I pray that we will be fruitful. And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency, bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help, by word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen. Show us Your purposes. We are grateful for the people sitting at our tables, the bounty of food before us, and the chance to be together. In Jesus' Name, Amen. (an invocation prayer) Almighty God, Thank you for your love, risen from the grave and freely offered for us all. May all be fed. Dear God, we seek Your honor in everything we do and say. Amen. May your presence be the extra taste to this meal which we eat in the name of your son, Jesus. - Author Unknown. Have you ever been asked to say grace before supper? May the seal of God's love rest upon this food and upon this day now drawing to a close. Dear God, help us apply Your wisdom as we decide on certain matters and make plans. Lord, bless this food and grant that we may thankful for thy mercies be; teach us to know by whom we're fed; bless us with Christ, the living bread. Thank You, for everyone who has worked on this program. Other times there is no standard wording. Thank you for helping us to accomplish Thank you for every gift With all the tensions going on in our nation right now and the Greater . It's possible to use invocations for all occasions, such as graduations, city council meetings and religious . We ask for your inspiration and insights. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 156. of these young Cub Scouts. this meeting. Loving Father, we thank you for bringing us together for this meal: may we continue to live in your friendship and in harmony with one another. Amen. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 182. O Who is like you, God, who is holy and loving like you? Let Your will be done as we plan and make decisions. Prayer for Good Plans God, You are the Builder of all things. God bless each one of us here tonight. Help us come up with effective strategies that can enable us to move forward as a team in a meaningful way. We thank You for each and every one who is here today. 2. We are ready to receive the rest, peace, and refreshment you offer. Thank You for this gathering to celebrate and rejoice in the life of (celebrant's name). These prayers will be appropriate for most meetings that Christians would find themselves attending. For wind and rain and sun above. Though once helpless and dependent on us, they have become the young adults we celebrate and admire today through a transformation that has never ceased to amaze us. Here in Your presence many friends and families are gathered to celebrate in fellowship. Amen. The prayer may also ask God for help; for example, that the decisions you're about to make be good ones. May our facilitator keep us on track and help us understand the next steps. - Author Unknown. Amen. Invocation: Our God and God of our fathers, we gather as loyal members of our Cub Scout Pack, and we pray for Thy blessings. For more spiritual growth resources, check out the 5-day email studyWalking with Rahab by todays devotion writer, Kristine Brown. We ask your blessing through Christ your son. Scholarship Award Luncheon Prayer. Remove the distractions that would keep us from you here today. Lord, it is such a thrill to know that I have been awarded this scholarship and I pray that I will work conscientiously and hard for the . All Voices Heard Prayer Almighty God, may Your grace cover each aspect of this meeting. Enable them to draw upon the wisdom and experience of yesterday as they respond to the questions and concerns of tomorrow. Colossians 3:23 says, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord As we observe the many accomplishments of our honorees, we acknowledge that none of it would be possible without you. Let the just rejoice, for their justifier is born. Thank You For My Scholarship. Amen. for the warm hospitality We pray that all voices will be heard and that we will have a mindset of inclusivity. Help us always remember to do everything with a grateful heart and to keep our focus on you. Father, for our food we thank you, and for our joys: help us love you more. And so, mindful of your continuous care, we pause to be grateful for the blessings of this table. Thank you for the blessings of our individual and collective God-given gifts. May the Lord bless you and keep you. Eternal God, I pray that You bless us in this meeting and keep us. Let the sick and infirm rejoice, for their savior is born. let us take this moment to offer a prayer. Place in our hearts the desire to make a difference to our families, to our community, to our country, and to the many cultures and peoples worldwide. When I have been asked to pray for a public meeting, I have kept my main focuson my opportunityto manifest my closeness to the Father. May we accomplish great things this day, and may we display an attitude of cooperation and respect. Thank you for each person present here today. Come and reveal Your will in every aspect of our life and ministry. Invocations draw us together towards the divine authority of God and set the tone for any given occasion by assuring his guidance, protection, and presence. May they seek to be the best they can be and push themselves to new excellence. I pray that we do not grow weary while doing this good thing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Youll find weekly encouragement to help you become more than yourself through Gods Word at her website,kristinebrown.net. Whether it's appropriate to have an invocation at your corporate, association or organizational event isn't a path I'll choose to debate. But we ask that You reveal to us Your thoughts throughout this meeting, let our ways be aligned with Your ways throughout this meeting, in Jesus Name. We shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint. Bless our food and our drink. Amen. We pray that they, and we, may use our many gifts of intellect, heart, and soul to address the problems that the human community faces in bringing justice more fully into the world and in tending wisely to the lovely garden that is our earth and our home. and for those with whom we are about to share it, Help us to be innovative as we brainstorm solutions. It was the first time in many months wed seen each other in person, and I realized what a precious gift God had given usthe gift of gathering and opening prayer. Prayer to Do Good in Gods Kingdom Oh Lord, this meeting has occurred because we want to do good for Your kingdom. I pray that You direct our steps so that this meeting can achieve our kingdom aims. All glory belongs to you. We place You at the center of this. You are welcome in this place. And let us thank all whose efforts have set them before us; Give us balance in times of distraction and uncertainty. Dear and beloved stranger, Please eat this food with us that we may all be nourished. to those who cultivated the fields We invite you to be with us during this retreat. We honor them for their loyalty to God and Country, for their good deeds, and for their friendship. Our Father in Heaven, we give thanks for the pleasure of gathering together for this occasion. You are good, and we're thankful Your mercies endure forever. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. We thank you for families that offer emotional, financial, and spiritual support. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to gather here today. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. Blessed are you, Lord our God, maker of heaven and earth and Father of all your people: we give you glory for your goodness and for your loving care for us. let us be truly thankful Amen. God we give you all the glory to You tonight as we remember Jesus' birth on earth. Expressing your gratitude and appreciation in prayer is a great way to start off your meal and evening. Short Grace Prayers. Invocation for the Sovereign Pontiff - Lord Jesuss, shelter our Holy Father the Pope . - Author Unknown Dinner Blessing for Humble Hearts In either situation, you may find the following advice and examples useful. Amen. - Edward Hays. For Hard Times For Financial Prosperity For Physical Health For Emotional Health For Protection For a Marriage For Babies and Pregnancy For Family For Spiritual Warfare For Spiritual Health For a Death For the Workplace For Bedtime, Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, 40 Encouraging Bible Scriptures on Resisting Temptation, Ephesians 6:4 Meaning of Do Not Exasperate Your Children, 50 Biblically Accurate Facts About Angels in the Bible, 50 Most Profitable Youth Group Fundraising Ideas for Your Church, 250 Ice Breaker Questions for Teen Youth Groups, 25 Important Examples of Pride in the Bible, Why Jesus Wept and 11 Lessons from His Tears, 25 Different Ways to Worship God and Praise the Lord. Whatever it is that You want to result from this meeting, Lord, let it happen. And once refreshed, may we give new pleasure to you, who gives us all. We rarely get the chance to bring everyone together, so we do not take it for granted. Councilman George said about me, "He can worship a chicken if he wants to, but I'm not going to be around when he does it." Bless those whose work to prepare this meal has truly been a work of prayer, and bless all of us who shall share it with Easter love and joy. 1/26/2017 by Barry Chance. We pray for the presenters, attendees, and volunteers who made this conference possible. 1. Please counsel us with Your loving eye on us. Let us not make decisions based upon what we know but let us act based upon Your wisdom. For the significance of this wedding day we thank you. Support our honored student leaders as they continue to make a difference in the world and lead a life 'For the Greater Glory of God.' But let us not forget that many are less fortunate. First, let us think of the people we are with today, and make the most of the pleasure of sharing food and drink together. Sir Henry Guildford: Henry VIII, I, iv. Even if we have different opinions, give us unity of spirit. Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this food. Thank you for your protection over our church, your guiding presence, and the provision to minister to a lost world. Dear earth who gives to us this food, Dear sun who makes it ripe and good, Sun above and earth below, Our loving thanks to you we show. Let us thank him for our bread. There are dozens of beautiful ways to give thanks. We lift up this bread; may it be food and symbol for all of us who shall eat it. We declare that this meeting shall be effective and Spirit-led. Come and help us maintain unity as we discuss certain matters. our meeting so that it is full of wisdom, productivity, and respect Help us to generate good plans that are practical, sustainable, and easily implemented. This page has six simple prayers for giving thanks before meals. However, when governments and other groups refuse to stop all religious commencements and invocations, they may sometimes agree to a humanist benediction as an alternative. Here are some great invocation prayers to help start the meeting off right. to those who prepared it and those who served it. Thank you for food in a world where many know only hunger; For our faith in a world where many know fear; For friends in a world where many know only loneliness. Below are some non-religious poems and prayers that can help you say, "Thank you," whether it's to the universe, a higher power, or to someone you love. Help us not to waste valuable time, as we all have many tasks to complete today. Whether you are asking God to bless the food, your family or friends, or even giving back blessings to God in your prayer, a prayer that calls on blessings can help you express your gratitude and acknowledge God's hand in your life. A Countyman Gives Thanks - O God, Source and Giver of all things, who . For rest and home and all things good. Thank you for our health, our work and our play. Inspirational - Prayers. Keep us all, and those we love, safe and strong. JesuitResource.org is a service of Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity, Xavier University Center for Mission and Identity 3800 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45207 513-745-3777, Multi Faith Calendar of Religious Holy Days, Foundational Documents on Jesuit Catholic Education, Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity. May Your Holy Spirit bide and strengthen all of us in this coming year. George Rodger, of Aberdeen, Scotland, used this god-free grace at the start of a wedding meal: Let us enjoy good food and good drink, - Author Unknown A Table Prayer Before Meals We look to you, O Lord, for food to nourish our bodies, for grace to strengthen our spirits, for love to enrich our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are grateful for this opportunity to honor and thank those who are leaving our ranks; first, for their dedication to the ideals of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, and secondly, for the personal sacrifices they have made to bring these ideals to many others. You are worthy of praise. We seek You for guidance and instruction, we seek You also for wisdom so that we can make the right decisions today. O Thou Who art generous and merciful! Be with us this hour, and every hour, I pray. those who cannot share this plenty Minds in Gods Hands Prayer Heavenly Father, in our hearts we plan our course, but we pray that You establish our steps. and for this good company. Let us enjoy good companionship, Father, please guide us so that this meeting can be productive. These prayers evoke a spirit of thankfulness and can be a good inspiration for your dinner prayer on Thanksgiving or any day. O God, Most Creative and Sustaining Spirit. I pray that You intervene in this meeting, let it work for our good and for the good of the church. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as You would have us. by war, oppression and exploitation We humbly ask that You give wisdom, vision, and courage to those who have been chosen to be our new leaders. Blessed are you for giving us family and friends to be with us in times of joy and sorrow, to help us in days of need, and to rejoice with us in moments for celebration. Browse through these encouraging prayers for a dose of inspiration. We are privileged to come together today on a happy occasion, in which we celebrate the particularly wonderful human beings we call our children, our students, our friends. Thank you for the faithful servants youve brought together to fulfill your purpose. May everyone be engaged and involved, and may all concerns be addressed. Purify our thoughts and motives so that each one of us will enter this meeting desiring the good of others and the pleasure of Your name. Blessed are you, Lord our God, maker of heaven and earth and Father of all your people: we give you glory for your goodness and for your loving care for us. Lord, listen to our hearts. This prayer is one you probably learned in Sunday school when you were little. Prayer for God to Answer Righteous God, we call onto You right now and we know that You will answer! In Jesus' Name, Amen. Dear Father in heaven, thank you so much for this time together with our family, friends and church family. Answer. Bless everyone here and those who couldn't be with us today. Thank you for the blessings of our individual and collective God-given gifts. Gracious God, I believe that You will guide us in this meeting so that the results can be seen days, months, and even years after today. You have all power. Amen. Bless, O Lord, the giving of these rings, so that they who wear them may abide in peace, and continue in thy favor. It's remarkable how much you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit. We come expecting to make a mark on this earth that is significant, but we can only do it with Your guidance. You have inspired us with your creativity, displayed throughout this ever-evolving universe and echoed in the varied academic achievements of the students we honor in this convocation. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. As we begin our time of worship, we release our cares and anything else that would hinder us from experiencing more of you in this service today. We must hold firmly to our unity, borne forward now not of tragedy but of loving kindness. We come before you to welcome you to this meeting. Help us to tackle all the topics we need to discuss, come up with excellent solutions, and leave this meeting inspired and on time. Expressing gratitude for the food and appreciation of the company is all that is needed. We thank you for the opportunity to Come and scribe Your words of life into our lives - Fill our minds with Your thoughts Fill our bodies with Your strength Fill our hearts with Your dreams That we might eternally love and serve You This day and every day. to those who gathered the harvest. Page 12 - Benedictions & Closing Prayers Page 14 - Banquet "Grace" Prayers Page 17 - Memorial (Day) Prayers Page 18 - Prayers for Deceased Comrades Page 20 - Veterans' Day Prayers . "Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your Son in the flesh redeems us from the old slavery under the yoke of sin, so we may receive him with joy as . . Your Word says in Colossians 3:17, And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Thank you for blessing our time together. People can often sense our closeness with the Lordwhen they hear us You, O God, are the source of inspiration, the spark that urges us on to excellence. It could be easily adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances. say tonight (today). Fortunately, lemonade is now being squeezed from these lemons. Many religions say a short prayer before a meal, in which a blessing is asked and thanks are given. May we be strong in virtue firm in time of trouble, and always ready to help others in time of need. May we and our gifts of food be under the tent of God's peace. Our prayers for our children never cease.". appropriate for. For those who find these humanist graces too long, or dont want to be reminded of the suffering of others just before a celebratory meal, there are these simple words of secular thanks and good wishes: We are thankful for the food on this table. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. For those who hear us pray and are beginning to seek the Lord, it can create a A classic humanist alternative to a Christian Grace is: For what we are about to receive You are our Wisdom and our Strength. Please guide us, Lord. Lord Jesus, we praise your holy name for ever. A Prayer for a Class Reunion I was asked to offer the "invocation" at the 50th Class Reunion of my high school the other night. By his hands, we are fed. Movements are successful when they appeal to folks outside the group. For all of this we give you thanks. PRAYERS OF INVOCATION (Opening) Almighty God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we come into Your presence in . May this meal bring us strength and health. In Numbers 6:24-27 it says: "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance . With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lords people(Ephesians 6:18 NIV). God is great, God is good. Thank you for food in a world where many know only hunger; For our faith in a world where many know fear; For friends in a world where many know only loneliness. Thank you for bringing us together to recognize the hard work and dedication of this years award recipients. Let us therefore proclaim our gratitude to Providence for manifold blessingslet us be humbly thankful for inherited idealsand let us resolve to share those blessings and those ideals with our fellow human beings throughout the world. Blessed are you for ever and ever. You have given us willing hearts and a desire to proclaim the name of Jesus through word and deed. This past weekend I hosted a group of women at our church for a day of fellowship, connection, and refreshment. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13. Opening prayer for a high school graduation. First, the Republican: Amen. "Lord, into your most holy presence we now come. Lord, You are the God of life that sustains every moment of our being. Here are ten special opening prayers you can pray at your gatherings. Blessings on our meal. Not sure what to pray for? However, we are not the Taliban. An invocation is a traditional prayer for the support, counsel, or indulgence of an almighty power upon the works of a body of people such as our Rotary Club.