Give thanks to God
for God is good
God’s compassion is eternal
it is like the the peak of Ben Wyvis
time move on
people come and go
society changes beyond recognition
yet the mountain stands firm
give thanks to God
for those who have kept us safe these past months
for those who are in leadership, making hard decisions
for the sound of children playing in our streets
for enforced slowing down
for appreciating what’s on our doorstep
we give God thanks and praise
for the chance to do good
for those sacrifices made
for families reconnected
we give God thanks and praise
for these, and a hundred thousand other things
we give God thanks and praise
Lord God
mixed with our thanks and praise
are hurt and pain and sorrow
for ourselves
for others
for your world
for the loss of things and people we hold dear
for those anxious about returning to work
for those discovering there is no work for them to return to
for the silencing of the bird song
for school pupils moving up and moving on, without the usual rituals
for new graduates, whose plans are lie in tatters on the floor
hear our prayers
and, in a few moments of quiet
we bring those people, places and situations which lie on our hearts today
[pause]
Lord God
accept these our prayer, spoken and unspoken
offered through Christ Jesus
Amen