BC

Luke 18.9-14

^18.9 [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Ask the right question.

In Umberto Eco’s medieval mystery novel, The Name of the Rose, an experienced and somewhat world-wise monk and his novice assistant are sent to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in a forbidding monastery. The monastery has been chosen as the site for a debate between two warring factions of Franciscan monks. One faction, known as the ‘Spirituals’, opposed any ownership of land, buildings or possession by the Order, whether individually or corporately. The other faction, known as the ‘Coventuals’, support the ownership of land and buildings by the Order as a community. In their view this does not violate the Franciscan commitment to poverty.

So the delegations arrive in the midst of murder investigation and turmoil in the neighbouring village to debate this question: ‘Did Jesus own the tunic he wore to his trial?’ To our contemporary eyes the topic may seem unknowable and perhaps even a bit trivial. Unfortunately it’s also the wrong question. The right question would be ‘What was Christ’s attitude towards personal possessions?’

Outward and visible expressions of inward and spiritual grace

It is a common failing of religious people to ask the wrong questions about the relationship between the external details of religious practice and the internal attitudes we bring to these practices. It is the failing that we see in today’s reading from the Gospel according to Luke.

Let me be clear. The religious practices the Pharisee speaks of are not the problem. All of us can benefit from the fasting as a spiritual discipline. It is a discipline shared among Jews, Christians and Muslims. All of us may strive towards tithing. It is also a discipline our three traditions share. The problem here is that what the Pharisee is doing outwardly and visibly has not resulted in an inward and spiritual metanoia, an inner conversion that leads a believer to see the world as God sees it. This is the goal of external religious practices. Unlike the Pharisee, the tax collector, one of the more despised people in Jesus’ time, does understand what religious practice is about, even if he may not be the perfect model in everyday life.

The outward and visible signs of our religious faith are meant to lead us into an inward and spiritual experience of God’s grace. This grace is freely given to us in creation, in renewal and in our growth into the fullness of our dignity as human beings. Such an experience confronts us with a choice. We can live into the vision of life we have seen or we can turn away from this vision and minimize its importance by talking about how hard it is, how unrealistic it is, how counter-intuitive it is.

Practice makes perfect.

Sometimes our religious practices seem unfulfilling. One of my teachers, Bishop Michael Ramsey of blessed memory, once told my seminary classmates that there were days when during the prayers all he could say was ‘I want to pray.’ Some days were so difficult that all he could say was ‘I want to want to pray.’ And then there were those truly dreadful days when all he could say was ‘I want to want to want to pray.’ But he always prayed, whether in the common prayers or in his own personal prayers.

It was this commitment to the practice of prayer that made him a man of prayerful integrity whose presence alone was a source of peace and joy. He sometimes struggled to pray; he always struggled to be faithful in his daily life, but he never gave up the struggle. Just like Jacob in last week’s reading from Genesis, Michael wrestled with God, was wounded but was also blessed.

When we worship, we commit our whole selves, our minds, our souls, our bodies and our strength. We join with God, sometimes we wrestle with God, in the work of making God’s promises visible and active right now, right here, in all the places and relationships entrusted to our stewardship.

So, let’s be careful what we pray for and how we pray for it. You and I may catch a glimpse of what God is up to in the world and in us. And then we’ll find ourselves caught up in the grace of God and nothing will ever be the same again.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Proper Prayers for Pentecost 20 (RCL Proper 30C, 27 October 2019)

Proper Prayers for RCL Proper 30C

RCL Complementary Series

Jeremiah 14.7-10, 19-22 or Sirach 35.12-17; Psalm 84.1-7 (BAS 84.1-6);

2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18; Luke 18.9-14

RCL Semi-continuous Series

Joel 2.23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18; Luke 18.9-14

Collect of the Day

Lord God our redeemer, who heard the cry of your people and sent your servant Moses to lead them out of slavery, free us from the tyranny of sin and death, and by the leading of your Spirit bring us to our promised land; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [1]

Holy God, our righteous judge, daily your mercy surprises us with everlasting forgiveness. Strengthen our hope in you, and grant that all the peoples of the earth may find their glory in you, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

O God of salvation, we come to you in joy, for you have heard the prayers of the poor and raised up the lowly. Pour out your Spirit on young and old alike, so that our dreams and visions may bring justice and peace to the world. Amen. [3]

God beyond our knowing, we make you into an idol to serve our own needs. Humble our arrogance by the strangeness of your coming and the wonder of your mercy; through Jesus Christ, the friend of Pharisees and tax collectors. Amen. [3]

O God, who alone can probe the depths of the heart, you hear the prayer of the humble and justify the repentant sinner. As we stand before you, grant us the gift of humility, that/so that we may see our own sins clearly and refrain from judging our neighbour. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. [4]

O God, the strength of those who humbly confess their sin and place their hope in your, save us from vain displays of righteousness, and give us grace to keep faith with the true humility of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of constant love, you have guided your people at all times and ages. May we who offer you our praise today always be ready to follow where you lead; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Preface

Prayer after Communion

God our guide, you have fed us with bread from heaven as you fed the people of Israel. May we who have been inwardly nourished be ready to follow you all our days; we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

We Are All Wandering Arameans: Reflections on Deuteronomy 26.1-11

We Are All Wandering Arameans

Reflections on Deuteronomy 26.1-11

RCL Thanksgiving C

13 October 2019

Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral

New Westminster BC

Click here to listen to the Sermon as preached at the 10.00 Eucharist.

Deuteronomy 26.1-11

^26.1 When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, ² you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. ³ You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” ⁴ When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, ⁵ you shall make this response before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. ⁶ When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, ⁷ we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. ⁸ The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; ⁹ and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.” You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. ¹¹ Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

I cannot remember when my father’s passion for genealogy first began, but I can say that it was a passion that consumed much of his time after he retired. Because of his working background in computer graphics, he was able to create complex digital family trees with thorough cataloguing references. His library grew with numerous books on the early history of New York State and our family ties to England and Wales. He was an active participant in several on-line chat groups and corresponded with people all over the world. He even engaged in an energetic on-line debate with another researcher about the origin of our family surname.

What he learned about our family has coloured how I understand where and whence I came from, what this may mean for me in the present and how it guides me into the future. I have learned that I am a descendant of forebears who came to North America almost four hundred years ago as political refugees and economic migrants. I have learned that my kin owned slaves in New York before the state finally abolished slavery in 1827 and that my kin fought to end slavery as a general serving with Sherman on his campaigns in the American South during the Civil War.

As much as I would like to remember my family’s history only in a heroic light, I’ve had to confront the shadow side. When Paula and I lived in South Bend, she worked in mortgage banking where she once helped a black family whose surname was ‘Leggett’. Since many freed slaves took the surnames of their former owners, it’s quite possible she might the descendants of one of my family’s former slaves known only to history as ‘You Boy’.

Family stories take on the form of a confession of faith. They not only describe who we are, but they tell something about what we believe about ourselves and what we hold valuable.

In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy we hear a family story being told, one that describes identity and the consequences of that identity. Even as the Israelites over the first-fruits of the bounty they have received from God’s hands, they recite their family history to set that offering in context. Whether they are wealthy or poor, whether they are influential or ignored, every Israelite is reminded that they are descendants of slaves who were freed not by their own hands but by the mighty works of God. Regardless of how much land they own, how well the crops have flourished, how high one may have risen in society, it is all the result of God’s free and incomprehensible promise to pay attention to these descendants of a small, nomadic tribe.

When they offer their first-fruits and remember their origins, they must also do something especially unusual in a society that placed the ownership of land as the chief definer of social status. The Israelites are to share their bounty with the Levites, the one tribe among the Israelites who received no allotment of land when the tribes settled in Canaan. The Israelites are to share their bounty with the aliens resident in their land, a reminder that the Israelites themselves were once aliens in the land of Egypt and subject to oppression and discrimination. The offering of first-fruits, this ancient thanksgiving ritual, is in aid of creating a community of justice, steadfast love and humility rather than self-interest, expediency and pride.

Our stories are more than tales told around the table to entertain and impress. We tell these stories because they remind us of who we have been, how we have come to this point in our history and what we hope for the future.

Underpinning all these stories is the realization that we have only come this far by the grace of God. God’s grace is the breath that sustains all that is, seen and unseen. God’s grace stirs every human being to unselfish acts of bravery and generosity even when we endure oppression, violence and any form of suffering. God’s grace stirs those who have much and enjoy privileges denied to others to work to ensure and to restore the dignity of human being and to share generously from the bounty entrusted to their stewardship. God’s grace stirs us to remember that all of us are or have been ‘wandering Arameans’ whose stories remind us of our solidarity with anyone who is bereft of status and an alien in our midst.

It is right and a good and joyful thing to celebrate feasts such as this Thanksgiving. Tell the stories of family and friends. Remember how God’s graciousness has accompanied our journeys, whether as individuals or families or circles of friends. And then, let us open the doors of our hearts, our souls, our minds and our bodies, so that “ . . . with the Levites and the aliens who reside among [us, celebrate] with all the bounty that the Lord [our] God has given to [us] and to [our] house.” [Deuteronomy 26.11]

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Proper Prayers for Thanksgiving Sunday (13 October 2019)

The following proper prayers, with the exception of the prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, are based on the readings from the RCL and BAS lectionaries.

Proper Prayers for Thanksgiving Sunday C

RCL & BAS

Deuteronomy 26.1-11; Psalm 100; Philippians 4.4-9; John 6.25-35

ELW

Deuteronomy 26.1-11; Psalm 65; 2 Corinthians 9.6-15; Matthew 13.24-30 [36-43]

Collect of the Day

Creator of the fruitful earth, you made us stewards of all things. Give us grateful hearts for all your goodness, and steadfast wills to use your bounty well, that/so that the whole human family, today and in generations to come, may with us give thanks for the riches of your creation. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [1]

O Lord, maker of all things, you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. We praise you for crowning the fields with your blessings and enabling us once more to gather in the fruits of the earth. Teach us to use your gifts carefully, that/so that our land may continue to yield its increase, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. [2]

Creator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea, and the rhythm of the seasons. As we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3]

God, whose word is engrained in all we eat and drink: free us from the greed that destroys the roots of life; teach us to eat the living bread in whom all hungers are satisfied by the life that gives of itself and is never sapped, Jesus Christ, the living Word. Amen. [3]

Generous God, you brought us into the abundance of our inheritance. Grant us the faith to be people blossoming with honour and truth, so that we may produce bountifully the first-fruits of justice and compassion, which are pleasing in your sight; through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

Source of all life, the heaven and earth are yours, yet you have given us dominion over/stewardship of all things. Receive the symbols of our labour and love which we offer you this day, n the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Preface

Prayer after Communion

God our hope, in this eucharist we find the source of all your blessings. Nourished in these holy mysteries may we, with our lives, give you continual thanks and praise. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

Notes

[1] The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2] Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a] Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3] Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4] Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5] Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

N.B. Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.