[This responsive prayer is intended to follow the hymn For the Beauty of the Earth. At the end of each section, the congregation sings the refrain. Optionally, following For the Beauty of the Earth, you may allow the musicians to continue lightly playing in the key of F through the prayer and accompanying the refrain.]
Leader: Lord, we thank you with all our hearts for the manifold blessings you give: for the enjoyment of life and the wholesome pleasures you give to us; for people to enjoy life with – our families, friends, and all peoples created in your image; for the generations that have gone before us who have known and walked with you; for your provisions of food, shelter, and giving us times of rest; for splendor and beauty, Lord, in nature, language, music and art. For these things, Lord, we lift our voices and sing:
ALL: Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this, our song of grateful praise
Leader: Lord, we thank you for giving us the Scriptures: for revealing yourself, your purpose, and your
plans to us in its pages; for the promises it holds out for us each day; for teaching us to walk in ways that honor you. For this, Lord, we lift our voices and sing:
ALL: Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this, our song of grateful praise.
Leader: Lord, we thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, the Light of the world, our soul’s delight, the King of kings and Lord of lords; our Savior, Messiah, Redeemer and Friend. In him, you made us alive when we were dead in sin, that we might know the incomparable riches of your grace, expressed in your kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For this, Lord, we lift our voices and sing:
ALL: Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this, our song of grateful praise.
Leader: Lord, we thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to comfort, cheer, and to guide; to open hearts and convict of sin; to daily bring supplies of grace; to lead us to Christ and hold us fast in his embrace For all these good and perfect gifts, we thank you, Father of the heavenly lights. We lift up our voices to you and sing:
ALL: Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this, our song of grateful praise.