leadinginworship

God of the Working World: A Prayer for Labour Day

God of the working world:
thank you for meaningful work that fills us with satisfaction,
the way challenges can spur us on to greater efforts
that pay off with a job well done.
But that’s not always the case.
Sometimes the work we do isn’t productive, or it isn’t recognized.
We spend the whole day working and nothing gets done,
the machine breaks down just after we fixed it,
the house gets messy just when it was clean,
more tasks are assigned to us when we are already overwhelmed.
Some of us hate our work.
It’s too hard for us, our bodies can’t take it.
The working environment is depressing,
or the people we work with drag us down.
Sometimes we aren’t making enough money to make ends meet.
And some of us can’t find work.
We sit at home, longing to be productive, but there are no jobs.
In a world that values financial success,
and in a world where bills pile up,
not bringing home a paycheque can make us feel like outcasts.

You are the great Employer.
There are jobs in your kingdom for each one;
challenging, meaningful, significant.
You provide us with the tools for the job;
strength, courage, determination and insight.
Open our eyes to your great work, and our place within it.
We are your work, the work of your hands,
we do the work of your hands.

Prayer for Those Who Labour

God bless the bent over people,
the ones who are stooping.
God bless the arms stretched out people,
the ones who are reaching.
God bless the heavily laden people,
the ones who are carrying.
God bless the on-the-move people,
the ones who are walking.

Around the world, people of every
size and shape and age, labour for a living.
In the hot sun, under the cold grey sky,
whipped by wind, drenched by rain,
on the ocean, deep underground,
and in factories and workshops
the work goes on and on,
every hour of every day and night.
So much of what we have comes to us
through the labour of others,
help us be both mindful and thankful.

Thank you for our bodies,
and the dignity of a hard day’s work.
Thank you for rest after strenuous effort,
and the easing of sore muscles.
For all here who rely on their bodies
for their living, give health, relief from pain
and continued strength and stamina.
Bring justice for all who labour
under unsafe conditions,
and all who don’t get compensated fairly.
Be with those who are lonely for family
because their jobs are far from home.
Especially be with those who struggle
because they cannot find work.
We pray this in the name of Jesus,
who also laboured in the working world,
Amen.

Labour Day Congregational Prayer

On this Sabbath day of rest, dear God, we turn to you,
with thanks for the work that you give us to do.
We work by night, by day,
inside and in the great outdoors,
we work in coveralls or suits or casual clothes,
we work sitting, standing, travelling by car,
we work with tools or books or instruments in our hands,
we work silently, with words, or with technology.
Whatever our work, it’s shape or size,  we do it for you.
Thank you for employment, for salaries and paycheques,
for the chance to labour and do our best.
Thank you for the chance to retire from paid work.

Help us to remember that the work you give us to do
is not always work that the world values or pays for.
Bless our unpaid work of caregiving, whether for babies or children,
adults with disabilities, or seniors who need help.
Focus our eyes on the work that you value above all;
loving our neighbour, caring for the lowest and the least.
Help us remember that we are valued not because we work, 
but because we are created by you.
All who breathe are valued.

We ask for your forgiveness for the times we abuse the gift of work.
We give ourselves all the credit,
not acknowledging what we owe to you and to the efforts of others.
We are sometimes afraid to take on the work that you give us to do,
we are too lazy or too stubborn.
Sometimes we let work become a dictator.
We let it fill empty spaces in our lives which should be filled with other things.
We neglect people we love because of our work.
Help us, God, to find you in our work, to look for you in our work.
Help us as we seek a balance of work and play.
Thank you for giving us this Sabbath day where we can rest,
where we can pause and say thank you
to the One whose work we are,
to the One whose work we do.  Amen.

Labour Day Offering Prayer

We work for you, God, in whatever we do.
Paid labour, volunteer work, our home life--
all our time we spend for you.
Thank you for jobs which provide us with an income
or pensions that support us.
We share the fruit of our labour with you,
knowing that you are the Great Provider.
Use these offerings in your kingdom work,
as you provide good news, healing and hope to all people.  Amen.

 

 

Labour Day Call to Worship

Psalm 90.17:  Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and prosper for us the work of our hands-- O prosper the work of our hands!

Our God, in the glory of late summer
we come to worship
revelling in the beauty of your handiwork.
Give us insight this morning
into how the work of our hands
is part of the work of your hands.
We join with you in lifting the heavyhearted,
comforting the sorrowful,
and calming the anxious.
Fill us with the joy of service this morning.
We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Amen.

A Working Prayer

God our Creator, thank you for giving us life and breath and work.

You expect us to do what we can with what we have,

to work with peace and patience,

to balance busyness with rest, work with Sabbath.

Give us healthy bodies, and the nourishment we need.

Help us to do our jobs without complaint,

with all our strength and might.

You see what we do, even when no one else is watching.

Every day, in every task, give us wisdom to remember who we are,

your children, your workers.

 

Spirit of God, thank you for your presence

lifting our hearts, equipping us to fulfill our calling.

Empower us with just what we need;

determination and cheerfulness for those with hard physical work,

patience and compassion for those who deal with people,

insight and skill for those who must solve complex problems,

integrity and humbleness for all with power over others,

eagerness and a keen mind for those who study.

Lighten our work with joy and humour.

Breathe life into our community to provide support and encouragement

to all who labour and are heavy-laden.

 

Jesus, son of God, and of a carpenter,

walk with us as we shoulder our work this week.

The deep breath, the first step, the big push,

all done in your name.

Help us to give and receive advice graciously

and to leaven our day with words of encouragement for others.

Fortify us to resist temptation,

to reject laziness, and to go a second mile.

Lord of the working world, we labour for you.   Amen.

Prayer for Teachers

God, our Great Teacher: 

At the beginning of this new school year, hear our prayer for teachers!

Give teachers compassion to treat each student with dignity and respect,

remembering that every child has a story to tell.

Give teachers wisdom to be role models,

remembering that children learn more from who we are than what we say.

Give teachers your love that reaches out to children on the margins,

remembering that we see Jesus in the face of the poor, the challenged, the rejected.

Give teachers strength to carry heavy loads with patience and good-humour,

remembering that Jesus also walked an extra mile.

As a community we lift up our teachers to You, Lord,

knowing that You plan every divine lesson, Amen.

Kids Back to School Prayer

Thank you God for warm sunny weather,

    for blue skies

    and blue lakes.

Thank you God for big trees to climb

    for city streets to explore

    for cool shady places to hide in

    for parks with slides and swings.

Thank you God for swimming pools and diving boards

    for baseball diamonds

    and soccer fields.

Thank you God for ice cream and freezies

    for hamburgers and hotdogs

    for watermelon and peaches.

Thank you God for puppies and kittens

    for crickets chirping and hawks flying

    for birds singing and fish splashing.

Thank you God for no school and no homework

    for long lazy mornings and

for the whole day to play.

Thank you God for families who spent time with us

    for grandparents and cousins

    and for lots of friends.

Thanks for a great summer!

Help us this fall as we get ready to go back to school.

Help us to make friends, and to be friendly to new kids we meet.

Help our teachers as they give us things to learn.

Help us as we get into a new routine

with school and play and lessons and time for fun all mixed together.

We pray this to you, Lord Jesus,

because you know what it’s like to be a kid.  Amen.

Labour of Love Prayer

Labouring God,

the sea and sky are your work,

every hill and plain, every valley and cliff

fashioned by your hands.

Towering trees and creeping plants,

blossoms, sweet and rare

or common as dandelions,

all created by you.

The creatures are your opus,

every fin, paw, wing and hand,

all that runs, swims, soars and wriggles,

your work.

The world cries out, “Good job!”

We join our voice to this chorus,

singing the world beautiful,

singing the Lord glorious,

singing our thanks for your labour of love.

A Prayer of Blessing for Labour Day

Bless the work of our hands, O God.

Bless the hands that work the land;

hands that move earth, plant seeds and harvest,

hands with callouses and dirty fingernails, strong hands.

 

Bless the hands that use machines;

hands that drive cars, trucks and forklifts,

hands on computer keyboards, capable hands.

 

Bless the hands that make things;

hands that manufacture and create,

working wood and metal and plastic, practical hands.

 

Bless the hands that clean;

hands that wash, mop and scrub,

hands that know what to do with soap, determined hands.

 

Bless the hands that make music and art;

hands that play instruments and hold paintbrushes,

hands that are creative tools, artistic hands.

 

Bless the hands that care for people;

hands that cook and feed, heal and nurture,

hands with a gentle touch, loving hands.

 

Bless the hands that are generous;

hands that give away money and food,

hands that are always trying to be empty, Christ-like hands.

 

Bless the tiny, baby hands.

Bless the strong adult hands.

Bless the hands that are folded in prayer.

Bless the hands that are lifted in praise.

Our hands do the work of your hands,

O God our Creator.  Amen.