Neighbor, I pray for you.

May God shield you, protect you, and defend you
From the cold, the hard earth, the icy winds,
And from the plots of anyone bent on your harm.  
May your mind, body, soul, and spirit be guarded from all evil.
May you find shelter under His pinions
And refuge under His wings.

Father in Heaven,
We pray for warmth this winter.

May Your love ignite the embers of our faith
When the winter presses the bitter cold
Against the doors of our hearts and homes.

Father in Heaven,
Holy is Your hospitality.
May Your Kingdom come today,
To our table and our home,
Our neighborhood and our city
As it is in Heaven.

Give us this day the gift of enough:
Enough courage to invite,
Enough vulnerability to inquire,
Enough food to share,
Enough gratitude to see Your goodness,
Enough honesty to share our unmet hopes.

Father in Heaven,

As the holidays approach
Both wonder-filled anticipation 
And worry-full apprehension 
Are held in my heart, my mind, and my body.

Grant me the strength of heart to notice and name 
The unholy holiday temptations
That pull my heart from being present
To You, myself, and my neighbor.

Father in Heaven,
Thank You for fathers
Who are Your beloved sons.

May they be loving and wise
As they seek to provide and protect
The children You have entrusted to them
Each with distinct purpose and unique passions.

God,
Thank You for creating mothers
In Your bold and tender image.

Thank You for how mothers have reflected You—
Compassionate as a cleft in the rock,
Protective as an eagle brooding over her young,
Loving as the breath that gives us life. 

Father in Heaven,

May the threshold of our home be wide enough
For every neighbor to be welcomed,
For every friend to enter at ease,
And for all those looking for a place of belonging.

Father in Heaven
Giver of all good and perfect gifts,
May the gift of Jesus
Open our homes and hearts to love
As we enter the Advent season.

Father in Heaven,

May our preparation and planning
For hosting in the holidays,
The holy work of shopping and sautéing,
Baking and decorating,
All be done in a posture of prayer.

Father in Heaven,
Thank You for longer days;
When light arrives early, shines brightly,
And after amber sunsets, slowly leaves late.

May our prayer for food create a pause,
That enlarges our hearts through
Gratitude, confession, lament, and longing
For the availability of food for all.

May we be good stewards with our home,
And always be grateful for the place You have provided.
May the ways we want to improve our home,
Create new opportunities for hospitality, connection, and invitation.

We pray for the resources and fortitude
To build affordable housing
So everyone has a place to call home.

Father in Heaven,
We thank You we live
Where public utilities are consistent.
Heat, water, and power form a foundation
For reliable work and rest.

Father in Heaven,
May all who enter our home this year
Find the Light of Christ
Here among us.

May I follow the Way of Jesus In living simply.
May simplicity bring clarity,
And the capacity to be present
To people, my practice, and this place…

Father in Heaven
Our desire is to dwell

To make a home
To be at home
To find our home
Here in Your love

May our hearts be wise,
Help us number our summers
With our parents and our children,
Our spouses and our siblings,