Harvest

Bountiful, extravagant God of the harvest

Plant love in our hearts

Grow love in our lives

Let love become our meat and drink

Nurturing God in this time of harvest we remember the farmers, foresters and all who work on the land as they raise stock, balance budgets and manage the land. Be with them when times are good and the earth is fruitful, be with them when the earth is barren and despair threatens

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Plant love in our hearts

Grow love in our lives

Let love become our meat and drink

Shepherding God we pray for your church. We try to be your flock but often we squeeze through gaps in the hedges where we know we shouldn't go and find ourselves bleating on the open road, trying to dodge the traffic. Teach us to enjoy the good pasture where you lead us and frolic in the fields you have prepared for us

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Plant love in our hearts

Grow love in our lives

Let love become our meat and drink

Pruning God be with us when life is hard. Be with the grieving. Be with the sick. Be with all those who feel battered and burdened.

And now let us bring to God all those who we know who are finding life hard

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Plant love in our hearts

Grow love in our lives

Let love become our meat and drink

Universal God we pray for our world

For the forgotten places of the world where harvests have failed and people face hunger and despair

For the farmers overseas who provide us with the olives, lemons, oranges and spices which we can't grow ourselves

For those fighting for trade justice and for cooperatives and fair trade organizers and all those seeking to make the market work for the poorest

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Loving, nurturing, shepherding, pruning, universal God

Plant love in our hearts

Grow love in our lives

Let love become our meat and drink

and prepare us for that great final harvest when we return to you.