God of all the countries and all people,

You call us to be one family,

To see that we are all in this together.

And yet, and yet,

Here we are praying for another gun shooting.

Every time it happens, whether in schools or movie theaters,

in churches or while filming the news,

we weep.

We prayer for all the loved ones affected:

Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons,

Teachers and students, friends and fiancées,

And we pray for our nation:

Show us where to begin as individuals and a people,

That we might be a nation who does not glorify violence,

That we might be a nation who acts

Creatively and courageously

To end this violence against the innocent.

Help us be prophetic;

Help us embody your Shalom;

And see that, yes indeed, we are all in this together.

Hold us in your embrace, sustain us with your grace.

Gracious God, through all the trials and turmoil of life

through storms

dangers

fears

endings

big decisions

sadness

loss

illness

at the time of death

hold us in your embrace, sustain us with your grace

Loving God, through times of great joy in life

through births

growth

new seasons

rebirth

beginnings

recovery

health

wholeness

healing of mind, body, or spirit

hold us in your embrace, sustain us with your grace

God of the universe

God of bread and wine

God of morning and night

God of water, sun, earth, air

God of all

We give you thanks for all the gifts of life.

God of all

Bless our lives

bless those we love

our pets

animals of kinds

all creatures

great and small.

Help us to care for the earth, your own creation.

We ask this through the great love

of your child, Jesus,

the vine, the branches,

the cup, the hand,

our savior.

Adapted from a prayer written by Terri Pilarsky on RevGalBlogPals