New Year’s Day Blessing

 The beginning of a new year can be an appropriate time to ask God’s blessings upon a new period of time in life.  Gather before the meal.  All join in making the sign of the cross.

 CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:  Let us bless the Lord of days.  All:  His are the times and the seasons.

Leader:  Let us pray.  O God our Creator, you have divided our life into days and seasons, and called us to acknowledge your providence year after year.  Accept your people who come to offer their praises, and in your mercy, receive their prayers.  Through Christ our Lord.  All:  Amen.

 A reading could be done from one of the following scripture passages:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-15; Psalm 90; 2 Corinthians 5:17;6-2; Revelation 21:1-14, 22-24

 A brief litany of thanksgiving follows:

Leader:  For the blessings, seen and unseen, of this past year.   All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For the gift of life and its fullness.   All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For the wisdom to number our days in the presence of our God.   All:  We thank you, Lord.

 Leader:  (with hands extended over the family members):

                Eternal Father, you have placed us in a world of space and time, and through the events of our lives you bless us with your love.  Grant that in this new year we may know your presence, see your love at work, and live in the light of the event which gives us joy forever—the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   All:  Amen.

 (If desired bless family and individual calendars with the following prayer:)

Leader:  Lord, you who live outside of time and reside in the imperishable moment, we ask your blessing this New Year upon your gift to us of time.  Bless our calendars, these ordered lists of days, weeks and months, of holidays, holy days, fasts and feasts.  May they remind us of birthdays and other gift-days as they teach us the secret that all life is meant for celebration and contemplation.  Bless, Lord, this new year, each of its days and nights.  Bless us with happy seasons and long life.  Grant to us, Lord, the New Year’s gift of a year of love.   All:  Amen.

 (“Blessings for God’s People – Rev. Thomas G. Simons)