A Prayer for Year End - Year Beginning

Creator God,

You who created time and know time,

as one year ends and new one begins

we come to you with praise and petition.

We praise you for your unending love,

even when we don’t see it well.

We praise you for your creation,

how it invites us to wonder and awe.

We praise you for bonds we share,

which reminds us of the need for connection.

We praise you for blessings great and small,

may we not lose sight of all we truly have.

We pray for our world hurt and broken,

heal our greedy and selfish hearts.

We pray for those who are suffering,

teach us to be your hands and heart.

We pray for the children of the world,

may they know hope and joy.

We pray for peace in countries and hearts,

help us to build a culture of life together.

As we bid farewell to this year,

we do so with gratitude for gifts and blessings,

we enjoyed and delighted in through the seasons.

We do so seeking mercy and forgiveness

for the times we did not live well.

We do so holding memories

of moments which shaped us along the way.

We do so with hope

which was our companion and still accompanies us.

As we look ahead to the new year

we do so trusting you are the way, the truth and the life.

We do so asking for your light

to guide our steps and brighten our ways.

We do so with eagerness

beginning again each day.

We do so with kindness

may we build your kingdom well this year.

We ask you hear our end of year and year beginning prayer

for you are our hope, our love, our life, our source,

now and forever. 

Amen.

Credit: Jon Tyson