Blessing at our departure (John O’Donohue)
May you travel in an awakened way,
Gathered wisely into your inner ground;
That you may not waste the invitations
Which wait along the way to transform you.
May you travel safely, arrive refreshed
And live your time away to its fullest;
Return home, more enriched and free
To balance the gift of days which call you.
Prayer at the corner of Gilbert and Milton Roads
We are at the most easterly point of our parish, in the heart of our city.
Here Lord, we pray for all those who live and work in this city. We especially remember all those who live in over-crowded homes, those living in hostels and on the streets. For those who commute daily into this city for work and for those who cannot work.
Let us pray for those who have recently been elected to positions of power over the life of this city, that they may use their power wisely and for the common good. AMEN.
Prayer on the NIAB Fields
Ask and you will receive.
Seek and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened to you.
Forgive us, Father, our hesitancy in asking.
You are always ready to give, without counting the cost.
Rogationtide is the time when we come togetherto ask a favour of you- that you will richly bless our land.
Help us to be good stewards of your creation, recognising both the possibilities and the dangers posed by our growing knowledge and capability.
We ask that you guide those planning the development of this place that they may seek to be good stewards of your creation. May there still be space here for people to enjoy the natural world, to have peace and to stand and stare.AMEN
Prayer on NW Cambridge site
God of creation, we thank you for the gift of the earth, and for the life which teems upon the land, in the waters, and in the air. Thank you for the wonder of life that you have entrusted to us in all its complexity, interconnectedness and biodiversity. Help us to conserve it well, use it sustainably, and endow it faithfully to our children’s children.We ask that you guide those planning the development of this place that they may seek to be good stewards of your creation. We pray that this will be a good place to live, that people will feel part of this community and of the communities that surround them. May there still be space here for people to enjoy the natural world, to have peace and to stand and stare. AMEN
Prayer on West Cambridge site
Lord, we take time here to rest, with the beauty of your natural world and amongst the creativity of human beings as they research ever deeper into the complexities of this beautiful world. So let us hear a prayer from the 17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler:
‘If I have been enticed into brashness by the wonderful beauty of thy works, or if I have loved my own glory among men, while advancing in work destined for thy glory, gently and mercifully pardon me: and finally, deign graciously to cause that these demonstrations may lead to thy glory and to the salvation of souls, and nowhere be an obstacle to that. Amen.
The Harmony of the World, 1619, end of book 5, Chapter 9. [From ‘In his God's Universe’ (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2006) by Owen Gingerich, an astronomer and Kepler scholar]
Prayer on reaching the end of our walk
Teach us, O God ,
to view our life here on earth as a pilgrim’s path to heaven,
and give us grace to tread it courageously in the company of your faithful people.
Help us to set our affections on things above,
not on the passing vanities of this world,
and grant that as we journey on in the way of holiness
we may bear a good witness to our Lord,
and serve all who need our help along the way,
for the glory of your name. Amen
Prayer for Christian Aid Week
Because we know you love everyone on your earth, we pray to you.
Because we know that all people deserve to live with dignity, we pray to you.
Because we know that the privilege of our birthplace has given us rights and comforts that others are denied, we pray to you.
And our prayer is this:
Move us to action. Move us to real generosity. Move us to bring in your Kingdom.
We see glimpses of your Kingdom in the work of organisations such as Christian Aid who try to give voices to the voiceless. And we see spaces still longing for your Kingdom to come, in the frustrated hopes of poor people everywhere, in our own hearts when we place our comfort and convenience above others’ needs.
Loving God, today, this week, this year, move us to bring in your Kingdom. Amen
Final Blessing
May God the Creator,
Who made us and all living things and all the marvels which surround us in the natural world,
bless us our homes and our families,
give us grace to be wise stewards of God’s creation.
Inspire us to go out as labourers into God’s world.
help us to bear fruits of love, joy and peace.
And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you this day and always. Amen.