God our Mother,

we thank you for the richness 

of the world around us:

for the circle of the seasons:

birth – death – birth,

flourishing – dying – flourishing again.

Give us open eyes and glad hearts

as we enjoy your world in all its beauty.

Today we give thanks for our mother the church:

for the learning, the caring, the nurturing

that we have received,

and for those who teach, care and nurture.

Forgive the church’s tendency to self-preservation:

like the best of mothers, 

give us to protect the vulnerable

and nurture the helpless.

We give you thanks for earthly mothers 

who have nurtured, tended and protected their children.

We pray for those whose mothers

have fallen short of these ideals,

for mothers who struggle with heavy loads of care, 

and for those who fail their children.

We thank you for venerable grandmothers

and great grandmothers – 

women of experience and knowledge;

may they be treasure and esteemed

Whether or not we are parents,

give us tenderness and compassion in all we do. 

We pray for those who have lost parents or grandparents,

children, siblings or friends, especially in the Covid pandemic.

Give us time to grieve and to give thanks.

We pray for women and men

who have nursed and tended the sick and dying:

may there be days of respite soon.

We pray too for victims of violence and harassment,

and political prisoners.

We pray for families in Ukraine, Afghanistan

and all paces of war and conflict,

especially those seeking to keep children safe,

those working in hospitals ,

and all who are caring for vulnerable people 

in extreme danger.

God our mother

Help our belief in you to be rich, surprising, challenging.

Forgive us when our understanding is small and stale:

expand and renew our faith with each new day. Amen

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