As we enter into a new calendar year and the church season of Epiphany,
our expectations are high.
We have made resolutions and plans for the upcoming year.
But some of our resolutions have already been broken.
Some have been forgotten and
we have already made excuses for why we will not be able to keep others.
Our willpower can be weak and we know that we are not worthy.
And yet, All Loving and Personal God, you know us to our very depths.
You know our strengths and our weaknesses.
And you love us anyway and in all ways.
You see who we are today and who we could become tomorrow.
You know our thoughts, our deepest desires and our darkest fears.
We are your children, Lord, and as such,
we are deeply loved and uniquely cherished.
Lord, you chose to be baptized within a group, sharing in their sense of community.
We have joined your community, with our baptism, with our confirmation,
and with our pledge to be your disciple.
We ask that you be with us in our journey,
that you help us to see what needs to be done here to make this world your world.
We ask that you give us the strength we need to carry out your plan.
We ask that you support us in our desire to be better people,
to help us to keep our New Year’s resolutions, but most importantly, to be your people.
We ask that you remind us of our baptism, remind us that at that time,
we joined your universal church, the body of Christ.
And as the body of Christ, we support each other and raise each other up in prayer.
We ask that you be with those among us who need your healing touch and sense of grace.
We name ___.
In the act of baptism, we know that you are with us.
You give us the power of forgiveness.
You renew our spirits.
And, you call us to be your people, always.
As your people, we use the words your Son taught us,
“Our Father,…”
Uniquely Cherished 