Prayers for All Christians

This ceremony is performed before and after Saturday dinner. The head of the household leads the ceremony. The wife lights the candle and reads the meditation prayer. It is appropriate to sing and pray freely during the ceremony (possible times: before or after the candle lighting ceremony, in the middle of the blessing of the meal). (For related article on celebrating the Lord's Day Ceremony as a family, see "What Patterns of Prayer and Worship Can Do", by Mark Kinzer.)

Lighting of the Candle

The wife prays:

Heavenly Father, in honor of your Son, light of the world and author of life, I am about to kindle the light for the Lord's Day. On this day you raised your Son Jesus from the dead and began the new creation. May our celebration of his resurrection this day be filled with you peace and heavenly blessing. Be gracious to us and cause your Holy Spirit to dwell more richly among us.

Father of mercy, continue your loving kindness toward us. Make us worthy to walk in the way of your Son, loyal to your teaching and unwavering in love and service. Keep far from us all anxiety, darkness and gloom, and grant that peace, light, and joy ever abide in our home; for in you is the fountain of life, in your light do we see light. Amen"

The wife lights the candle and prays with hands raised over it: "Blessed are you, Lord our God, who created light on the first day, and raised your Son, the light of the world, to begin the new creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, who have taught us to kindle the light for the Lord's Day".

The Blessing of the Meal

The husband prays:

The Lord himself is with us to refresh and strengthen us. Let us welcome the Lord among us and give him glory. Let us love one another in the Lord. May the Holy Spirit be with us, to deepen our devotion to the Lord and to increase our zeal for the way of life he has given us.

The husband pours wine (or grape juice) into a cup, raises the cup, and prays: Let u s praise God with this symbol of joy, and thank him for the blessings of the past week -- for health, strength, and wisdom; for home, love, and friendship; for the discipline of our trials and temptations; for the happiness that has come to us out of our work. Let us thank him this day especially for the great blessings he has bestowed on us in Christ. From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. We who were dead through sin have been brought to life together with Christ and raised with him and made to sit in heavenly places with him.

Lord our God, you have brought us into the rest of Christ. Now we live with him through the Holy Spirit, and we look for the day when we will dwell with him in your everlasting kingdom.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who have created the fruit of the vine.

The husband drinks and lets each in turn drink form the cup. Then he breaks the bread and prays:

He passes the bread around for all to take a piece. This concludes the opening ceremony.

Blessing after the Meal

Husband:

All: Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever.

Husband: Let us bless our God of whose bounty we have shared and through whose goodness we live.

Alternative blessings, prayed by the husband:

Blessing 1:

Blessing 2: Blessed are you, Lord our God for by your great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. Blessed are you, all merciful God, for giving us new life in your Son.

Blessing 3: Blessed are you, Lord our God, for the rest we enjoy this day. We welcome this day with gladness and consecrate it wholly to the celebration of your resurrection and of he redemption in which we stand. Look graciously on your servants and show us your glory. Blessed are you, Lord our God, who give rest to his people.

All: Amen

Concluding blessing, prayed by the husband:

Husband: