Spring Congregational Prayer

Thank you God for the sound of geese high in the morning sky
being pulled northward by the call of spring.
Thank you for the way you are pulling life out of the ground.
You call and all life answers, up from the brown earth,
up through last year’s dead leftovers; new life greening all around us.
Thank you that you call us in the same way, pulling us towards life.
As sure as plants are pulled towards the sun, we yearn for you.
Forgive us for times we have leaned in other ways,
preferring to stay buried, preferring to do nothing,
preferring to lean towards evil thoughts and actions.
Your love calls us, yearns for us,
rejoices every time our thoughts lean towards you,
rejoices with every loving thought we have,
rejoices at every loving action.
God of grace, open us to your call.
We long to be people who communicate that call to others.
We want to draw others out, encouraging them to grow and blossom.
Thank you for the children in our church, tender sprouts,
thank you for our youth and young adults, strong and sturdy plants.
Give us wisdom as we guide and nurture.
Today we pray for friends we know who are suffering,
whether in mind, body, or spirit.
Especially today we pray for people with mental illness,
who are trapped in the winter of depression
as everyone else moves towards the happiness of spring.
We also pray for places in the world where violence is growing;
especially ________________.
Give strength to peacemakers everywhere,
that our strong and gentle presence may turn the tides of war
as we envision a harvest of peace, in your name,  Amen.