Spirit of Life, known to us in beginnings and endings, In possibilities and promises We give thanks for all that has led to this moment, And all that is yet to come. We give thanks for those who mentored us— The women and men in our lives who were our teachers, Who said the turning words of...

Spirit of life, bring to us beauty—the beauty of snowdrops and tulip shoots. Bring to us strength—the strength of torrents of spring streams and the quiet strength of roots pushing deep into the ground for nourishment. Bring to us pleasure—the pleasures of maple syrup sticky and sweet on our...

Spirit of life and spirit of grace, Rest with us this day, in this place. We lift up every joy, every gladness, We hold up every hurt, every sadness Spoken in this good company As well as every secret feeling Held quiet in the hollows of our hearts.

Spirit of life and love, your prophet Isaiah called us to worship you by freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and housing the homeless. Your follower St. Francis cried out, "Make me an instrument of Thy peace." Jesus instructed us to love our neighbors—and our enemies—as...

Spirit of life and love, thank you for the gifts of life and love. Help us to embrace fully the sweet and the bitter moments of our days. Help us to treasure the times of abundance and to find meaning in the times of emptiness....

At this quiet time and in this place of worship we would seek to know more deeply what it means to love one another. We know so well our own needs. We know that we, ourselves need understanding, affection and recognition. Why is it then that so often we hesitate to extend these precious gifts to...

Spirit of kindness and compassion, we come from different places to this sacred ground of communal caring. We are enriched by the company of each other, and are drawn closer to the heart of love in this time of service. Touch this gathering with tenderness so that we may be refreshed anew by the...

Spirit of Justice,God who befriends those who stand upon the constant edges of decision,-- crucial and aloneWe are grateful to be together this morning.We gather especially to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr....

Spirit of creative good, be with us when we are afraid. Grant us the courage to do what we have to do. Grant us the peace that passes understanding. When we fail to find courage, or peace, May we find compassion for our brothers and sisters who also fail. May we sometimes win the prizes that we...

Space-hanging Earth, fragile as a Christmas babe delicate as a Christmas Tree ornament: nurture us as a mother nurtures children, like Mary nursing Jesus. Forgive our hurtful ways. Help us to fairer sharing. And so may you sustain all earth's children and all earth's beings even your Earthly self...

O Source of life and love, Torn by desires to sit back and to enjoy the beauty of the world— to savor the blue skies and gentle days— and by desires to recast the world and to fight its evils— to save the world... Torn by all those things that hurt and confuse and make no sense amid beauty—...

Source of life and death, ground of all being, Spirit of our spirits, whose we are in life and in death—Life itself is the great mystery and death a part of it. In truth we know not the one nor the other. We live and die in the mystery of being from moment to moment till at the end we merge with...

Oh Divine Spirit, healer of my hurts, consoler of my sorrows, vibrant light of happiness, birther of all life and gentle way of death, hear my prayer. I raise my heart to you as do the ancient redwoods, rooted in the ground, swaying in the wind....

No one is ever really ready for Christmas....

O Mysterious God whose ways are many, we ask for your comfort today. Help us feel your healing spirit as we work with the wounded. Help us feel your life-giving spirit as we work with the dying. Help us feel your spirit of hope as we witness the suffering....