United Church of Canada Moderator, the Right Rev. Richard Bott, invites us all to pray these words, and prays on our behalf, as we move through the challenges of this pandemic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this time of COVID-19, we pray:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When we aren’t sure, God,<\/em>
help us be calm;<\/em>
when information comes<\/em>
from all sides, correct and not,<\/em>
help us to discern;<\/em>
when fear makes it hard to breathe,<\/em>
and anxiety seems to be the order of the day,<\/em>
slow us down, God;<\/em>
help us to reach out with our hearts,<\/em>
when we can’t touch with our hands\u2026<\/em>
help us to be socially connected,
when we have to be socially distant;
help us to love as perfectly as we can,
knowing that “perfect love casts out all fear.”
For the doctors, we pray,
for the nurses, we pray,
for the technicians and the janitors and the
aides and the caregivers, we pray,
for the researchers and theorists,
the epidemiologists and investigators,
for those who are sick,
and those who are grieving, we pray,
for all who are affected,
all around the world…
we pray
for safety,
for health,
for wholeness.
May we feed the hungry,
give drink to the thirsty,
clothe the naked and house those without homes;
may we walk with those who feel they are alone,
and may we do all that we can to heal the sick\u2014
in spite of the epidemic,
in spite of the fear.
Help us, O God,
that we might help each other.
In the love of the Creator,
in the name of the Healer,
in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all,
we pray.
May it be so.<\/p>\u2014A prayer during times of COVID-19 by the Right Rev. Richard Bott, originally posted on Facebook. Moderator Bott encourages the sharing of prayers he posts throughout his term.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n