Prayers for New Beginnings

Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, who alone gavest us the breath of life, and alone canst keep alive in us the holy desires thou dost impart; We beseech thee, for thy compassion's sake, to sanctify all our thoughts and endeavours; that we may neither begin an action without a pure intention nor continue it without thy blessing. And grant that, having the eyes of the mind opened to behold things invisible and unseen, we may in heart be inspired by thy wisdom, and in work be upheld by thy strength, and in the end be accepted of thee as thy faithful servants; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Ever-living God, by whose mercy we have come to the gateway of another year; grant that we may enter it with humble and grateful hearts; and confirm our resolution, we beseech thee, to walk more closely in thy way, and labor more faithfully in thy service, according to the teaching and example of thy Son our Lord. Let not the errors and offenses of the past cling to us, but pardon us and set us free, that with a purer purpose and a better hope, we may renew our vows in thy presence, and set forth under the guidance of thy Spirit, to travel in that path which shineth more and more unto the perfect day of thy heavenly kingdom. Through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, God of time, God of eternity, with whom a thousand years are as one day and one day as a thousand years; we the children of a day would draw near to thee as we stand at the threshold of another year and seek thy guidance. Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Help us to realize the infinite significance of life's opportunities. Give us calm minds, and courageous hearts, and contented spirits as we go forward to face the unknown experiences of the New Year. May we have in our own lives a great renewal; so that old duties may become fresh, and old affections ardent, and old aspirations filled with new power, and old faith abundantly satisfying. And above all, teach us to walk this year in trustful fellowship with thee. We ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our dear heavenly Father, we thank thee for all that thou hast done for us in the year just finished. We thank thee for the successes we have had. And we thank thee, too, for the failures that we have overcome. May we take into this New Year many lessons from past successes and past failures. We have learned that true success comes only when we do thy will. Help us to fill all our acts this New Year with the motive of service. We pray thee to help us to be a blessing to all we meet. And above all we pray that this New Year may be devoted to serving thee in our lives. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things both in heaven and earth; we invoke thy blessing upon the proceedings in which we are now engaged. We pray especially for thy protection upon those who, leaving their school days behind, are about to go forth to meet the sterner duties of maturer life. Let thy mercy ever be with them. Direct them in all their doings with thy most gracious favor and further them with thy continual help; and grant that, thou being their ruler and guide, they may so pass through things temporal that they lose not finally the things eternal. Bless, we pray thee, our public schools, and all institutions of learning, their officers, teachers and pupils; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.