A Prayer for Students

We'll be using this at Burns Presbyterian Church on Sunday, September 8, as we pray a blessing upon all students.  We've made this a community service, but will be pairing it with commissioning the kids ministry workers.  Its not a celebration without food, so of course they'll be a BBQ after.  

The prayer is a merger of two prayers found in Illuminata (Marianne Williamson, Random House, 1994) and Prayer Book for Lay People (The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2008).

Lord Jesus Christ,

You are alive and at work in the world

            In schools

            And in all the places where students go to meet, and live and learn

There are no words for the depth of our love for these students

            We surrender them into your hands

May they be protected from the darkness of our times

            And always see You at the centre of life

We pray each may be blessed to be your disciple

            And their hearts made strong to love you and serve you

May each see through your eyes,

            And hear the questions you are asking

May they welcome truth when they find it

            Greeting it as a gift from you

May they be agents of your lovingkindness

            To all they meet

And learn to invest their lives in changing the things that contradict your love

As they begin a new school year

            May they increase in kindness and strength

            Relying on your power from within

Living fully and deeply

            And freely growing into

                        The men and women you have created them to be

For its in your name we pray

Amen