A   T A B L E   B L E S S I N G
for all those gathered here today

There is room here for you.

Room for your hopes and your fears 
For your laughter and your tears.
Room for those anxious or aching
For those weeping or waiting.

Room for your weariness 
And room for your sadness.
Room for beauty 
Room for gladness.

Room for raw honesty
Room for shared humanity
Room for hidden insecurity
Room for tender vulnerability.

Room for the lonely, the empty
The happy, the brave.
Room for laughter, for longing
For loss and for love.

May we bring to this table
Both our gratitude and our grief.
May we allow ourselves to be known,
Heard, and seen.

May we talk about something 
Rather than nothing.
May we take off our masks
And let go of pretending.

May we not fake it or force it
May we name what we miss
And release how we wish it would be. 

May we just sit together
In the weight of the waiting. 
May we hold hands with each other
And join in thanks giving.

And would these two hands remind us
That whether alone or together,
Whether empty or full 
Whether rejoicing or mourning,
Feasting or resting, 
We can still hold out both, 
Our burdens and blessings.

So, 
May we open our hands
And lift up our heads.
May we find, not only our bellies, 
But our souls fully fed.

May we be seen and known,
Heard and loved today. 

Even if it comes in a very different way.

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A   P R A Y E R
as we finish dinner


Lord, 
We look around today and we realize,
We are a blessed people 
And
We are a burdened people.

Our hearts are, 
At the very same time,
Both happy and heavy.

We are all holding
Both hope and hurt.

We all feel
Great gratitude and grief.

And You
Are God
Over each.

Lord, we thank You
For Your goodness and for Your gifts…
~ Selah {pause for people to offer their own silent prayers of gratitude}

And,

Lord, we invite You 
Into our sorrows and griefs.
~ Selah {pause for people to offer their own silent prayers of trust}


(Say or sing together)

Praise God from whom all blessing flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Amen.

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More of Sarah’s works can be found at https://www.sarahbourns.com or @sarahbournscrosby on Instagram.