Prayer Celebration Directions

GATHERING SONG
Leader		Loving Creator, we remember St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who helped bring religious education to children in the United States. We pray for all young people in religious education and ask your blessing upon them. We will listen to your words so that we may more wisely follow the way to you.
All		Amen.
READING
Leader		A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy. (The reader proclaims Deuteronomy 5:32–33.) The word of the Lord.
All		Thanks be to God.
PSALM
Leader		Let us pray together.
Group 1		I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart. Every day I will give you praise.
Group 2		I will worship in your temple and give you thanks. Your kindness and truth reveal the glory of your name.
All		We thank you God from the depth of our hearts!
Group 1		When I needed help, you answered my prayer right away. You gave me new strength, O Lord.
Group 2		All the world gives you thanks. People everywhere sing: "Great is the glory of the Lord."
All		We thank you God from the depth of our hearts!
Group 1		The Lord hears the cry of the lowly but ignores those who act proud.
Group 2		The Lord will complete what is begun for me, because God’s kindness lasts forever.
All		We thank you God from the depth of our hearts! (Based on Psalm 138)
PRESENTATION OF PROMISES
Leader		With hearts full of praise for the Lord, present your promise cards to God. As you come to place your cards in the basket, remember the difficulties Elizabeth Ann Seton had to overcome. We, too, may face difficulty in keeping our promise to God. But we must always look to God for the strength we need. (Participants come to prayer table and place their promise cards in a basket as instrumental music plays in background.).
PETITIONS
Reader		To keep our promises, we will need God’s help. Let us pray for the tools with which to accomplish what we have promised. For wisdom in times of ignorance, let us pray,
All		Give us your gifts, O Lord.
Reader		For patience in times of stress, let us pray,
All		Give us your gifts, O Lord.
Reader		For courtesy in times of injustice, let us pray,
All		Give us your gifts, O Lord.
Leader		For courage in times of trouble, let us pray,
All		Give us your gifts, O Lord.
Leader		For love of each other at all times, let us pray,
All		Give us your gifts, O Lord. Amen.
CLOSING SONG