- Ralph Waldo Emerson. The day is coming to a close, and, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we pause to break bread together. Thoughts and prayers for fundraising activities David's prayer But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Date shared: Oct 19, 2014 | Download and Read Online 14 Banquet grace Prayers We Are Grateful, Lord, For Those . Or this may be an opportunity to go around the table and have each person say what they are grateful for. On that (this) day let us gather in sanctuaries dedicated to worship and in homes blessed by family affection to express our gratitude for the glorious gifts of God; and let us earnestly and humbly pray that He will continue to guide and sustain us in the great unfinished tasks of achieving peace, justice, and understanding among all men and nations and of ending misery and suffering wherever they exist. What better way to honor the Lord than to open our gatherings, meetings, celebrations, and services with prayer? 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. For the significance of this wedding day we thank you. - Mary Cronk Farrell. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Father, we know you strengthen us when we link arms with each other. Please counsel us with Your loving eye on us. Whether it's appropriate to have an invocation at your corporate, association or organizational event isn't a path I'll choose to debate. For what we are about to receive In fact, a godless grace can be very moving: it allows time for reflection and thanks focused on this world, appreciating the value of nature and acknowledging the human effort which went into bringing food, family and friends together for a meal. Help us to be men and women after. Let our plans be orchestrated by You. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as You would have us. For this important moment in an ever growing relationship, we thank you. Our complete attention is on you. Amen - Samuel F. Pugh. Thank you for each person present here today. Psalm 118:24 says, This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Father, with joyful hearts in the spirit of thanksgiving, we ask you to bless this banquet and each person here. Our Heavenly Father, Kind and Good Traditional Our Heavenly Father, kind and good, We thank Thee for our daily food. - Izola White. Lead each one of us so that we can make fruitful contributions at this time. Thy creatures bless and grant that we may feast in paradise with Thee. Help us to respect one another and work together. Find opening prayers for the following types of events in this article below: What better way to honor the Lord than to open our gatherings, meetings, celebrations, and services with prayer? Source of All Blessing, we desire your presence here among us as we honor our fine students and their dedication. Bless our food and our drink. Thank you for helping us to accomplish Bless those whose work to prepare this meal has truly been a work of prayer, and bless all of us who shall share it with Easter love and joy. Please rest in this warm house that we may come to know each other. An Invocation Loving God, bless all those gathered here today as we come together in friendship and fellowship. Amen. God, we thank you for this food. Simply put - invocation is a prayer said at the opening of a ceremony or service to invoke God's blessings. Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. to those who prepared it and those who served it. We acknowledge You in all our ways, and in all our meetings, so that You will direct our paths. There is also this from the humanist writer Nicolas Walter: Let us think thrice while we are gathering here for this meal. Change of Command Ceremony for a Squadron/Battalion - Invocation (Christian) (written by Chaplain Daryl Densford, prayed the 5-15 CAV Change of Command Ceremony, Ft. Knox, KY, 2005) Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for this beautiful day that we can stand before you. Prayer for God to Answer Righteous God, we call onto You right now and we know that You will answer! Earth maker and Lord of all creation, we are mindful that this food before us has already been blessed by the sun, earth and rain. God, as we begin this meeting, we ask that you would guide our thoughts and our actions so that we may have a successful meeting today. A grace for use as an Invocation at a Blue and Gold Banquet: Scouts, family members and friends . We come expecting to make a mark on this earth that is significant, but we can only do it with Your guidance. Blessed are you, loving Father, for all your gifts to us. We desire Your glory and blessing in all we do. It is you who are omniscient. Help us not to waste valuable time, as we all have many tasks to complete today. Thank You, Father, for we know that You are always here to support Your people. May we have a spirit of camaraderie in this room and work together on our shared mission. It might be race, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or any other way we may be regarded as different. Guide us toward the best way to take action to accomplish our goals. Loving God, bless all those gathered here today as we come together in friendship and fellowship. -Robert Louis Stevenson. 07 of 25. I pray that we will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. "Lord, into your most holy presence we now come. Father, please guide us so that this meeting can be productive. Let us be effective and decisive. And so, mindful of your continuous care, we pause to be grateful for the blessings of this table. We focus our hearts and minds on you. We ask for your guiding hand to lead us through this meeting. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it all, and all other blessings. Browse all prayers within Invocation prayers section. Blessed are you for ever and ever. Help us make new connections and gain wisdom to do the work youve set before us. The object is not just to drum up support among fellow humanists, though such grassroots activism is crucial, but to appeal to everyone's sense of fair play and tolerance. for the good things we have Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. - Author Unknown Dinner Blessing for Humble Hearts Calm our anxious spirits. Public prayer opens the door for displaying for others how to feel comfortable and accepted in the Father's presence. appropriate for. May the blessing of God, his peace and love, rest upon our table. And as their friends, we thank you for the gifts of loyalty and kindness they have shared with us, and for the models of service and dedication they have been as we ourselves have struggled to grow to adulthood alongside them. Before my public prayer, I privately pray and ask God to allow my closeness and love for him to show through me. Prayer for Unity God of peace, we invite You to preside over this meeting. We give thanks for this food prepared by loving hands. We have come to the last meal of this day, to our supper meal. Be present at our table, Lord, Be here and everywhere adored. Enable us to think and strategize in ways that will achieve great results. for those that made it possible, Wise Use of Time Prayer Lord, our Helper, enable us to wisely and efficiently manage our time in this meeting today. The first prayer is appropriate for a time of celebration, such as wedding reception or baptism. Copyright 2012 Beth McLendon of Let us enjoy ourselves, without guilt, - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Amen. Thank You for this gathering to celebrate and rejoice in the life of (celebrant's name). Love is patient, love is kind. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as You would have us. Newest Page::Prayers for Revival for your church, Bible Devotions and Making Life Better Articles, Click here for Links to ALL our marriage pages, Links to All our Full Armor of God Prayers, How to Create a Great Relationship with Yourself, By Beth McLendon, Copyright 2012 - 2023 Inspirational-Prayers.com, This page is for those who are asked to pray a, People can often sense our closeness with the Lord. O God, Most Creative and Sustaining Spirit. We lift up this bread; may it be food and symbol for all of us who shall eat it. Let the sick and infirm rejoice, for their savior is born. 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. You have inspired us with your creativity, displayed throughout this ever-evolving universe and echoed in the varied academic achievements of the students we honor in this convocation. We pause in the midst of this prayer to remember all the holy dead of our family who live now in You and who await the final and glorious resurrection of the dead. Give them through our hands this day their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give peace and joy. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 178. I pray that You intervene in this meeting, let it work for our good and for the good of the church. Help us to take the various ideas presented and think of ways to flesh them out. Amen. Leader : God of the ages, before your eyes all empires rise and fall yet you are changeless. We ask you to guide us as we read Scripture, talk about your goodness, and encourage one another in the faith. Here are 10 special opening prayers you can pray at your gatherings. I pray that we feel Your presence during this meeting because You are with us wherever we go. to those who planted the crops Amen. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. Feel free to make it fully your own, and personalize each prayer for the specific occasion and guests at your dinner party. Visit our home and this table with Your bright blessing of peace and life. May everyone be engaged and involved, and may all concerns be addressed. Since you redeemed us so dearly and delivered us from evil, as you gave us a share in this food so may you give us a share in eternal life. Thank you for our health, our work and our play. BENEDICTIONS & CLOSING PRAYERS O God of people and nations, we pause at the close of this meeting to acknowledge again Your sovereignty over our lives and our Country. I pray that we seek You for advice. We remember before You our comrades now departed this life. 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. Obviously people who don't believe in a god are not giving thanks to God but they can say more than just "Bon Appetit!". Loving God, bless all those gathered here today as we come together in friendship and fellowship. Thank you for this dedicated group of people who have come together to serve you and this congregation. For rest and home and all things good. This prayer is one you probably learned in Sunday school when you were little. Bless us, Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Please guide us in this meeting. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 182. the achievements and accomplishments . Creator God and Lord of Life, You who call forth from the darkness of death all those who love You, we rejoice, on this Easter Sunday, in the resurrection from the dead of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Help us to wisely evaluate our options, considering the pros and cons. May those sharing information give us pertinent points so we all clearly understand. Father, we thank you so much for our time here together For all the friends we have made For all the days of laughter and fun And for all the times of great discovery and learning. Father, your Word says in Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Graduation can bring feelings of uncertainty about the future, but we know with you we have hope. Father, with joyful hearts in the spirit of thanksgiving, we ask you to bless this banquet and each person here. Amen. Gilliard said an atheist giving an invocation is an affront to our troops because they are "fighting for our principles, based on God." Let us thank him for our bread. - Secular mealtime prayer. Retirement Dinner Invocation. Here are some great invocation prayers to help start the meeting off right. Jorie Nicole McDonald leads editorial video efforts for Southern Living. Help us to be generous toward others, and to work with them so that they too may eat well. Eternal God, I pray that You bless us in this meeting and keep us. Help us not get distracted by things within or outside this room. O Thou Who art generous and merciful! We praise you and give you glory through Christ our Lord. May all be healed. May each of us around this table really hear what our team members are saying. Lord Jesus, we are your brothers and sisters, and we gather here in your name. Whether you are asking God to bless the food, your family or friends, or even giving back blessings to God in your prayer, a prayer that calls on blessings can help you express your gratitude and acknowledge God's hand in your life. Prayer for Our Fathers Intervention Eternal Father, blessed be Your Matchless name! We invite you into our presence. Even if we have different opinions, give us unity of spirit. When I finished speaking, those council members walked back in, just in time for the Pledge of Allegiance. I feel very grateful for their public support. God Our Father, Lord, and Savior Traditional God our Father, Lord, and Savior Thank you for your love and favor Bless this food and drink we pray And all who share with us today. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. You are worthy of praise. Sometimes when we pray we have special requests to ask of God. May this meeting be lively and productive, and may the desired outcome be achieved. Father, we do not rely on ourselves for effective results for we are only human and often make mistakes. Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this food. Throughout Scripture, special occasions were celebrated by holding a banquet, when your people would congregate to eat, fellowship, and enjoy your many blessings. - Author Unknown. Thank you for this opportunity to come together and work together. As we work together to fulfill your purpose, we commit to walk in grace, humility, and truth. - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, 271. A dear friend opened our time together with a heartfelt, inspiring prayer, and it set the tone for the entire day. Or how about this variation on a Native American thanks giving: We give thanks for the plants and animals who have given themselves so that we can enjoy this meal together. I pray that we meditate on Your law day and night so that we can be blessed in our meetings, let Your law be evident in our meetings also so that we can prosper. Amen. Prayer for Invocations and Prayer for Office Christmas Parties Prayers for Meetings Almighty God, You are our Creator and our Sustainer. Graduation is a special time for the graduates and the family, friends, and loved ones whove supported them along the way. Thank you for the gift of family. We place You at the center of this. We wait upon You, Lord, knowing that You shall renew our strength. With all the tensions going on in our nation right now and the Greater . Thank you for this special time of gathering in celebration. We pray that all voices will be heard and that we will have a mindset of inclusivity. Bless our food and our drink. May these objectives drive each of us to actively participate rather than just passively listen. Dear God, Today we join with heaven as we celebrate and give thanks for every student here. PRAYER FOR 50TH CLASS REUNION. Remove the distractions that would keep us from you here today. You have blessed us with supportive people who seek the welfare of Your people and Your church/school/ministry/business. Let us be mindful of how our Lord, at such a meal as this, washed his friends' feet in an act of holy service. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it all, and all other blessings. Prayer for Strength Precious God, I pray against the schemes of the devil over this meeting and instead I pray that You rule over this meeting. Our teachers and mentors Our family and loved ones We thank You for them and give them all to You in prayer. In Jesus Christ's holy name, Amen. We invite you to be with us during this retreat. Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this food. Bless your church throughout the world, and all those who seek to do your will today. "May your life be filled with laughter, endless happiness, and good fortune. This is exactly the kind of publicity we need in the Freethought community. I ask that we might know the blessing of your presence here this afternoon as we honor these young scholars. Dear Father in heaven, thank you so much for this time together with our family, friends and church family. May we accomplish great things this day, and may we display an attitude of cooperation and respect. Prayer for Our Thoughts Omniscient God, we know that Your thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are Your ways our ways, for the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Your ways higher than our ways, and Your thoughts than our thoughts. Then one person gently squeezes the hands of the people seated adjacent; this signal is quickly passed around the table and people then begin to eat and talk. Help us to grow in your love, and work with you to build up the kingdom of God. As this food is about to serve us as nourishment, may we also serve one another. Thank you for this time away from our busy lives to reconnect with you. this meeting. September 12, 2015 / Dreams, Dreams and Prayers. - Author Unknown. - Author Unknown. You are our Wisdom and our Strength. O God, you sustain all of us at every moment, as we work and weep and worry, and as we rejoice and celebrate! Amen. I pray that You bless us as we do not walk in the step of the wicked, but we delight in Your law. 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. Blessings on our meal. for our dedication and the binding cords between us. God of the journeywe invite you into our . let us be truly thankful Help us to work as a whole, rather than as individuals trying to promote their own agendas. In preparing today's invocation, I was reminded that several men of science, including Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Steven Hawking all believe in the A classic humanist alternative to a Christian Grace is: For what we are about to receive Prayer for Productive Discussions Lord of wisdom, we pray that You will bless this meeting. A Prayer for a Class Reunion I was asked to offer the "invocation" at the 50th Class Reunion of my high school the other night. Stop What Youre Doing: The First Trailer For "Are You There God? Feed our souls on the bread of life and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds. These invocation prayers are O Giver of life - we are here to celebrate 5 decades of life in the real world. Invocations can be at the opening of a meeting, business, retreat, ceremony, graduation,sporting event,award ceremonies, banquet dinners, fundraiser anywhere an observed. Amen. Sometimes the standard wording is religious, and secular participants struggle to find an alternative. As you work together on behalf of all who live in this city, may you gain strength and sustenance from one another through reason and compassion. We ask for your peace and harmony. Bind our hearts and minds by Your Spirit. Our principles are enshrined in the Constitution, like the right of all citizens to be represented by their elected officials and not to be shunned because their religious beliefs differ from the majority. "Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your Son in the flesh redeems us from the old slavery under the yoke of sin, so we may receive him with joy as . what's on this page? opening prayers (athletic banquet or team cele-. We thank You for all who have given of their energy and skill So that we can graduate today. I pray that You direct our steps so that this meeting can achieve our kingdom aims. JesuitResource.org is a service of Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity, Xavier University Center for Mission and Identity 3800 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45207 513-745-3777, Multi Faith Calendar of Religious Holy Days, Foundational Documents on Jesuit Catholic Education, Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity. It can be modified to fit many other types of settings involving government bodies. - Mother Teresa. Please share this walk with us that we may all know nature's peace. Satisfy the needs that need to be met during this meeting. Whatever it is that You want to result from this meeting, Lord, let it happen. You have all power. We must pledge our best efforts to help one another, and to defend the rights of all of our citizens and residents. Invocation in Honour of the Five Wounds of Our Lord - O good Jesus, within Thy wounds hide me. We seek You for guidance and instruction, we seek You also for wisdom so that we can make the right decisions today. We give you honor and glory, Lord. Prayer for Good Plans God, You are the Builder of all things. Amen. Help us hear the complete message being communicated. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Please send help to those who are hungry, alone, sick, and suffering war and violence. In either situation, you may find the following advice and examples useful.