New Year

Description

Here are some worship resources suitable for use at a New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day service.

Scripture

Revelation 21:1-6
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Prayers

A Prayer for the New Year

O Star-flinging God,
whose light dances across eternity,
dazzle us into your presence
this new year.
Open our hearts to the mystery of your love.

Awaken us to your presence,
knit to the ordinary.
Reveal to us what is possible, but not yet present.
Heal us, that we might be healers.

Reconcile us to you and to ourselves,
that our living might be reconciling.

Stop us often, we pray
with news that is good
with hope that holds
with truth that transforms with a Word
tailored to this trail we're on.

May the word of your grace guide our steps
like the sun by day
and the north star by night,
as we travel into the gift of a new year.

Amen.

~ written by Glenn Mitchell, and posted on MINemergent’s Daily Communique.
https://www.facebook.com/EmergentVillage

Prayer at the Start of the New Year

We begin our new year with you,
Hoping that this year will be different and be better than last year.
Hoping we will be better persons ourselves.
Hoping our work will be improved.
Hoping our marriages will be better.
Hoping our families will be stronger.
Lord, we place our hope in you for you are the author of our lives.

We pray for our churches
that your spirit will be alive for all to experience you.
We pray for our country’s leaders
that they will use wisdom in their decision making.
We pray for country that as we continue to come out of this recession
jobs will continue to become available,
foreclosures will continue to decline,
and that debt will be paid down.
We pray for our world
that relations among all your people will be better,
that strife will cease,
that those who hunger will be filled.

Holy Author,
We have no idea what this year holds for us,
but we know who holds us.
And because it is you that holds us,
we place our faith and trust in you.
Lord help us to have our eyes open to your light, your ways,
and your presence as we go throughout this year.

Amen.

~ written by Rev Abi, and posted on RevGalBlogPals.
http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.ca/

Prayer for the New Year

Ageless one, who created time
And is sovereign over its every passing moment –
Be near to us at this turning of the year.
Help us to look back and celebrate all you have done
And all you have accomplished through us
To build your kingdom of justice and peace.
Empower us to also face the disappointment
And holy frustration of the change we have yet to see
And the injustice that continues to rob so many of their future.
And above all, fill us with your Spirit
That we might look to the year ahead with hope, determination and love
For we need your perspective as we continue to work with you
For an end to poverty, and a future for all.

Amen.

~ from the Christian Aid website.
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/churches/prayer/church-seasons.aspx

Spoken Resources

Benediction

we leave today
going into a future
as yet unmapped

take faith with you as you go;
into the parts of your life not yet traveled by love
into the parts of the world unexplored by grace

let compassion and hope be the roads that you follow
today and always

amen.

~ written by Cheryl Lawrie, and posted on [hold this space].
http://holdthisspace.org.au/

Welcoming a New Year

A new year stands on my doorstep
ready to enter my life's journey.

Something in me welcomes this visitor:
the hope of bountiful blessings
the joy of a new beginning
the freshness of unclaimed surprises

Something in me rebuffs this visitor:
the swiftness of the coming
the boldness of the entrance
the challenge of a year's good-bye.

Something in me fears this visitor:
the unnamed events of future days
the wisdom needed to walk love well
the demands of giving away and growing.

A new year stands on my doorstep.
With fragile caution I move
to open the door for its entrance,
my heart leaps with surprise,
joy jumps in my eyes,
for there beside this brand new year
stands my God with outstretched hand!

God smiles and gently asks of me:
can we walk this year together?

And I, so overwhelmed with goodness,
can barely whisper my reply: “Welcome in!”

~ posted on the Sisters of Saint Martha of Antigonish website.
http://www.themarthas.com/

Songs

Traditional Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Worship Together #607

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home.

Under the shadow of thy throne,
still may we dwell secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting, thou art God,
to endless years the same.

A thousand ages, in thy sight,
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night,
before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
bears all who breathe away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come;
be thou our guide while life shall last,
and our eternal home.

~ Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 90.

Contemporary Hymn: God of the Ages

Worship Together #470

God of the ages, history’s Maker,
planning our pathway, holding us fast,
shaping in mercy all that concerns us:
Father, we praise you, Lord of the past.

God of this morning, gladly your children
worship before you, trustingly bow;
teach us to know you always among us,
quietly sovereign, Lord of our now.

God of tomorrow, strong overcomer,
princes of darkness own your command:
what then can harm us? We are your people,
now and forever kept by your hand.

Lord of past ages, Lord of this morning,
Lord of the future, help us, we pray:
teach us to trust you, love and obey you,
crown you each moment Lord of today!

Tune suggestions:
BUNESSAN (“Morning has broken”)

Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKoRp05L95c

Contemporary Song: All Things New

Like the Sun, Your mercy shines
a brand new day, a brighter light
Jesus, Your grace restores our lives
at the cross, the great exchange
Your righteousness for all our shame
Jesus, Your grace restores our lives

You can make all things new
only Your power can raise us
You can make all things new
only Your love can save us
all hope is not lost
‘cause You make all things new

All our wounds and broken dreams
We lay them down at Calvary
Savior, Your grace restores our lives
When we’re weak, You make us strong
You lift us up, You lead us on
Savior, Your grace restores our lives

You give beauty for our ashes
and a hope that’s everlasting
the past has been redeemed
now forever we will sing.

~ Brett Younker, Alex Nifong, Matt Redman. Copyright © 2010 brett younker music (ascap), paymeplease publishing (ascap) / thankyou music (admin. worldwide by emi cmg publishing), sixsteps music / said and done music (admin. by emi cmg publishing) (ascap). If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze123A-7tCA

Images

Notes

This worship resource was created/compiled by Christine Longhurst. You are welcome to use it free of charge, and where appropriate, please note the source. If you are printing any of the resources for distribution, please print the source as well. The content of the worship resource does not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, which oversees the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. For more worship resources by Christine Longhurst, see http://www.re-worship.blogspot.ca or http://www.faithmatters.ca.

← Back to Worship Resources