A Litany of Hope

This article is from Issue 67 of “On The Move,” a publication of “new learning possibilities for churches”, at one time published by The Joint Board of Christian Education of Australia and New Zealand.
Although some ideas and liturgies may appear somewhat “dated” in style, concept, imagery or language, they may nevertheless offer a spring-board for new ideas among people who find themselves leading worship, perhaps in a new context, and with some trepidation.
Reproduced with permission. May be reprinted for use in local congregations only.

A LITANY OF HOPE 
by Pat Baker

“Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off”‘ (Ezekiel 37:11 RSV).
Let us pray:
God of hope we bring before you those whose lives are dried up:
Come from the four winds, O breath of God, and breathe upon these that they may live.

We pray for those dried up – by disappointment, by bitterness, by guilt…
We pray for those whose spirit is drained by grief, by hunger,
by despair…
Come from the four winds, O breath of God, and breathe upon these that they may live.

God of hope we bring before you those whose hope is lost:
Come from the four winds, O breath of God, and breathe upon these that they may live.

We pray for people persecuted, violated, left for dead…
We pray for people bewildered, disillusioned, apathetic…
Come from the four winds, O breath of God, and breathe upon these that they may live.

God of hope we bring before you those who feel themselves cut off:
Come from the four winds, O breath of God, and breathe upon these that they may live.

We pray for those cut off by age, by disability, by houghtlessness…
We pray for those cut off from family, from neighbours, from God…
Come from the four winds, O breath of God, and breathe upon these that they may live.

God of hope, we thank you for the promise of restoration, of a new day and a new life:
Thanks be to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

“May God, the source of hope,
fill you with all joy and peace
by means of your faith in him,
so that your hope will con-
tinue to grow by the power
of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 TEV).

2 thoughts on “A Litany of Hope”

Leave a Reply