- Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 271. - Author Unknown Dinner Blessing for Humble Hearts Thank you for food in a world where many know only hunger; For our faith in a world where many know fear; For friends in a world where many know only loneliness. And let us each one be good company to the others; Expressing your gratitude and appreciation in prayer is a great way to start off your meal and evening. Forgive us for moments when weve forgotten to put you first. We are grateful for this opportunity to honor and thank those who are leaving our ranks; first, for their dedication to the ideals of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, and secondly, for the personal sacrifices they have made to bring these ideals to many others. Copyright 2023, iBelieve.com. Our Heavenly Father, Kind and Good Traditional Our Heavenly Father, kind and good, We thank Thee for our daily food. 20 Opening Prayers Perfect for Meetings, Church, and Events, Opening Prayers to Start Your Bible Study, Worship, and Meetings. Prayer for Fruitfulness Dear Lord, I pray that You guide us always. Support our honored student leaders as they continue to make a difference in the world and lead a life 'For the Greater Glory of God.' Guide us in the things we do and. Thy people bless, and grant that we may feast in paradise with thee. Our complete attention is on you. Thank you for the blessing of bringing (name) and (name) together in marriage today. Help us to enjoy every moment, making memories that will last a lifetime. Amen. Feed our souls on the bread of life and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds. In a world where so many are hungry, may we eat this food with humble hearts; in a world where so many are lonely, may we share this friendship with joyful hearts. Love is patient, love is kind. We gather together to lift up the name of your son Jesus, the name that is above every name. We thank You for all who have given of their energy and skill So that we can graduate today. God, for the joy of this occasion we thank you. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Whatever it is that You want to result from this meeting, Lord, let it happen. We also give thanks for our friends and family who have traveled here today. - Edward Hays, "Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home". We ask for your direction and guidance. We ask all this in the glorious name of Jesus Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit World without end. In Christianity this prayer is called "Grace." As we work together to fulfill your purpose, we commit to walk in grace, humility, and truth. It is important to come before God in prayer with a humble spirit. Invocation for the Sovereign Pontiff - Lord Jesuss, shelter our Holy Father the Pope . This we pray, in Jesus Name, Amen. Just by Chance: A Prayer for the Chamber of Commerce Installation Dear and beloved stranger, please eat this food with us that we may all be nourished. It might be race, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or any other way we may be regarded as different. Amen. I don't ask you to close your eyes, but to keep your eyes constantly open to the serious issues that city government can and should solve or improve. Copyright 2012 Beth McLendon of This is true whether the meal is an informal family dinner around the kitchen table or a formal wedding reception. And as we discuss the affairs of this church/school/ministry/business, we ask for Your will to be done. Amen. Amen. Let us be effective and decisive. Through the long sweep of time, and within the vast distances of space, we in this present moment, and in this place, acknowledge you and praise you. I have received numerous apologies from Christians for the behavior of the Christian council members who walked out. Loving Father, we thank You most of all for being here in our midst. -Robert Louis Stevenson. appropriate for. Thank you for blessing us with another year, and for giving us the chance to gather and celebrate this milestone. 25 Christmas Prayers and Blessings To Bring Joy to the World Not Your Average Dinner Prayer. for the warm hospitality Blessed are you, Lord our God, maker of heaven and earth and Father of all your people: we give you glory for your goodness and for your loving care for us. The Quaker tradition of "silent grace" before meals also works well for a dinner party with people of diverse religions and beliefs. When I have work, help me to remember the jobless. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. We humbly ask that You give wisdom, vision, and courage to those who have been chosen to be our new leaders. Father, we know how important family is, but its hard to find the time to gather in the busyness of life. and the wisdom to know the difference. Help us always remember to do everything with a grateful heart and to keep our focus on you. As we begin our planning, help us first seek you and your will. Invocation Prayers continued Third Meeting Prayer: Almighty God of Heaven and earth. Invocation Prayer | Quankey | MBC - Author Unknown. We thank You for each and every one who is here today. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. Thank you for the friends and family who came to support and encourage these individuals. We give you respect and acknowledge you as our Creator and Provider. We place our hearts and our minds in Your hands so that You may direct us. Traditional Opening Wedding Reception Prayer Lord God Almighty, and for all the good memories we share. O Giver of life - we are here to celebrate 5 decades of life in the real world. Dear earth who gives to us this food, Dear sun who makes it ripe and good, Sun above and earth below, Our loving thanks to you we show. Know a prayer that could be added to this page? Before my public prayer, I privately pray and ask God to allow my closeness and love for him to show through me. Come and scribe Your words of life into our lives - Fill our minds with Your thoughts Fill our bodies with Your strength Fill our hearts with Your dreams That we might eternally love and serve You This day and every day. What's THE Big Mistake While Delivering Invocations? Non-religious people may still want to give thanks before a big meal, such as a Thanksgiving Dinner, or may be asked to do so at a formal event. Let us open our hearts and minds in grateful prayer: for all creation; for all people; for all who are with Xavier University; and most especially for those whom we come to recognize and honor this day. Help them to stay true to their dreams, to use their gifts wisely, and to walk into the future with faith, hope, and great love. It was the first time in many months wed seen each other in person, and I realized what a precious gift God had given usthe gift of gathering and opening prayer. For the hands held in ours, we thank You. Don't worry we are not that rude. - Izola White. Invocation We fold our hands and bow our heads; And than thee Lord for our daily bread; For home and school and family, WE give thanks O Lord to thee. Who have helped to bring it to our table, In Jesus Christ's holy name, Amen. All rights reserved. Dear God, we seek Your honor in everything we do and say. opening prayer for a worship service Opening prayer for a worship service God of grace, We open our hearts, minds and souls to worship to you. Feel free to make it fully your own, and personalize each prayer for the specific occasion and guests at your dinner party. The organized walkout vividly showed that we are engaged in one of the last civil rights struggles in which blatant discrimination is viewed as acceptable behavior. May all be fed. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to gather here today. You are welcome in this place. We desire Your glory and blessing in all we do. Give us balance in times of distraction and uncertainty. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts. We pray that all voices will be heard and that we will have a mindset of inclusivity. Let our aims in this meeting be aligned with Your direction. Your Word says in Colossians 3:17, And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Thank you for blessing our time together. Place in our hearts the desire to make a difference to our families, to our community, to our country, and to the many cultures and peoples worldwide. He said, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). May this food restore our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, new thoughts to weary minds. Let the captives rejoice, for their Redeemer is born. May everyone be engaged and involved, and may all concerns be addressed. PDF Benedictions & Closing Prayers We will mount up with wings like eagles. Amen. George Rodger, of Aberdeen, Scotland, used this god-free grace at the start of a wedding meal: Let us enjoy good food and good drink, Short Opening Prayer for a Program, Meeting or Event - Prayerscapes Amen. Many groups and government bodies begin their meetings with prayers or other forms of religious invocation conducted by a chaplain or religious minister. Can you now understand how uncomfortable many non-Christians feel when they are continually subjected to Christian prayers at secular events? It reminded me of the importance of praying at the beginning of every occasion. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. Here are 10 special opening prayers you can pray at your gatherings. Amen. Invocations draw us together towards the divine authority of God and set the tone for any given occasion by assuring his guidance, protection, and presence. "Lord, into your most holy presence we now come. Prayer for Our Fathers Intervention Eternal Father, blessed be Your Matchless name! Thank You for this gathering to celebrate and rejoice in the life of (celebrant's name). Below is a prayer that was delivered at a Cub Scout "Blue & Gold" banquet. Please sleep under these soft blankets that we may all know safety. Truly Unique and Meaningful Prayers for a Wedding Reception Banquet invocations may be made by anyone who is capable of prayer, including the host, a child in the family setting or an honored guest, suggests the book "The Rituals. Thank you for the blessings of our individual and collective God-given gifts. We ask for your inspiration and insights. Father, we do not rely on ourselves for effective results for we are only human and often make mistakes. These prayers do a good job of recognizing God's power in our lives and encourage humility within us. Blessings on our meal. Let Your presence be made known and lead this meeting today. Please sleep under these soft blankets that we may all know safety. to those who prepared it and those who served it. We turn to you in prayer and ask you to bless us and this food you have given us. for the good things we have For those who hear us pray and are beginning to seek the Lord, it can create a These prayers will be appropriate for most meetings that Christians would find themselves attending. I especially pray for those who are deployed away from home. Help us to find principles that we all can agree on and put these into action. Help us come up with effective strategies that can enable us to move forward as a team in a meaningful way. May our eyes be opened, and, in this act of common sharing, may we see the risen Lord in one another. Lions Prayer International Association of Club - Lions Club This a prayer from the Baha'i Writings: "O Thou kind Lord! Prayers | The Chaplain Kit Loving God, bless all those gathered here today as we come together in friendship and fellowship. Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. We must hold firmly to our unity, borne forward now not of tragedy but of loving kindness. As faculty, staff, and administrators at this University, we are grateful to you for the opportunity to participate in the development of these students, to honor them for their hard work and achievement, and to thank them for the inspiration they provide to keep us going in our chosen professions.