Prayers and Thanksgivings
From the 1928 Book of Common Prayer
PRAYERS.
To be used
before the Prayer for all Conditions of Men, or, when that is not said, before
the final Prayer of Thanksgiving or of Blessing, or before the Grace.
A Prayer for
Congress.
To be used
during their Session.
MOST gracious God, we humbly beseech thee, as for the people of
these United States in general, so especially for their Senate and
Representatives in Con- gress assembled; that thou wouldest be pleased to
direct and prosper all their consultations, to the advancement of thy glory,
the good of thy Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of thy people; that all
things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and
surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and
piety, may be established among us for all generations. These and all other
necessaries, for them, for us, and thy whole Church, we humbly beg in the Name
and mediation of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.
For a State
Legislature.
O GOD, the fountain of wisdom, whose statutes are good and
gracious and whose law is truth; We beseech thee so to guide and bless the
Legislature of this State, that it may ordain for our governance only such
things as please thee, to the glory of thy Name and the welfare of the people;
through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
For Courts of
Justice.
ALMIGHTY God, who sittest in the throne judging right; We humbly
beseech thee to bless the courts of justice and the magistrates in all this
land; and give unto them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that they may
discern the truth, and impartially administer the law in the fear of thee
alone; through him who shall come to be our Judge, thy Son, our Saviour Jesus
Christ. Amen.
For Our
Country.
ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage;
We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of
thy favour and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honourable industry,
sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and
confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way. Defend our
liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out
of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in
thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy
praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our
hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in
thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer to be
used at the Meetings of Convention.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who by thy Holy Spirit didst preside
in the Council of the blessed Apostles, and hast promised, through thy Son
Jesus Christ, to be with thy Church to the end of the world; We beseech thee to
be with the Council of thy Church here assembled in thy Name and Presence. Save
us from all error, ignorance, pride, and prejudice; and of thy great mercy
vouchsafe, we beseech thee, so to direct, sanctify, and govern us in our work,
by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost, that the comfortable Gospel of Christ
may be truly preached, truly received, and truly followed, in all places, to
the breaking down the kingdom of sin, Satan, and death; till at length the
whole of thy dispersed sheep, being gathered into one fold, shall become
partakers of everlasting life; through the merits and death of Jesus Christ our
Saviour. Amen.
During, or
before, the session of any General or Diocesan Convention, the above Prayer may
be used by all Congregations of this Church, or of the Diocese concerned; the
clause, here assembled in thy Name, being changed to now assembled (or about to
assemble) in thy Name and Presence; and the clause, govern us in our work, to
govern them in their work.
For the Church.
O GRACIOUS Father, we humbly beseech thee for thy holy Catholic
Church; that thou wouldest be pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace.
Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any
thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, establish it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of him who
died and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ,
thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
For the Unity
of God's People.
O GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the
Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we
are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and
whatso- ever else may hinder us from godly union and concord: that as there is
but one Body and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of
one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and
charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Missions.
O GOD, who hast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell
on the face of the whole earth, and didst send thy blessed Son to preach peace
to them that are far off and to them that are nigh; Grant that all men every-
where may seek after thee and find thee. Bring the nations into thy fold, pour
out thy Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten thy kingdom; through the same thy Son
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or this.
ALMIGHTY God, whose compassions fail not, and whose
loving-kindness reacheth unto the world's end; We give thee humble thanks for
opening heathen lands to the light of thy truth; for making paths in the deep
waters and highways in the desert; and for planting thy Church in all the
earth. Grant, we beseech thee, unto us thy servants, that with lively faith we
may labour abundantly to make known to all men thy blessed gift of eternal
life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For those who
are to be admitted into Holy Orders.
To be used in
the Weeks preceding the stated Times of Ordination.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who hast pur- chased to thyself
an universal Church by the precious blood of thy dear Son; Mercifully look upon
the same, and at this time so guide and govern the minds of thy servants the
Bishops and Pastors of thy flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man,
but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons, to serve in the sacred
Ministry of thy Church. And to those who shall be ordained to any holy
function, give thy grace and heavenly benediction; that both by their life and
doctrine they may show forth thy glory, and set forward the salvation of all
men; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or this.
ALMIGHTY God, the giver of all good gifts, who of thy divine
providence hast appointed divers Orders in thy Church; Give thy grace, we
humbly beseech thee, to all those who are to be called to any office and
administration in the same; and so replenish them with the truth of thy
doctrine, and endue them with innocency of life, that they may faithfully serve
before thee, to the glory of thy great Name, and the benefit of thy holy
Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the
Increase of the Ministry.
O ALMIGHTY God, look mercifully upon the world which thou hast
redeemed by the blood of thy dear Son, and incline the hearts of many to
dedicate themselves to the sacred Ministry of thy Church; through the same thy
Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Fruitful
Seasons.
To be used on
Rogation Sunday and the Rogation Days.
ALMIGHTY God, who hast blessed the earth that it should be
fruitful and bring forth whatsoever is needful for the life of man, and hast
commanded us to work with quietness, and eat our own bread; Bless the labours
of the husbandman, and grant such seasonable weather that we may gather in the
fruits of the earth, and ever rejoice in thy goodness, to the praise of thy
holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or this.
O GRACIOUS Father, who openest thine hand and fillest all things
living with plenteousness; We beseech thee of thine infinite goodness to hear
us, who now make our prayers and supplications unto thee. Remember not our
sins, but thy promises of mercy. Vouchsafe to bless the lands and multiply the
harvests of the world. Let thy breath go forth that it may renew the face of
the earth. Show thy loving-kindness, that our land may give her increase; and
so fill us with good things that the poor and needy may give thanks unto thy
Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Rain.
O GOD, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised
to all those who seek thy kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, all things
necessary to their bodily sustenance; Send us, we beseech thee, in this our
necessity, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of
the earth to our comfort, and to thy honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For Fair
Weather.
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee, of thy
great goodness, to restrain those immoderate rains, wherewith thou hast
afflicted us. And we pray thee to send us such seasonable weather, that the
earth may, in due time, yield her increase for our use and benefit; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Time of
Dearth and Famine.
O GOD, heavenly Father, whose gift it is that the rain doth fall,
and the earth bring forth her increase; Behold, we beseech thee, the
afflictions of thy people; increase the
fruits of the earth by thy heavenly benediction; and grant that
the scarcity and dearth, which we now most justly suffer for our sins, may,
through thy goodness, be mercifully turned into plenty; for the love of Jesus
Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and
glory, now and for ever. Amen.
In Time of War
and Tumults.
O ALMIGHTY God, the supreme Governor of all things, whose power no
creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and
to be merciful to those who truly repent; Save and deliver us, we humbly be-
seech thee, from the hands of our enemies; that we, being armed with thy
defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify thee, who art
the only giver of all vic- tory; through the merits of thy Son, Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
In Time of
Calamity.
O GOD, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the
prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call
upon thee, and grant us thy help in this our need; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
For the Army.
O LORD God of Hosts, stretch forth, we pray thee, thine almighty
arm to strengthen and protect the soldiers of our country. Support them in the
day of battle, and in the time of peace keep them safe from all evil; endue
them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve
without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Navy.
O ETERNAL Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and
rulest the raging of the sea; Vouchsafe to take into thy almighty and most
gracious protection our country's Navy, and all who serve therein. Preserve
them from the dangers of the sea, and from the violence of the enemy; that they
may be a safeguard unto the United States of America, and a security for such
as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our
land may in peace and quietness serve thee our God, to the glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Memorial Days.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living
and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down
their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the
light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be
perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
For Schools,
Colleges, and Universities.
ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee, with thy gracious favour to behold
our universities, colleges, and schools, that knowledge may be increased among
us, and all good learning flourish and abound. Bless all who teach and all who
learn; and grant that in humility of heart they may ever look unto thee, who
art the fountain of all wis- dom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Religious
Education.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who hast com- mitted to thy
holy Church the care and nurture of thy children; Enlighten with thy wisdom
those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of thy
truth, they may worship thee and serve thee from genera- tion to generation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Children.
O LORD Jesus Christ, who dost embrace children with the arms of
thy mercy, and dost make them living members of thy Church; Give them grace, we
pray thee, to stand fast in thy faith, to obey thy word, and to abide in thy
love; that, being made strong by thy Holy Spirit, they may resist temptation
and overcome evil, and may rejoice in the life that now is, and dwell with thee
in the life that is to come; through thy merits, O merciful Saviour, who with
the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God, world without end.
Amen.
For those about
to be Confirmed.
O GOD, who through the teaching of thy Son Jesus Christ didst
prepare the disciples for the coming of the Comforter; Make ready, we beseech
thee, the hearts and minds of thy servants who at this time are seeking to be
strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit through the lay- ing on of hands,
that, drawing near with penitent and faithful hearts, they may evermore be
filled with the power of his divine indwelling; through the same Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
For Christian
Service.
O LORD, our heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister; We beseech thee to bless all who, following
in his steps, give themselves to the service of their fellow men. Endue them
with wisdom, patience, and courage to strengthen the weak and raise up those
who fall; that, being inspired by thy love, they may worthily minister in thy
Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the sake of him who
laid down his life for us, the same thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
For Social
Justice.
ALMIGHTY God, who hast created man in thine own image; Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil, and to make no peace with oppression;
and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the
maintenance of justice among men and nations, to the glory of thy holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Every Man
in his Work.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who declarest thy glory and
showest forth thy handiwork in the heavens and in the earth; Deliver us, we
beseech thee, in our several callings, from the service of mammon, that we may
do the work which thou givest us to do, in truth, in beauty, and in
righteousness, with singleness of heart as thy servants, and to the benefit of
our fellow men; for the sake of him who came among us as one that serveth, thy
Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Family
of Nations.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, guide, we beseech thee, the
Nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among
them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the Kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
In Time of
Great Sickness and Mortality.
O MOST mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness,
we flee unto thee for succour. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril;
give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the
means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and
uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which
leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Sick
Person.
O FATHER of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time
of need; We humbly beseech thee to be- hold, visit, and relieve thy sick
servant [N.] for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon him with the eyes of thy
mercy; comfort him with a sense of thy goodness; preserve him from the
temptations of the enemy; and give him pa- tience under his affliction. In thy
good time, restore him to health, and enable him to lead the residue of his
life in thy fear, and to thy glory; and grant that finally he may dwell with
thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Sick
Child.
O HEAVENLY Father, watch with us, we pray thee, over the sick
child for whom our prayers are offered, and grant that he may be restored to
that perfect health which it is thine alone to give; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
For a Person
under Affliction.
O MERCIFUL God, and heavenly Father, who hast taught us in thy
holy Word that thou dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men;
Look with pity, we beseech
thee, upon the sorrows of thy servant for whom our prayers are
offered. Remember him, O Lord, in mercy; endue his soul with patience; comfort
him with a sense of thy goodness; lift up thy countenance upon him, and give
him peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Person,
or Persons, going to Sea.
O ETERNAL God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the
raging of the sea; We commend to thy almighty protection, thy servant, for whose
preservation on the great deep our prayers are desired. Guard him, we beseech
thee, from the dangers of the sea, from sickness, from the violence of enemies,
and from every evil to which he may be exposed. Conduct him in safety to the
haven where he would be, with a grateful sense of thy mercies; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Prisoners.
O GOD, who sparest when we deserve punishment, and in thy wrath
rememberest mercy; We humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, to comfort and
succour all prisoners [especially those who are condemned to die]. Give them a
right understanding of themselves, and of thy promises; that, trusting wholly
in thy mercy, they may not place their confidence anywhere but in thee. Relieve
the distressed, protect the innocent, awaken the guilty; and forasmuch as thou
alone bringest light out of darkness, and good out of evil, grant to these thy
servants, that by the power of thy Holy Spirit they may be set free from the
chains of sin, and may be brought to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
THANKSGIVINGS.
To be used
after the General Thanksgiving, or, when that is not said, before the final
Prayer of Blessing or the Benediction.
A Thanksgiving
to Almighty God for the Fruits of the Earth and all the other Blessings of his
merciful Providence.
MOST gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths are broken up,
and the clouds drop down the dew; We yield thee unfeigned thanks and praise for
the return of seed-time and harvest, for the increase of the ground and the
gathering in of the fruits thereof, and for all the other blessings of thy
merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people. And, we beseech thee,
give us a just sense of these great mercies; such as may appear in our lives by
an humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee all our days; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and
honour, world without end. Amen.
The
Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth.
To be said when
any Woman, being present in Church, shall have desired to return thanks to
Almighty God for her safe deliverance.
O ALMIGHTY God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast been
graciously pleased to preserve, through the great pain and peril of
child-birth, this woman, thy servant, who desireth now to offer her praises and
thanks- givings unto thee. Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that
she, through thy help, may faithfully live accor- ding to thy will in this
life, and also may be partaker of ever- lasting glory in the life to come;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Rain.
O GOD, our heavenly Father, by whose gracious providence the
former and the latter rain descend upon the earth, that it may bring forth
fruit for the use of man; We give thee humble thanks that it hath pleased thee
to send us rain to our great comfort, and to the glory of thy holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Fair
Weather.
O LORD God, who hast justly humbled us by thy late visitation of
us with immoderate rain and waters, and in thy mercy hast relieved and
comforted our souls by this seasonable and blessed change of weather; We praise
and glorify thy holy Name for this thy mercy, and will always declare thy
loving-kindness from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For Plenty.
O MOST merciful Father, who of thy gracious goodness hast heard
the devout prayers of thy Church, and turned our dearth and scarcity into
plenty; We give thee
humble thanks for this thy special bounty; beseeching thee to
continue thy loving-kindness unto us, that our land may yield us her fruits of
increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Peace, and
Deliverance from our Enemies.
O ALMIGHTY God, who art a strong tower of defence unto thy
servants against the face of their enemies; We yield thee praise and
thanksgiving for our deliverance from those great and apparent dangers
wherewith we were com- passed. We acknowledge it thy goodness that we were not
delivered over as a prey unto them; beseeching thee still to continue such thy
mercies towards us, that all the world may know that thou art our Saviour and
mighty Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Restoring
Public Peace at Home.
O ETERNAL God, our heavenly Father, Who alone makest men to be of
one mind in a house, and stillest the outrage of a violent and unruly people;
We bless thy holy Name, that it hath pleased thee to appease the sedi- tious
tumults which have been lately raised up amongst us; most humbly beseeching
thee to grant to all of us grace, that we may henceforth obediently walk in thy
holy command- ments; and, leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and honesty, may continually offer unto thee our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
for these thy mercies towards us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Recovery
from Sickness.
O GOD, who art the giver of life, of health, and of safety; We
bless thy Name, that thou hast been pleased to deliver from his bodily sickness
this thy servant, who now desireth to return thanks unto thee, in the presence
of all thy people. Gracious art thou, O Lord, and full of compassion to the
children of men. May his heart be duly impressed with a sense of thy merciful
goodness, and may he devote the residue of his days to an humble, holy, and
obedient walking before thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For a Child's
Recovery from Sickness.
ALMIGHTY God and heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks for
that thou hast been graciously pleased to deliver from his bodily sickness the
child in whose behalf we bless and praise thy Name, in the presence of all thy
people. Grant, we beseech thee, O gracious Father, that he, through thy help,
may both faithfully live in this world according to thy will, and also may be
partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
For a Safe
Return from a Journey.
MOST gracious Lord, whose mercy is over all thy works; We praise
thy holy Name that thou hast been pleased to conduct in safety, through the
perils of the great deep (of his way), this thy servant, who now desireth to
return his thanks unto thee in thy holy Church. May he be duly sensible of thy
merciful providence towards him, and ever ex- press his thankfulness by a holy
trust in thee, and obedience to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
