Praying for Birthdays and Anniversaries in a New Way

by Chris Chase

So, this past Sunday, the first in 2012, actually the first day in the new year, I changed the little prayer we say on “Birthday Sunday.” 

As you know on the first Sunday of the month we call forward to the altar all those who celebrate birthdays during the month. We also call forward those who celebrate anniversaries of their marriages or those who want to celebrate relationships in their lives. 

What has confused me over the years is that we end this blessing with a prayer that only recognizes those who have come forward to celebrate the anniversary of their birth, and not those who come forward to celebrate their love. Kinda leaves them out of the communal well wishes.

Well, it bugged me enough that I finally felt compelled to change the prayer to be more inclusive. I used a prayer that comes from the Book of Common Prayer that is entitled “For Those We Love” (which seems appropriate for a christian community that purports to “love and beloved”), and reads; 

“Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Granted it does not have the rhyme and rhythm of the old prayer but it does include all who come forward. 

BUT, I am not wedded (no pun intended) to this prayer. And, as it is a prayer that we all say as a community to offer thanks and gratitude for those in our community who worship along side of us in a spirit of being loved and beloved, I want to invite your suggestions. 

So, if you have a favorite prayer that celebrates and blesses those celebrating birthdays and marriages and loving relationships, please feel free to submit. Feel free to write one. Submit and if appropriate we will use it this year. 

By appropriate I mean be respectful expressing gratitude for all blessing and love and not for the specific. For example, this would be an inappropriate prayer: “Gracious God, we give you praise and thanksgiving for all the blessings of this life, especially for the New York Yankees and their World Series victories of yore...” It would not surprise you to receive a reply from me asking if I could help reword some of the prayer.

You get the idea :)

Have fun.

Peace,

Chris